High Performance Driving Lights

[srt8-in-largo]

I've been in the market for some good driving lights but I'm having a hard time making a decision. I've been suggesting two brands to others who are seeking more light and I think I've narrowed my choices to one of these, but if there are other good driving lights out there, please advise. I'm not interested in fogs or conspicuity lights; I want to use the full 35W available on the OEM wiring to throw as MUCH light as FAR and WIDE down the road as possible. Also not interested in trying eBay lights; I'd rather have a known and trusted manufacturer who clearly publishes their light specs even if it costs more.

I *believe* both of these systems are small enough to tuck under the fairing beneath the headlights, and definitely small enough to mount under the mirrors. Each also produces about 3,000 lumens per light (6,000 total for two lights).


Clearwater Lights - Krista 2 (http://clearwaterlights.com/products2_pp.html)

The appeal of this system is it comes with a "dimmer" switch that allows you to dim the power and use these with your low beams; when low beams are on, the dimmer switch allows you to use a setting that won't blind oncoming traffic. However when you hit the high beams, the dimmer is bypassed and the lights turn on full strength.

The downside, if it is one, is that 85% of the light is concentrated in a 15 degree beam and the other 15% is concentrated in a 45 degree beam. Using this generic illustration it's clear that these lights are made for distance... and I'm wondering if they'll give me enough side coverage... ?

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1BK258SIt-A/VVgZQJewsBI/AAAAAAAACyE/XFSaOLB0dSA/s800/Beam%252520Angles.png


Rigid Industries - D2 Series (http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/50231)

Rigid Industries takes a slightly different approach in that they offer different versions of their lights to be chosen according to your use. The graphs below are from the RI website and show the different versions.

If you got one driving and one hyperspot, would that be a better setup than having two "Krista's"?


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cRI9PKzkZz8/VVgZQDKTQII/AAAAAAAACyA/qondKKWfDDc/s800/Rigi%252520Industries%252520-%252520D2%252520Series.png

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NQMdcQ1-r1A/VVgjax263MI/AAAAAAAACyQ/v_IfZeLM-QM/s800/Rigi%252520Industries%252520-%252520D2%252520Series%2525202.png

[53driver]

Use a 'quasi-beaming' style light in an angled mount in the fog light bay and throw those to the outside?

[thatonebiker]

I have the dually d2 driving lights mounted in the oem fig light location. They are very bright nice and wide but they don't shine as far as the hight beam and I do get flashed oNce in a while.

[Limoles]

Before I solved similar to yours dilemma , I was reading on this Forum comments related to all kinds of experiments. Most were suggesting HID conversions , which I knew couldn't apply for the simple reason , that GW headlight optic units are not designated for that purpose and can NOT provide expected results . Those aftermarket HID sets produce much better glare and radiation effects , but DO NOT increase much expected illumination ahead of the bike . However , most of them do provide distructive brightness , causing blinding impression to the road users from opposite direction .

I found , that PIAA XTREME H7 WHITE PLUS bulbs , with 4000k ( Kelvin ) temp. are producing sharp , pure , clear , bright and white color , doubling conventional halogen's bulbs output and visibility , and most importantly - without drawing more power .

Made in Japan PIAA bulbs are proven quality and work for me without any modifications .
Probably that's the only company , which is honoring "electrical guaranties" , replacing defective bulbs within ONE YEAR from the time of documented purchase .

[srt8-in-largo]

Use a 'quasi-beaming' style light in an angled mount in the fog light bay and throw those to the outside?

I *think* I know what you're saying... that if you have two lights with narrow beams, you're suggesting angling them outward from each other for better coverage on the roadsides? Seems like that should work.



I have the dually d2 driving lights mounted in the oem fig light location. They are very bright nice and wide but they don't shine as far as the hight beam and I do get flashed oNce in a while.

Why Dually's? I'm under the impression that these are different than D2's and only have half the lumens, no?



Before I solved similar to yours dilemma , I was reading on this Forum comments related to all kinds of experiments. Most were suggesting HID conversions , which I knew couldn't apply for the simple reason , that GW headlight optic units are not designated for that purpose and can NOT provide expected results . Those aftermarket HID sets produce much better glare and radiation effects , but DO NOT increase much expected illumination ahead of the bike . However , most of them do provide distructive brightness , causing blinding impression to the road users from opposite direction .

I found , that PIAA XTREME H7 WHITE PLUS bulbs , with 4000k ( Kelvin ) temp. are producing sharp , pure , clear , bright and white color , doubling conventional halogen's bulbs output and visibility , and most importantly - without drawing more power .

