Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Technical, Bike forums > BMW Tech
The auxiliary light question..... The auxiliary light question.....
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
BMW Tech BMW Tech Forum - For Questions specific and of interest to BMW riders only.
Photo by Sean Howman, The Pamir highway in an unseasonably cold late October, Tajikistan

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Sean Howman,
The Pamir highway in an unseasonably
cold late October, Tajikistan



Like Tree4Likes
  • 1 Post By MEZ
  • 1 Post By *Touring Ted*
  • 1 Post By MEZ
  • 1 Post By gjj

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 28 May 2015
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 24
The auxiliary light question.....
Which are best?
Anyone?
PIAA. / Hella. / Warn???
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 28 May 2015
Tim Cullis's Avatar
Super Moderator
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London and Granada Altiplano
Posts: 3,132
Do you want them for additional light on the road, or as a 'bigging up' to other road users?

LED are good for low power consumption, Zen Overland Lighting
__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
Last edited by Tim Cullis; 29 May 2015 at 12:05. Reason: change link colour
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 28 May 2015
*Touring Ted*'s Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wirral, England.
Posts: 5,676
These are very good indeed.

Rigid Industries LED Aux lights 'Dually' - Pair
__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 22 Jan 2016
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: South Somerset, England
Posts: 44
1600LM Cree LED kit
I got this 1600LM Cree kit from a guy in Hong Kong. He was very helpful, supplied wiring diags and responded to all enquiries very quickly.

The kit was £99.50 inc. tracked post and was delivered within a week. He also sells 800LM and 3200LM lights. I would think the 3200LM lights would be excellent for off-road - a wide spread of bright light for about 100yds out.



They're solidly built in alloy housings and, though the accessories supplied are not top quality, it all works fine and the wires are plenty long enough to route from low on the bike to up under the seat. I didn't use the waterproof connectors - they were too fiddly to wire up. If I decided to do it again, and sourced accessories separately, I'd get the smaller micro relay.

In use: Their white light is much brighter than the OEM BMW lights with a bigger spread than the dipped beam. Excellent DRLs and a quantum leap in nightime lighting up to about 50yds out. They're too bright to use with dipped at night so I'm thinking of adding a second relay to make them come on automatically with main beam. I haven't had them long enough to comment on durability.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 22 Jan 2016
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Oxford UK
Posts: 2,119
Quote:
Originally Posted by trailguru View Post
I haven't had them long enough to comment on durability.
I bought a couple of similar Chinese lights three years ago and have been very pleased with them (great value for money and huge light output) ... but - both of them packed up within a couple of weeks (when I was using them on the Elephant Rally).

I took them apart when I got back and found the same circuit board fault on both - vibration had snapped off an unsupported capacitor. They were easy enough to solder back on and a liberal application of hot melt glue on the circuit boards has stopped it happening again. A couple of years on they're still working fine.

Hopefully their current production will be better - or your bike's vibration characteristics may be different, but it's something I'll have a quick look at on the next ones I buy.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 24 May 2016
MEZ MEZ is offline
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Gateshead N/E
Posts: 329
Sloid state lighting module
Anyone reading this may be interested in a small product I'm about to launch, a solid state switching module capable of switching 10amps per channel, designed specifically for current trend LED spot lights ( a set of fogs and a set of main spots for example...). A two gang switch will sit adjacent to the left cluster for gloved left hand operation. It will be a simple plug and play unit with some basic electrics involved.


Like Backofbeyond says, Chinese LEDs should these days be pretty much ok to use if you get the right supplier, Chinese market is 50/50 for getting either reasonably decent or a pile of........!!!!! There are a few things that can be done to a cheap n nasty PCB to make it more robust including the 'hot glue gun'.....!!!!!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 24 May 2016
*Touring Ted*'s Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wirral, England.
Posts: 5,676
Ive been trying lots of different brand 'cheap' LED aux lights. I have come to the conclusion that they're all crap. They might work reliably but the light they emit is dire. I bought a single rigid industries light from Zen Overland (£120) and in a dark campsite test against others it was brighter than SIX pairs of Chinese lights all combined.

You get what you pay for.

Sent from my G7-L01 using Tapatalk
__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 24 May 2016
MEZ MEZ is offline
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Gateshead N/E
Posts: 329
[QUOTE=*Touring Ted*;539536]Ive been trying lots of different brand 'cheap' LED aux lights. I have come to the conclusion that they're all crap. They might work reliably but the light they emit is dire. I bought a single rigid industries light from Zen Overland (£120) and in a dark campsite test against others it was brighter than SIX pairs of Chinese lights all combined.



I tend to agree, I have a whole host of R/I led's again from Gabe at Zen but haven't put them through there paces yet so your probably bang on there Ted....!!!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 24 May 2016
gjj gjj is offline
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Barry, South Wales , UK, or riding somewhere in Africa
Posts: 43
Another happy Rigid Industries/Zen Overland customer . Mine were fantastic on my 6month Southern Africa trip , lit up the very dark Namibian desert . I also used them every day, I drilled small holes in covers and they made great daytime running lights see photos on Pan Without a Plan on Facebook . Highly recommended.
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
light and silence and the white-red - poland to central asia mazeno Ride Tales 12 12 Dec 2014 17:12
bmw r850r oil light darren08 BMW Tech 1 18 Sep 2012 00:33
kle500a1 oil pressure light wildmetal Kawasaki Tech 2 4 Apr 2012 15:33
Slightly dull question about charging a battery / a battery charger.. Lagan Tech 6 4 Feb 2012 09:51

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

25 years of HU Events
Be sure to join us for this huge milestone!

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

Virginia: April 24-27
Queensland is back! May 2-5
Ecuador June 13-15
Germany Summer: May 29-June 1
CanWest: July 10-13
Switzerland: Aug 14-17
Romania: Date TBC
Austria: Sept. 11-14
California: September 18-21
France: September 19-21
Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes.
(ONLY US RESIDENTS and currently has a limit of 60 days.)

Ripcord Evacuation Insurance is available for ALL nationalities.


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Every book a diary
Every chapter a day
Every day a journey
Refreshingly honest and compelling tales: the hights and lows of a life on the road. Solo, unsupported, budget journeys of discovery.
Authentic, engaging and evocative travel memoirs, overland, around the world and through life.
All 8 books available from the author or as eBooks and audio books



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 20:56.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top