Best (and cheapest) aftermarket lights for an 11RT

[mathewaustin]

Hey folks,

I'm a new bike owner, an '01 1100RTP (civilianized) and am in the process of getting it all set for some long and safe rides. I'd really like to get additional lighting and have been doing some reseach and would love to get some opinions from some experienced riders. Being a full-time grad student, I'd like to not spend huge bucks, which seems challenging to not do, otherwise I would have already gotten Motolights I think. I'm interested in increased visibility to others as well as better night riding and being able to actually see the road.

Particulars to my bike that might be helpful are that I've got a spot for a bolt on either side of fairing (low) where the crash bars mounted and spots on the 'dash' to the inside and above the mirrors where I think the flashing blue and red lights went. There's no brackets there anymore, just some holes. It seems like it'd be "easy" to mount right to those crash bar mount holes if possible. I just don't have the technical knowledge to go out and get it done.

I'd love any suggestions, advice, or used products that people want to toss my way.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

Mathew

[BuddingGeezer]

I can't help with the best, but I may can on the cheapest. I installed a pair of lights I bought at Wal Mart. 55 watt H3 bulbs-$14.95. I think they were called Burners. 16 guage wire, relay, fuse holder and lights were around $40.

They really make the bike visible in bright daylight. That is the reason I put them on, to be seen by other drivers. No one has pulled out in front of me since installed (knock on wood). They help at night. I really can't compare to the $200 lights, I haven't seen any. I don't ride much at night.

Ralph Sims

[mathewaustin]

Ralph,
That certinaly might be the cheapest! How did you mount those on the bike?

Mathew

[Kwazimoto]

Hella FF 55s been very good to me.Around $75. My son has a set of China Mart cheapies on his truck-No comparison to my Hellas. Spend the extra $$ and be happy.Should mount right up to your bars.

[OfficerImpersonator]

...China Mart...

:thumb

If everyone realized we have lead in our children's toys and the "off-shoring"/"outsourcing" of well-paying American jobs because of "China Mart", people wouldn't shop there anymore.

For instance, did you know that many manufacturing companies in China are owned by the "Red Army", and the "employees" are actually soldiers who perform their Army duties by working in the factory? I cannot see how this is any different from indentured servitude. The revenues produced by these factories are used to modernize/enlarge the Chinese Army, which might not be such a good thing. But if you want to finance the Chinese Red Army, that's your choice...

Cheaper is not always better.

[BuddingGeezer]

Ralph,
That certinaly might be the cheapest! How did you mount those on the bike?

Mathew

I mounted them to the fairing under the headlight. Directly to the fairing. This is on a K100LT. If you go to BMW Sport Touring there are pictures of oilhead auxillary lights.

Ralph Sims

[Polarbear]

I love my dollar as much as everybody I think and China trade today is huge all over the world, including here. I know if I bought all USA made products, my life would be substantially diiferent and I'd be mostly broke! We live a huge lifestyle in this country, because of our freedoms and those that have died for us fighting for such. China threatens none of that as of today, imo. We trade and shop wherever we like, at this point. I hope we can manage to keep a trade partnership open with all. At least we are communicating in a capitolistic fashion, not war at this point. We have one hell of a military too and I support it in high fashion, with my immediate family in there. God help us all if we have to fight something like China, but buying there products and it suppoprting their military is not a fair comparison to make. They know, we know whats going on and fighting between us would be catastrophic. Trade on, BUT trade fair, I say. I think if anything needs hammering on is fair trade and we should sell "big over there", too and probably are! Sorry for the politics, but its another"Republican" opinion:). Beemers have a very sorted past as well and we ride them. The Nazi's used our bikes very efficiently and killed many of ours riding them. We did them, too. I guess we should give them up, if we have a concious. I know the past is just that and not comparable to China, but do not threaten my shopping where I want, to give some USA(especially union) worker a shot at making too much money. Our wages vs. other countries are not to be compared and our wages are good. Unions posed a great role in our wages, I submit to this and respect it, but to what end today? Our retail costs are getting so high due to one thing mostly, our wages keep growing. If we cannot buy anymore, whats the answer? Raises, hell no. We have to quit somewhere and the market will crash back on us, lowering prices. Its a viscious cycle, no pun intended.:thumb :usa "Too much politics", I say. Lets have fun now:) PIAA's I've had and they are way too pricey and I have copies, like PIAA's now for a tenth of the cost and working fine for years now. Most if not all auto parts stores are selling many options for H3 lighting and in very nice kit form. Randy13233 Happy Trails to all and Washington too:thumb