Made in Japan PIAA bulbs are proven quality and work for me without any modifications .
Probably that's the only company , which is honoring "electrical guaranties" , replacing defective bulbs within ONE YEAR from the time of documented purchase .

PIAA? Idk; the guys here eat and breathe lights and they are pretty down on the brand: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?330864-PIAA-extreme-white-plus-vs-sliverstar-white-halogen-bulb .

Why do you say these have double the output?

[53driver]

I *think* I know what you're saying... that if you have two lights with narrow beams, you're suggesting angling them outward from each other for better coverage on the roadsides? Seems like that should work.

Maybe, but what I was attempting to communicate was that you could put the "long, narrow throw lights" in the headlamp area and then for outside coverage, use a medium/narrow beam lamp in the fog lamp mounts and angle them outboard.

Make more sense????

[Limoles]

I *think* I know what you're saying... that if you have two lights with narrow beams, you're suggesting angling them outward from each other for better coverage on the roadsides? Seems like that should work.

Why Dually's? I'm under the impression that these are different than D2's and only have half the lumens, no?

PIAA? Idk; the guys here eat and breathe lights and they are pretty down on the brand: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?330864-PIAA-extreme-white-plus-vs-sliverstar-white-halogen-bulb .

Why do you say these have double the output?

CandlePowerForum was dated in 2012 . Having to many problems before , PIAA improved their products significantly and don't have past issues .

Why double ? Proprietary gas mixture is combined with an aerospace alloy filament that produces greater light output than its rated power consumption: i.e. 55W = 110W

http://www.piaa.com/store/p/52-H7-XTreme-White-Plus-Twin-Pack-Halogen-Bulbs.aspx

Again - works for me . Will I look for "better" one ? Any time and with Forum's help ( if available ) ...

[srt8-in-largo]

Maybe, but what I was attempting to communicate was that you could put the "long, narrow throw lights" in the headlamp area and then for outside coverage, use a medium/narrow beam lamp in the fog lamp mounts and angle them outboard.

Make more sense????

You're some kind of genius Steve... yeah that makes sense now, brilliant again!



CandlePowerForum was dated in 2012 . Having to many problems before , PIAA improved their products significantly and don't have past issues .

Why double ? Proprietary gas mixture is combined with an aerospace alloy filament that produces greater light output than its rated power consumption: i.e. 55W = 110W

http://www.piaa.com/store/p/52-H7-XTreme-White-Plus-Twin-Pack-Halogen-Bulbs.aspx

Again - works for me . Will I look for "better" one ? Any time and with Forum's help ( if available ) ...

Both PIAA and Hella have been off my list for a while; sounds like I should re-evaluate and re-consider using them... at least PIAA. Thanks Les.

[Limoles]

Both PIAA and Hella have been off my list for a while; sounds like I should re-evaluate and re-consider using them... at least PIAA. Thanks Les.[/QUOTE]

Any time . Here is one more link :

http://bestheadlightbulbs.com/

[srt8-in-largo]

Thanks Les. The color temperature is interesting. Max spectral power density occurs at 4100K... but some research says that the human eye recognizes features best in 5000K light.

So, which is better... the color at which more light is produced or the one that the eye prefers?

[srt8-in-largo]

Baja Designs - Squadron Pro (http://www.bajadesigns.com/ProductDetail?ItemNumber=490003)

After a little more digging I found these guys, and they look pretty good to me. These put out 43% more light than both of the lights above, 4,300 lumens versus 3,000. The hotspot should be a little brighter and the throw a little farther. These use a little more power (43W) but I think the alternator and wiring can handle it. The beauty is that even with more light output the package is actually a little SMALLER than the above lights.

I love the level of detail these guys post; it's really a huge help in setting up your lights exactly how you want or need them.

Since the lights I'm looking for will be intended to enhance my highbeams, I think I'll rely on them (the OEM highbeams) to light up the sides of the road and focus the auxiliary lighting for distance. The OEM highbeams are, afterall, pretty darn good in their own right.

The driving/combo light on the left side and the spot light on the right will be PERFECT... I hope.

Now how to mount them...


