Auxillary lights on R1100RT

[topwrench]

Maybe someone can help me out?
I saw on ebay the other day a pair of brackets that mounted behind my mirrors that were used for mounting auxillary driving lights. Are they avialable from a certian company or are they just for police applications? Are they a good idea or do they put too much stress in that area of my fairing?
Any assistance would be appericated.
Scott D.

[Djstephens]

Maybe someone can help me out?
I saw on ebay the other day a pair of brackets that mounted behind my mirrors that were used for mounting auxillary driving lights. Are they avialable from a certian company or are they just for police applications? Are they a good idea or do they put too much stress in that area of my fairing?
Any assistance would be appericated.
Scott D.

These might be what you are looking for if you have one of the regular RTs and not an RTp.
http://www.empdesigns.com/

If you have an RTp you can normally find them used on Ebay.

[ArthurKnowles]

I had a similar set of mounts on my Piaa lights. I didn't like them and sold the mounts and lights. I found that the lights that are mounted high like that have to be aimed to a specific spot (low) to prevent causing problems wiht other drivers. And as such the lights only illuminate a small area.

I much preferred the Ezy-Mount with my HID Trail Tech SCMR16 lights. Being mounted lower under the oil cooler, I was able to line them up and point them down the center of the road. These lights light up the night like car drivng lights. Stright down the road, starting where my HID (conversion) low beam's focus point is and extending further forward. Took a few tries to get them lined up sufficiently so that I wasn't flashed by oncoming motorist every time, but was well worth the effort.

[Djstephens]

Just noticed that they don't sell them anymore, Sorry about the tease.

[kgadley01]

Maybe someone can help me out?
I saw on ebay the other day a pair of brackets that mounted behind my mirrors that were used for mounting auxillary driving lights. Are they avialable from a certian company or are they just for police applications? Are they a good idea or do they put too much stress in that area of my fairing?
Any assistance would be appericated.
Scott D.

I've seen the same ones on E-bay. I don't like the way they look, plus I think that where they mount is too high to do much good. IMHO!!!!

[don35414]

in some states they mite be illegal, if the centers of the lights are above the center of your headlight

[topwrench]

Lots of good information! I am starting to believe that they may be illeagle since they are so hard to locate. I also have the auxillary light under my oil cooler and the only problem I have had is when my front shock went bad the front fender and the light housings smacked each other leaving a nice scratch on the top of the fender.
I ride alot to work in the morning (6am cst). It seems that my headlight is not on when you transition from dark to dawn light. If I turn on my brights my auxillary lights come on also blinding the oncomming traffic. I have put in a H4 brite white bulb and adjusted my headlight beam which has helped some. I guess I just wanted to look cool with the big bug eye lights? Why should I stop there how about a big brush guard on the front! Oops, I think I have been in Texas too long! I better leave on my RT to Colorado today and ride every road that I can for the next 9 days and get this bad thinking out of my head and if it doesn't work? (This is where you smack me in the head and I wake up)
To those that are going, Have fun at the ralley, ride safe, see ya in a week!
Scott D.

[R1100RT]

I have a 1998 R1100RT with emf brackets with IPF 6314 lights and their X51 Super Low beam bulb. I wouldn’t buy another type of bulb for my headlight. Much better than PIAA of other brands I have used. I will use the IPF lighting products in every application I can. They are superior to anything else I have used.

http://bestrestproducts.com/celestia/products/lighting/

I enjoy using an Autoswitch for controlling the driving lights.
http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=AS

I also have auxillary lights from the electrical connection. They had a product that bracketed lights directly under the oil cooler. These were the best value I could find in 2004.
http://www.electricalconnection.com/driving-lights/dl.htm

It looks like Cycke Gadgets has a very good looking kit that may be what you are looking for..
http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/LightKits/detail.asp?bike=R1100RT&kit=RBR-R11RT
The emf brackets add a little shake to the mirrors as the lights mounted to the mirror brackets will catch more wind. I like the ability to aim the lights in a different location, like where the deer tend to come out of the ditches.

[DERost]

I had the style that attaches at the mirror (made my own) but found it to be a hassel and in the way when ever I had to take off the tuperware. Ended up mounting them right onto the tuperware. So far it has worked great and I never get anyone flashing me with their lights. Also, when I had them on the mirrors, I could never get them solid enough, there was always a bit of flex in the mount. I didn't like the bouncing effect it had on the light when riding.


http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee252/BeemerFROG/DSCF0350.jpg

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee252/BeemerFROG/DSCF0351.jpg

[topwrench]

Mounting it to your tupperware looks like a good idea. Has it generated any cracks in that area at all?

[DERost]

Never had a problem what so ever. To increase rigidity and prevent cracking, it is actually sandwiched. There are 2 bolts that go through the mount, through a large rubber washer, though the side panel, then through a powder coated metal plate. This greatly reduces presure being put on a single area that would produce cracking. It is solid enough that I do not get any light bouncing when riding on rough roads.

[cruisin]

I added some driving lights from WallyWorld for $30.00. Initially had them mounted to the engine guards but they were in the way and difficult to R&R when removing tupperware. I have since moved them to the faring panel. These come with a thick half-dome lens and a 55W halogen (H-3) bulb that doesn't show up very well. I replace the thick half-dome lens with a 1/8" pyrex lens from McMaster.com and the bulb with an 85W PIAA. By the time I changed the lenses and added the PIAAs, I still had <$100 tied up in them. To add strength & spread the forces, I used a 3" square stainless steel plate on the back side. Only had to drill one 1/2" hole through the fairing for the mounting. Now I have a very bright and large front profile attained by getting the driving lights as far as possible from the headlight without dragging the ground in hard turns. Granted, with them mounted that close to the ground, they don't help you as the driver see much better at night. But my main purpose was to make other drivers see me better. I don't drive much at night and when I do, it is at a very conservative pace.

[cruisin]

. . . and here is the other side with light on the base plate and a wire mesh cover to prevent rocks from breaking the lens.