[Djstephens]

This is my R1150RT-P with a 55Watts set I got on ebay for around $15

http://homepage.mac.com/djstephens/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/newR1150RTp/DSCN2831.jpg

This is my R1100RT-P with similar set on bottom and a set of 910 PIAA's up top. The PIAAs up top are over kill around here. Very handy in the midwest at night, but the street signs blind you when you turn them on here in the south east.

http://homepage.mac.com/djstephens/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/NewBeemer05/BMWlights039.JPG

More pictures of the of my RT-Ps lights. (http://homepage.mac.com/djstephens/PhotoAlbum13.html)

Rear seat conversion if you haven't already swapped it out. (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14992html)

[Djstephens]

Welcome to the club!!:clap This forum is a great source for ideas and advice.

[mathewaustin]

Thanks everybody. Djstephens, are those 910's mounted to brackets that came with the bike? If not, where did you find them, I'd love to get a set of those brackets.

Mathew

[OfficerImpersonator]

Thanks everybody. Djstephens, are those 910's mounted to brackets that came with the bike? If not, where did you find them, I'd love to get a set of those brackets.

Mathew

I just noticed as I was browsing around the Max BMW online parts fiche that part #46637654423 "bracket for locator light, left" and part #46637654424 "bracket for locator light, right" are not available for purchase/ordering, I presume because it's cop bike equipment. I have the PIAA 910s as well. No fun paying $80 for a set of replacement bulbs, but they'll melt the paint off the car in front of me. The PIAA 1100xs mounted on the crash bars are for everyday use. For me, PIAA is a local company, seeing they're just a couple hundred miles down the road from me in a suburb of Portland, Oregon.

But as far as finding the brackets, if you can't get it from Max, I have no idea where you'd find it.

[cruisin]

I have a set of CIBIE40s on my '79 R80 that kept running the battery down for the previous owner. I am planning on replacing them with something a bit less taxing to the alternator and will be selling these cheap. Contact me off-line by PM or direct E-mail and we can discuss it further.

[OfficerImpersonator]

From the front:
http://dvandkq.net/images/20070929-014.jpg

Front quarter:
http://dvandkq.net/images/20070929-015.jpg

Gratuitous butt shot:
http://dvandkq.net/images/20070929-006.jpg

More bike porn:
http://dvandkq.net/images/20070929-009.jpg

[Texpaul]

Mathew,

I'm with kwazimoto on the Hella FF50's. You can find them online for under $80 (w/o shipping) and for the money they're probably you're best bet. They come in driving or fog pattern and if you want extra punch you can even stick in a pair of 100 watt bulbs. I would suggest (this is the voice of experience) you get some type of lens protector though as the lens and inside are all one piece so if you catch a rock you have to replace everything except the housing, which usually means you have to buy another set. But, they do throw out some excellent light.
I have a set, w/100 watt bulbs, wired into the high beams on my '00 11rt.

Paul Mulhern

[Djstephens]

Thanks everybody. Djstephens, are those 910's mounted to brackets that came with the bike? If not, where did you find them, I'd love to get a set of those brackets.

Mathew

Yes, they are the brackets where the traffic warning lights used to be. I just adapted them for the 910s.
Here's a couple of sites for brackets that might fit your needs,
CycleGadgets (http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/LightKits/?bike=R1100RT)

emp designs above the mirror bracket (http://www.empdesigns.com/)

[Motor31]

djstephens,

Could you resize those pix so we can get everything in the screen without having to scroll to read the text? :dunno

[LMIWA156120]

Has anyone installed the R1150RT-P above mirror light brackets (46637654423 & 46637654424) on a standard R1150RT?

Someone posted that they come with all the nuts/bolts/etc. to install on a standard R1150RT, but it was a very old post and the original poster is no longer responding.

From the diagrams, it seems to indicate that they mount to the RT-P specific front frame (46632316958) and that the standard RT front frame (46632321224) probably won't have the mounting points.

I'd really like to hear from someone that has tried this before I go and special order a pair of brackets that I can't use!

Thanks!

