Driving lights for X

I am sorry for not knowing where and how to actually post this, but I would like to know (or see) what kind of add on driving lights that some of you may be using.I really didnt find what I was looking for in the search. I really like the ones that superbee24 has on his X,,but I didnt know what they were.. I would love to see more options for inexpensive,easy to install driving lights

I just picked up a pair of used Trailtech 30W HIDs off Ebay yesterday. I probably won't have a chance to install them until the first weekend in October, but I'll fit check them as soon as I get them. I *think* I have clearance to put them on the reflector tabs off the front fork, but it will be tight up against the plastics up front.

For HID driving lights, Trailtech seems to be the way to go.

Yea,I like the idea of using the reflector brackets. I like the small style and thought that maybe some leds could be wired up to the high beam,more for safety than function but slightly tilted out toward the sides might help light the edges of the roads. I live about 15 miles from town(Huntsville) and its very dark with no moon or when cloudy at night....thanks for your input about the HIDs. Post some pics if you can.,K ..

nirvana wrote:

Yea,I like the idea of using the reflector brackets. I like the small style and thought that maybe some leds could be wired up to the high beam,more for safety than function but slightly tilted out toward the sides might help light the edges of the roads. I live about 15 miles from town(Huntsville) and its very dark with no moon or when cloudy at night....thanks for your input about the HIDs. Post some pics if you can.,K ..

PM duanew here or on ADVRider.

Got the lights and grips installed last weekend. The left light is a spot and the right a flood (the better to see deer with). It doesn't throw light much farther than the headlamp. The headlamp actually throws light straight forward pretty well, IMO. This fills in the space MUCH better, though. I can see detail out to the tree line on the right side of the road (maybe 20 feet). There is a nice round circle of light in front of the bike out to maybe 10 or 20 yards past where the stock headlight reaches. There is less glare on street signs compared to the high beam because of how I've aimed them.



All the wiring is up in the headlamp module. Since that is attached to the forks along with the handlebars, strain relief is much easier since the whole assembly moves together. I followed BPG's write-up on this website. It's a mix of Advance Auto Parts, Auto Zone, and Radio Shack parts. You can see the fuse box below the switch. The relay is zip tied to a hole in the headlight assembly immediately above the headlight. The driving light switch has a little blue LED that lights up when it is on. I selected a rocker to be consistent with the heated grip switch on the left side. I can reach both switches with my left hand while seated. Those are Moose Racing heated grips. I think they're exactly the same as the Symtec(sp?)/Dual Stars grips. I went with something my local shop could order.





Everything is heat shrinked with dielectric grease on all connectors per BPG's recommendation. Most of it also has electrical taped, too. I used a blade connector on the wire leading to the right turn signal to get ignition-switched power to the relay and ran 14 ga wire from the battery to the fuse box with an inline 25 A fuse. I ran 18 ga wire to the individual accessories. The heated grips should draw < 5 A and the HIDs < 3 A each.



Locating the lights was the trickiest part. I don't have a lot of space in my garage or a lot of tools, so I can't fabricate anything fancy. I saw some fork clamps on-line that would make good brackets, but the seller wanted $150! The lights cost just a little more than that. I talked with the local shop owner to get ideas and he noticed the reflector brackets. They're pretty rigid and they're in a good location. The problem is that the lights will strike the radiator shroud and the plastic in front of the coolant reservoir before they forks hit the steering stops. So I cut two 5" lengths of 1/8" plated steel angle iron (the reflector brackets are about 3" long), drilled holes to match the reflector bracket and a third hole for the lights, and sprayed two coats of Rustoleum black paint on them. At 5", the lights miss the side plastics and stop short of the radiator guard (upgraded to protect it from a crash damaging the driving lights) and the reservoir cover by about 1".





With winter coming and daylight savings time over, temperatures are in the high 30s/low 40s when I ride to work and it is dark when I come home. I ride in some woods with mostly farm fields, all areas with a LARGE deer population. Mississippi supposedly has the highest deer population per capita of any state. This should make my commute more comfortable and safer and let me ride longer when I do take trips.

Next project is some blocks to move my barkbusters farther away from my bars and controls....