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N97TkbzvCrs/VVlIzMztIXI/AAAAAAAACyg/ZySqiWu0zOE/s800/Baja%252520Designs%252520-%252520beam%252520patterns.jpg


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BoxHyhm08bc/VVlIz0tw3sI/AAAAAAAACyo/k3suk6oWRuw/s800/Baja%252520Designs%252520-%252520Squadron%252520Pro%252520-%252520isolux.jpg

[BIGLRY]

http://www.bajadesigns.com/ProductDetail?ItemNumber=490003
:yikes:$219.95 each...at that price they should not only put out a lot of light, but give ya a suntan in the middle of the night.:th_sunbathe:

J/K...I'll be watching this project and await your findings.:yes:

[ths61]

http://www.bajadesigns.com/ProductDetail?ItemNumber=490003
:yikes:$219.95 each...at that price they should not only put out a lot of light, but give ya a suntan in the middle of the night.:th_sunbathe:

J/K...I'll be watching this project and await your findings.:yes:

Check out the price of the Clearwater Krista 2's !

[Limoles]

Check out the price of the Clearwater Krista 2's !


Very interesting , but how to install them into existing headlight housings ?


http://www.webbikeworld.com/lights/clearwater-darla-led-lights/

[BIGLRY]

Check out the price of the Clearwater Krista 2's !Holy crap I'm in the wrong biz I should be making and selling custom lights:yikes:
Sure glad I'm happy with the OEM lights of the F6, their a hell of a lot better than the ones on my VTX1800 or Rune.:icon_biggrin:

[stroguy]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This for sure. I did think my Yamaha cruiser had good light, you can always use more quality color light.

But this Goldwing stock low beam is a flame thrower compared to the Yammy.

Turn on highs and I can see double the distance.

My desire is side lighting for critters.

[ths61]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
...

My desire is side lighting for critters.

Here is a pict of Baja Design's "wide corning" light pattern:

14037

[stroguy]

Here is a pict of Baja Design's "wide corning" light pattern:


Wow, that looks nice.

[srt8-in-largo]

Yeah they're pricey; for what they cost the engineering sure better be as thorough as they claim... mechanically, electrically, optically, and thermally.

I took a quick look at the power budget on our bikes, and as you might expect the GL1800B seems to have more than enough to drive some crazy powerful lights and whatever other accessories you could dream up.

I plan to power my aux lighting using the fog light connectors and a quick look at the manual doesn't show a power rating, however, it shows the fogs being connected through a 20A fuse. As such, whatever wire gauge is being used is expected to handle a helluva lot of current and, hence, power.

Any of these high power lights, even multiples of them, should be as fine as sweet tea on a summer day. If you wanted to jump up to the Erica's from Clearwater, you could (6,000 lumens each).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XE0muHE9H_U/VVqipT0EraI/AAAAAAAACzI/e1kvbB4V8w0/s800/Power%252520Budget.png

[Limoles]

Good lead . You made quite great homework .

[ths61]

Yeah they're pricey; for what they cost the engineering sure better be as thorough as they claim... mechanically, electrically, optically, and thermally.

I took a quick look at the power budget on our bikes, and as you might expect the GL1800B seems to have more than enough to drive some crazy powerful lights and whatever other accessories you could dream up.

I plan to power my aux lighting using the fog light connectors and a quick look at the manual doesn't show a power rating, however, it shows the fogs being connected through a 20A fuse. As such, whatever wire gauge is being used is expected to handle a helluva lot of current and, hence, power.

Any of these high power lights, even multiples of them, should be as fine as sweet tea on a summer day. If you wanted to jump up to the Erica's from Clearwater, you could (6,000 lumens each).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XE0muHE9H_U/VVqipT0EraI/AAAAAAAACzI/e1kvbB4V8w0/s800/Power%252520Budget.png

How much does the radiator fan draw ?

[srt8-in-largo]

Good lead . You made quite great homework .

:yes:

It's just superficial... and loaded with unstated caveats mostly due to the fact that I don't have a full understanding. Most notably is that alternator output is lower at lower RPM (I wonder how much lower) and there are other power draws not on the list... like fans :icon_biggrin:



How much does the radiator fan draw ?

Good question... could be as much as 200W... ? This question seems particularly important since the fans should only come on at low RPM.

[ths61]

:yes:

It's just superficial... and loaded with unstated caveats mostly due to the fact that I don't have a full understanding. Most notably is that alternator output is lower at lower RPM (I wonder how much lower) and there are other power draws not on the list... like fans :icon_biggrin:




Good question... could be as much as 200W... ? This question seems particularly important since the fans should only come on at low RPM.

If I am reading the manual correctly, the fans are fused @ 30A and the power amp is fused @ 40A. The amp seems to be fused rather high for 8 watts / channel.