[OfficerImpersonator]

If I can correctly read Max BMW's parts fiche - and I think I can - you need the RTP-specific subframe in order to mount the RTP authority light brackets. Look specifically for diagram "63_0427 - MARKER LIGHT BRACKET"

You might look around for a local welding shop to braze on some tabs so you could mount the brackets to your existing subframe...

https://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=51765&rnd=03192010

[LMIWA156120]

Yes, that was exactly the impression that I had as well. However, on the BMWSportTouring forum, someone said that they had purchased these brackets for a standard RT and they bolted right on.

Only explanation I could come up with was that his "standard RT" for some reason had the RTP subframe on it.

If it's just tabs that are needed, then I can probably mount the brackets using clamps like these:

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/008236/008236716863lg.jpg

But that would require that the subframe have a bar in the correct location. Not sure if that's the case or not and I can't really tell from the diagrams.

[Picinisco]

Ralph,
That certinaly might be the cheapest! How did you mount those on the bike? Mathew
Here are my Wally world lights. Had them for 3 years. replaced the bulb in one twice.

[martinPH]

Please remember, if you mount day time running lights up high, any where near the signal lights; you now essentially don’t have any front signal lights! The glare covers them. Mount them low! Imho.

[Picinisco]

Please remember, if you mount day time running lights up high, any where near the signal lights; you now essentially don’t have any front signal lights! The glare covers them. Mount them low! Imho.
Hmmmm Never considered that. Never been a problem in 3 years. But if I have a problem tonight driving home I will hunt you down for jinxing me.

[jfremder]

Mathew,

I'm with kwazimoto on the Hella FF50's. You can find them online for under $80 (w/o shipping) and for the money they're probably you're best bet. They come in driving or fog pattern and if you want extra punch you can even stick in a pair of 100 watt bulbs. I would suggest (this is the voice of experience) you get some type of lens protector though as the lens and inside are all one piece so if you catch a rock you have to replace everything except the housing, which usually means you have to buy another set. But, they do throw out some excellent light.
I have a set, w/100 watt bulbs, wired into the high beams on my '00 11rt.

Paul Mulhern

This is my setup as well. The FF50's w/ the 100w bulbs work great!

[JHGilbert]

One of the standard items that drew me to the R1150RT were the built-in fog lights. As a bonus, it came with separate high and low beam bulbs. If necessary, I can put an incredible amount of wattage into the original light assembly and still keep the exterior of the bike clean and smooth.

[jfremder]

One of the standard items that drew me to the R1150RT were the built-in fog lights. As a bonus, it came with separate high and low beam bulbs. If necessary, I can put an incredible amount of wattage into the original light assembly and still keep the exterior of the bike clean and smooth.

Stock wiring/housings won't handle extra wattage, fog lights have wrong lens design for using any more power...

[JHGilbert]

I haven't found the need for them, but relays easily answer the current problem. They did wonders for my old K75 at about $100. Same problem nearly every factory stock vehicle on the road has. I think I'll check into them for the R1150.

As for lens design; wheres the problem?

[SeabeckS]

Here's another .05 suggestion (.02 opinion, .03 for Fed/State/Local Yokel taxes).

I had FF50's on my 1150R, and now have them on my 1100S. I mounted them below the cooler shrouds on the R and off the top of the valve covers on the S. Kept them somewhat low to keep them from obscuring the turnsignals. But hopefully high enough to help avoid rockstrikes. Seems like a good compromise position.

Also, I elected to go with clear fog lights, rather than driving lights. One reason being I don't drive much at night, and when I do I keep the speeds very moderate. The fog lamps put a LOT of light out to a comfortable distance, and an advantage I discovered (for me, anyway) is the fogs have such a good distinct top cutoff on the beam, that I can basically leave them on all of the time. With a moderately low position, and a sharp beam cutoff there is so little light scatter that oncoming traffic at night does not object (ie, no high beam flashing) at all.

Now returning to our regular programming...:dance

Cheers, and good luck!

Bill J

[Picinisco]

Please remember, if you mount day time running lights up high, any where near the signal lights; you now essentially don’t have any front signal lights! The glare covers them. Mount them low! Imho.
After further consideration on this matter, I think this is probably untrue since every car/truck in the last 20 yeas has their turn signals as part of the headlamp cluster without a visibility problem.

John