Making in mine pt.II - I've seen the light! - .: XT660.com

JMo · # 1 02-01-09, 23:45

Well although Clear Alternatives have said they will be making a combined rear lamp with built in turn signals (sorry, Indicators - I've been in the US too long already!) for the new Tenere... due to a rear indicator/ground interface situation in Death Valley a few weeks ago, my Ten' was a little lopsided (the missing indicator is buried in the sand out there somewhere I'm sure...) and prompted me to seek an alternative solution for the time being...

Rear indicators
The company that make those LED 'electropod' lights to chav up your bike with also produce a pair of flexible 12 LED strips in amber, to act as turnsignals... and guess what? - they are exactly the right length to fit in the plastic shroud on the exhausts!

The recess inside allows the strips to be secured with silicon, and the wires run up under the seat to connect with the loom using the original connectors... I also thought the arrowhead shape was ideal to emphasize the direction!

Front indicators
So, with a pair of wangers still on the front (although admittedly they have suffered countless drops really well), I though I could do something neater with the front end too...

Since there are a pair of (essentially redundant) side/running lights either side of the headlight, I bought some high-power LED amber bulbs (4 in a cluster) that fit the original bulb sockets, and wired them to the indicator lead connectors that are right next to the headlight anyway...

I then used the now redundant side-light circuit (switched with the ignition of course) to power the GPS (replaced the original 10A fuse with a 2A in the fuse box under the seat), and have a spare tail that will power the switch for the driving lamps I plan to fit in the now redundant front indicator space!

Result!

xxx

ps. I've also replaced the standard hi and low beam bulbs with 100w 'blue light' versions, giving a psudo HID type light... it's certainly much whiter and crisper...

Gotan · # 2 02-01-09, 23:49

Excellent work, really nicely done

colros · # 3 02-01-09, 23:52

Spot on mods.... Love both of them.

So what will the lights be (HID spot and Fog?)

Where are you know on you adventure????

Awaiting January issue on TBM already, I hope you get a commissions on extra issues sold....

Keep it up.

I am sitting here looking at the HID conversion for my XT.

Not fitted as it is beside me. The lights on the XT are even worse than that on my old Mini Van. a man with a tilly light is brighter.... But every one driving towards me thinks I have not dipped, so can only assume the HID conversion wiull make it worse....

CaptMoto · # 4 03-01-09, 00:15

I love your "rear end" ones.... oops what did I just say?

errr... nothing to see here.... move along

Very nice "turn signals" Jmo! I so hope you are not getting an american accent.

colros · # 5 03-01-09, 00:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptMoto

I love your "rear end" ones.... oops what did I just say?

errr... nothing to see here.... move along

Very nice "turn signals" Jmo! I so hope you are not getting an american accent.

As you know Capt, if you do not say it as the locals they have not got a clue what you are saying........ Where are the Bricks (Smiles) when you want them.

JMo · # 6 03-01-09, 05:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by colros

Spot on mods.... Love both of them.

So what will the lights be (HID spot and Fog?)

Where are you know on you adventure????

Awaiting January issue on TBM already, I hope you get a commissions on extra issues sold....

Many thanks - yes I was pleased how they turned out (no pun intended, although thinking about it... aha ha...)

As for the auxiliary lights, I've been doing a bit of research and it seems Fog lights have a limited use on a bike (the sharp cut-off means you loose a lot of light once you lean into a turn). What I'm actually looking for is a decent long-range light - the low beam gives a pretty decent wide spread anyway (especially with the new 100w bulbs fitted), but the high beam is still pretty poor penetration wise (stop sniggering at the back Capt. x)

I found this link: http://www.cyclegadgets.com/products...t.asp?Item=PIA

Which seems to make sense, so I'm looking at a set of PIAA 004X's, which offer a round beam, which means it doesn't matter if you mount them vertically or horizontally, and a review I read seems to rate them highly - offering a lot of extra light for a regular 35w Halogen bulb...

As for HID versions, they are a lot more money, and it seems on adventure bikes (particularly those used off-road), people often have problems with reliability, and there is the issue as to where to mount the ballast's too of course (although they would fit pretty neatly inside the plastic fairing cheeks on the Tenere perhaps?)

I see you can get HID driving lamps with built in ballast's now - both Trail Tech and PIAA do them (the PIAA is a rebranded Trail Tech I understand), but again, I've read differing reports and a lot of warranty replacements going on... I do like the Hella Micro DE lamps (in an industrial/terminator sort of way), but the regular Fogs would be of limited use, and their HID's are a lot of money for potentially not much better illumination than the Halogen PIAAs???

btw. for anyone who didn't know, the driving/fog lamps Touratech sell are the Hella Micro DEs, but with a TT bracket and shield - you pays your money etc.

I'll keep you updated once I sort the driving lamps...

Jen xx

ps. Trip is going well - I've just broken the 10,000 mile mark on the bike (so that's just under 9000 miles here in the USA), and fitted a new chain and sprockets - mainly as a precaution, the OE steel sprockets still have plenty of life in them, although the chain was pretty knackered after all the desert riding in sand etc. I'll be heading for the east coast in a couple of weeks, just want to do a bit of skiing first xx

pps. Glad you're liking the TBM report - I've not seen part 2 or 3 yet, but they should be here any day now...

CaptMoto · # 7 03-01-09, 06:01

Jmo forgive my ignorance, but I have been figuring out that with the Tenere having a fixed light to the frame structure, meaning that its mounted somewhat on the tank, that you all the other Terene owners going off road at night should actually fit a set of deep beams to the uppermost part of your fork legs so that when you turn a sharp corner you would at least have some kind of illumination. How do you compromise?

JMo · # 8 03-01-09, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptMoto

Jmo forgive my ignorance, but I have been figuring out that with the Tenere having a fixed light to the frame structure, meaning that its mounted somewhat on the tank, that you all the other Terene owners going off road at night should actually fit a set of deep beams to the uppermost part of your fork legs so that when you turn a sharp corner you would at least have some kind of illumination. How do you compromise?

That is a good point - certainly a regular trail bike tends to have a 'directional' headlight in that respect, but in reality, it doesn't seem to make that much difference unless you are stopped and using it as a searchlight so to speak?

On the move, I've found there is plenty of light to each side on dip beam (same with my 650R with the rallye fairing/twin light set-up) although you could always angle the side mounted auxiliary lights outward slighty to improve the spread perhaps?

That said, I'm looking for long range illumination for primarily road and desert riding, rather than to illuminate the side of the trails... Some people choose one fog and one spot (typically the fog is mounted on the nearside), but that is surely going to compromise the other side? I guess ultimately you could fit a pair of both spot and fog lights, but there is a danger you might start to look like a Christmas tree?!

xxx

Kev · # 9 03-01-09, 11:40

Looks great.

Denny · # 10 03-01-09, 14:09

Impressive!!

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