As far as low RPM's is concerned, sitting at a stop light with lights, brake lights and accessories on @ idle was an issue with my former Vision. The stator would not kick in until faster than idle speeds. I would have to artificially keep the throttle on.

[WIRED2]

I have Clearwater Lights on my last five bikes ... Have been the best for more ... Great adjustment ...

[srt8-in-largo]

I just pulled the trigger on the Baja Squadrons; should be here next week.



If I am reading the manual correctly, the fans are fused @ 30A and the power amp is fused @ 40A. The amp seems to be fused rather high for 8 watts / channel.

As far as low RPM's is concerned, sitting at a stop light with lights, brake lights and accessories on @ idle was an issue with my former Vision. The stator would not kick in until faster than idle speeds. I would have to artificially keep the throttle on.

If we were closer to the limit, I think more digging would be worthwhile but for now I'm not too worried about it all. I've been planning for awhile to get a voltmeter to keep a general eye on my alternator; I guess this could also serve to keep an eye on power draw at low RPMs.



I have Clearwater Lights on my last five bikes ... Have been the best for more ... Great adjustment ...

Which lights did you have (Glenda, Darla, Krista, etc)? Great adjustment... you mean with the dimmer switch?

Have you ever compared these side by side with another brand?

[ths61]

I just pulled the trigger on the Baja Squadrons; should be here next week.
...

Keep us posted on your impressions.

[98valk]

and the power amp is fused @ 40A. The amp seems to be fused rather high for 8 watts / channel.


I don't know where this 8 watts/channel rumor got started, but it ain't true! The amp puts out at least 40 watts/channel into 4 ohms. :shrug:

This is a o'scope pic into a 4 ohm load. It's putting out 40 watts and is not even clipping yet.

3021

[srt8-in-largo]

Keep us posted on your impressions.

Will do.



I don't know where this 8 watts/channel rumor got started, but it ain't true! The amp puts out at least 40 watts/channel into 4 ohms. :shrug:

This is a o'scope pic into a 4 ohm load. It's putting out 40 watts and is not even clipping yet.

14077

That looks like about 18 Vpk... 12.7 Vrms... Power=Vrms^2/R = 162/4 = 40W ?

Could the problem be how the specs are defined? Maybe 8W is the rated power at a certain distortion level.

[srt8-in-largo]

Might need to take Rigid Industries off the suggestion list until they fix this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1B7bp2tQo#t=13

[srt8-in-largo]

Interesting... Rigid Industries vs. Baja Designs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfkLTePzYaA

[98valk]

That looks like about 18 Vpk... 12.7 Vrms... Power=Vrms^2/R = 162/4 = 40W ?

Could the problem be how the specs are defined? Maybe 8W is the rated power at a certain distortion level.

Sorry about the hijacking. But, since this subject is up again, I thought I'd do some searching.

I found this link advertising the 2009 GL1800. It states in there:
80-watt-per-channel power amplifier provides clear, crisp sound at all highway speeds.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2009models/2009-Honda-GL1800-AudioComfort-GoldWing.htm

Maybe it's peak, maybe it's into 2ohms, don't know ....

[bigbird]

Baja Designs - Squadron Pro (http://www.bajadesigns.com/ProductDetail?ItemNumber=490003)


Now how to mount them...



Are you contemplating hanging them under the mirrors like the Krista's mount on the GL1800?
Will Clearwater sell you just their GL1800 mirror mounting brackets (if they even fit the F6B?), which would give you a good starting point?

[ths61]

Are you contemplating hanging them under the mirrors like the Krista's mount on the GL1800?
Will Clearwater sell you just their GL1800 mirror mounting brackets (if they even fit the F6B?), which would give you a good starting point?

FWIW, Firecreek also makes some of these mounts (for lights up to 6.5" in diameter) for the GL1800 and F6B.

Firecreek under mirror light mounts (http://www.firecreekacc.com/lightbrackets.htm)

14127

14128

[srt8-in-largo]

Sorry about the hijacking. But, since this subject is up again, I thought I'd do some searching.

I found this link advertising the 2009 GL1800. It states in there:
80-watt-per-channel power amplifier provides clear, crisp sound at all highway speeds.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2009models/2009-Honda-GL1800-AudioComfort-GoldWing.htm

Maybe it's peak, maybe it's into 2ohms, don't know ....

Not a hijack at all Valk; very relevant and I appreciate the input :yes:

If someone needed to do a more precise power budget, they'd want to know the real power draw of the amp.



