LEDs and LONG theory

I am very interested in how to maximise my bike's conspicuity, especially during daylight hours. Each year we see rider after rider taken out by cars at intersections, and I don't want to be one of them. I was reading a recent article about the LONG (Longitudinal Oriented Normative time Gap compensation) theory of lighting for safety. Here's the article: http://www.motolight.com/page/481477660. The essence of it is having lights to make the bike seem bigger from the front as a triangle of light: either hand guards to headlight or headlight to fork legs.

I have experimented with LEDs in terms of Bullet Lights, LED strips on my hand guards etc, but the quality and durability wasn't good. I was put off by the silly price of the standard motorcycle spot lamps etc. Having seen a GSX1400 and a BMW with decent LEDs, I thought I'd get some decent alloy framed ones. I want stuff that's bright and as I have an HID headlight, the colour should be around 6000k. My bike has the lower fairing, so the mounting options are limited. I am not worried about the lighting ability of them as such, just want to be seen.

Trawling EBay, I found a set of LEDs with this seller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-10W-8-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c78d60f1&vxp=mtr

The specs include toughened glass, die-cast alloy body, water and dust proof (IP67) and 750 - 1000 lumens. Made in China, I know, but worth a chance and they look to be very well made. The seller has good feedback, and they arrived fast.

I mounted them today to the lower fork legs in the bolt holes for the reflectors. I have blue loctited them in and used stainless bolts (the lamp fittings are stainless). I have put an aftermarket switch on the bars to turn them off at night to avoid dazzling drivers. I might get creative at some point and make a light sensor so they turn off at dusk.

The lights are very bright and the bike is very conspicuous from the front. The units look well made and are made of alloy with an electrostatically sprayed sain black coating, so they match the fork legs well. I have them wired to the headlight circuit (they draw between them 20W), as I have a separate circuit for the HID light. Current draw is not an issue for me. The only issue could be vibration getting to them, so I may look at making some brackets to go under the mirror mounts, but will keep them on the fork legs for now. (I wouldn't if I travelled gravel roads).

For the price (USD $57.99 and free postage for the pair), they are worth a trial, and I will keep you all posted on how they go.

Looks good! Be interested to hear how they work out over time.

I've run low mounted MotoLights for years. I'm thinking of adding bright, amber flashing LEDs to the front that flash whenever I push the horn button.

I had fog lights mounted on the crash bar on my Roadstar. A lot of people I rode with commented on how visible I was in their rear view mirrors. A couple folks even said it looked like a train coming up behind them because of how low and wide I was able to get the lights.

Looks good. Why would you not want to run them at night? As long as they are properly aimed I would think that the would be very beneficial after dark.

I have the Acerbis hand guards mounted with the LED light strips on mine, they have held up after the first few thousand miles.

Stretch30 said:

Looks good. Why would you not want to run them at night? As long as they are properly aimed I would think that the would be very beneficial after dark.

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These are 750 - 1000 Lumens, and haven't a cut off lens, so would dazzle, I suspect. If I was going to use at night I think I'd wire to the high beam.

Have you any pics of your Acerbis setup?

I will try to get a picture or two that will load up on the forum.

I'm 100% confident that the triangle of light makes a difference with the level of conspicuity and the way people treat you. I bought some Clearwater Glenda lights before there were many LED options. I removed them from my CB1000 before putting it up for sale and immediately noticed an increase in people turning left across my path and pulling out in front of me from the right. I put them on the new bike within hours of getting it home.

They are quite pricey, but are extremely well built and I'm still happy with the purchase and would buy them again(would go with Darla model now), but they probably aren't for everyone.

I'd be happy to share pictures or information with anyone that's interested.

Tried them out tonight after a long day converting a friend's CBR600RR into a stunt bike.

They light the road up immediately in front of the bike, but man are they visible at a distance. The bike looks like the Battlestar Galactica coming down the road (feels like it too after riding a CBR600RR).

We swapped bikes and I got to watch it being ridden and so far so good. Being low they aren't dazzling, but they are certainly bright. I think I will make up a couple of clear plastic lens protectors but otherwise I am very happy with them.

Just a note on CREE bulbs unless things changed recently. They get VERY hot VERY fast my CREE powered flash light has a big warning not to run it at full power over x amount of minutes not to mention you do feel the heat on the front after 30 seconds. On a bike anything really its getting hit with air but if your just standing around showing off your lights or lighting up a camp things might get interesting!

I've read that Texas restricts us to two headlamps, and I don't see anything about running or fog lamps for motorcycles. Has anyone heard of anyone stopped because of this?

There was a thread a couple of years ago where a DS rider was ticked for having four lights on his bike.

547.801

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.547.htm

I have a set of PIAA lights and flash them in Smidsy situation. They are always on at night.

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Reading the chapter and verse it seems that no more than two headlamps may be mounted on a motorcycle. 547.801

Also permitted in 547.327, .328, .329, .330 are:
2 spot lamps,
2 fog lamps,
2 aux passing lamps,
2 aux driving lamps

If there is no exemption for these allowances regarding motorcycles these chapters would apply to all motor vehicles, right?

So, we could have up to 10 forward-facing lights, though the spot and passing might be best used with a momentary switch. (imagining a Gold Wing with a couple of those pillar mounted LEO spotlights sticking out of the fairing)

Well if you call them headlights... Your in the wrong... Call them any of the other 4 types and your golden.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Go to VTXOA.com and search for Driving lights for some ideas.

I run switched LED MotoLights on lower forks, Switched Rivco Hi/Lo beam H-4s (including a constant on marker light) mounted on a Glen's LED Blinker/running Light Bar. When Rivcos are on they will go to high beam when I hit the stock high beam. Everything is LED except the H-4s as my VTX doesn't put out much wattage. I don't usually run the Rivcos in the daytime as the marker lights inside them are on.

Here is a pic with the Acerbis guards/lights.

looks good

I have a similar set up on my ZRX and they get a bit warm but never hot, even after being on for hours. mine are also on my fork legs and I have gone down a wash board gravel road and the front wheel was bouncing so fast the lights were a blur and I was worried they would snap off but they came out of it perfectly fine.

I have a manual override rocker switch that lets me turn them on in the daytime and they do make a difference. I have less left turners in front of me.

I do have them on a relay that turns them on with the high beam and they greatly improve night lighting.

here is a picture of them on my bike, (the black one)


I also have high output switch back bulbs in the front turn signals, the running lights are bright white that switch to amber when the turn signal is switched on.

OK, here's an update. Those LEDs are too big and heavy for a fork mount and under hard braking the fairing would touch them. I liked the concept though, so bought some 500 lumen spots, which are alloy cased, very well made, 6000K and equal in output to about a 35W Halogen (with a lot less current draw).

I mounted them to the top caliper bolt using a spare pair of lower fairing brackets suitably modified. They are very solid there, and being a spot, illuminate the road quite well. During the day they are VERY visible, so this is what I will stick with:

and they look good.

Great mounting idea, where did you buy the lights from?

Stretch30 said:

Great mounting idea, where did you buy the lights from?

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I am in New Zealand, so it's probably not relevant, although this lot may post to you and your dollar is stronger than ours.

Here's where I got them:

http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=SL3916&keywords=Led+spot+light&form=KEYWORD

great info