Are you contemplating hanging them under the mirrors like the Krista's mount on the GL1800?
Will Clearwater sell you just their GL1800 mirror mounting brackets (if they even fit the F6B?), which would give you a good starting point?

Under the mirror is probably the best location for throwing light far and wide down the road, but aesthetically, not so much.

I'm gonna mount them under the headlights in the opening in front of the forks and see how they do here first.



FWIW, Firecreek also makes some of these mounts (for lights up to 6.5" in diameter) for the GL1800 and F6B.

Firecreek under mirror light mounts (http://www.firecreekacc.com/lightbrackets.htm)



You're quite resourceful T, thanks for the link!

The thing I don't like about these, other than the aesthetics, is that you have to cut a slit in your mirror boots. These are kinda like the PIAA 74181, except you can mount two sets of lights one on top and one on bottom. I'm not sure if the 74181's require the boot to be cut; I think they slide under it. Unfortunately these are discontinued but if I went with a mirror mount I'd try to modify the Firecreek mounts to be more like this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_kssjdcFKyg/VWD0vzVVWzI/AAAAAAAAC0k/Do9eFsxVm58/s800/PIAA%25252074181.png

The new PIAA mounts are their 74008 which was made for their 1100 series lights. The Baja Squadron Pros are only slightly bigger then these lights so I *think* this setup should work fine; I'll know shortly.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hcam1D6qk_o/VWD0wIsCWOI/AAAAAAAAC0g/7fWgoTFXD_k/s800/PIAA%25252074008.png

[srt8-in-largo]

Unfortunately, the manufacturer part number for the OEM foglight connector is some sort of closely guarded secret. I gave up on trying to find the mating connector that would allow me to plug my new Baja lights directly into the bike's wiring.

I found the Sumitomo MT Series which looks like it should work fine in a wet and dirty environment; these connectors are fully sealed.

I think I'll cut the connectors off the Baja lights and replace them with these. For the bike, I won't cut those but instead tap into them with Posi-Taps to install the Sumitomo mate on the bike.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r49Wmsqsrl8/VWD6kTjt_tI/AAAAAAAAC00/4lqVkHv2zMQ/s800/Sumitomo%252520MT%252520Series.png

[naga viper]

Unfortunately, the manufacturer part number for the OEM foglight connector is some sort of closely guarded secret. I gave up on trying to find the mating connector that would allow me to plug my new Baja lights directly into the bike's wiring.

I found the Sumitomo MT Series which looks like it should work fine in a wet and dirty environment; these connectors are fully sealed.

I think I'll cut the connectors off the Baja lights and replace them with these. For the bike, I won't cut those but instead tap into them with Posi-Taps to install the Sumitomo mate on the bike.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r49Wmsqsrl8/VWD6kTjt_tI/AAAAAAAAC00/4lqVkHv2zMQ/s800/Sumitomo%252520MT%252520Series.png

Not sure if this is correct or not but wth. http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/sealed.html

I bought a headlight kit prior bike great quality!

[srt8-in-largo]

Not sure if this is correct or not but wth. http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/sealed.html

I bought a headlight kit prior bike great quality!

How was the shipping time from these guys? Looks like he works out of Japan.

I actually tried ordering from these guys first but something is messed up with their online order form. Add a $4 part to your cart and a $400 shipping cost automatically got added :shock: I almost clicked "accept"... glad I took my time and looked at all the info. I cancelled that and ended up going through Corsa Technic.

http://www.corsa-technic.com/category.php?category_id=107

[bigbird]

I actually tried ordering from these guys first but something is messed up with their online order form. Add a $4 part to your cart and a $400 shipping cost automatically got added :shock: I almost clicked "accept"... glad I took my time and looked at all the info. I cancelled that and ended up going through Corsa Technic.

http://www.corsa-technic.com/category.php?category_id=107

That's because he has a minimum order amount built in. IIRC it's $25.

[naga viper]

I had met minimum $ amount for order

[srt8-in-largo]

That makes sense Terry, that he's trying to implement some special ordering features... but doesn't quite have it right.

Hope he figures it out soon; I can't be the only person to bypass his sight due to the funkyness. I mean I didn't take the time to seek out and read all the fineprint, but I didn't see a minimum order or any info about such high shipping fees; I was able to add 4 parts and get all the way to the "submit order" page with the $400 shipping fee inconspicuously added. My jaw woulda hit the ground after seeing the credit card bill.

[srt8-in-largo]

Uh... strike my post above. In the link from Naga, there it is in BRIGHT RED LETTERS "MINIMUM ORDER IS $20 - shipping will be very high until the minimum order is met.".

I'm blind :icon_biggrin:

[ths61]

...

The new PIAA mounts are their 74008 which was made for their 1100 series lights. The Baja Squadron Pros are only slightly bigger then these lights so I *think* this setup should work fine; I'll know shortly.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Hcam1D6qk_o/VWD0wIsCWOI/AAAAAAAAC0g/7fWgoTFXD_k/s800/PIAA%25252074008.png

Thanks for posting the PIAA mounts.

PIAA also make some crash bar mounts:

PIAA L Bracket Bar Clamps (http://wingstuff.com/products/24917-l-bracket-bar-clamps)

http://wingstuff.com/system/uploads/main_image/000/009/829/original.png

[srt8-in-largo]

I received the lights today and hooked them up to a 12V power supply to check them out. As a comparison light source I pulled my car up to the edge of my carport and placed the Squadrons on a stand directly adjacent to and at the same level as my left headlight.

I checked the current draw of each light and each registered around 3.6A. At 12V this is a little over 43W so I know these puppies are running at full power.

The fence in my yard is about 56 feet away. I aimed the center of both Squadrons as close as I could to be centered on a black light fixture hanging on the fence about midway up; the red arrow in the first pic points to this.

My little Sony Cybershot is trying hard to take good pictures but, alas, it just doesn't have the horsepower of a more expensive camera. Taking good pictures at night requires the ability to manually adjust three things: aperture size, shutter speed, and light sensitivity (ISO setting). I can't adjust all of these on my camera but I did my best to make the pictures as close as possible to what my eyes are seeing.

The illumination of the three trees, the beam spread, and the light spill on the ground near the fence are accurate representations. The light intensity on the ground right in front of the camera is quite a bit over exposed; it's not quite that bright in real life.

I needed a high ISO setting and this introduced a lot of noise in the pictures; so if some parts don't look crisp, your eyes are good, the picture is just at a reduced quality.


Sooo.... with all of that setup and background info out of the way, how about the lights?

The build and finish are perfect. The pics you see on the Baja website are exactly what you get so I won't rehash this. I have to comment on the lens though; the lenses covering the front of the lights are polished to an INCREDIBLE extent. I've never seen anything quite like this... they're literally invisible. Usually there's *something* that can be seen in a light cover, but not here. I think this speaks to the care that Baja takes in their optics. Even after touching the lens several times, I KNOW it's there, but it's so clear that my brain is fooled into thinking I can reach into the light and touch the LEDs in there. This part of the lights is amazing.

After seeing the lights turned on, I was struck by how similar the spot and combo light patterns are... at least at short distances. It may be hard to tell the difference but looking at the oak trees on the left and right shows it; the combo light definitely illuminates these trees more than the spot. I'm thinking this difference will become more pronounced at longer distances.

I'm also struck by how similar the hotspot appears to be which makes me wonder how much further down the road the spot light can go over the combo, if at all. I need to test these over several hundred feet to be sure, but at the moment I'm kinda thinking I shoulda got two combo lights instead of one combo and one spot. The cool thing with Baja is you can buy the different lenses and turn a spot light into a combo or vice-versa.

The HID's in my car are an amazing system and really gives these Squadrons a run for the money. I mean look at that cutoff line, the crisp step in the middle of the pattern, and the incredibly wide throw. As far as road legal lights go, nothing still beats a proper HID system; this isn't an HID bulb in a halogen reflector. This is where LED technology needs to grow. We're at a point where LED's can produce a lot of light, but not at the point where it can be formed and shaped like HID lighting.

When I turn the Squadrons on with my HID's, the Squadrons are bright enough to wash out the HID's which is amazing coming from little bitty 3 inch lights. I *think* they have good long distance potential but I need to reserve the rest of my comments until I get these on the bike and find some space for long range tests.


Squadron Pro - Spot, 5000K
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xDh3_lOVnxI/VWUyJlJ5n0I/AAAAAAAAC3k/8dqf-W9f-Bg/s800/Baja%252520Designs%252520-%252520Squadron%252520Pro%252520Spot%252520-%252520edit.JPG

Squadron Pro - Driving Combo, 5000K
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2sFzsQR43Lo/VWUsx-Jx_TI/AAAAAAAAC24/OjMELCV_dH4/s800/Baja%252520Designs%252520-%252520Squadron%252520Pro%252520Combo%252520Drivin g.JPG

2006 Chrysler 300 OEM HID, Low Beams, 4100K
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HKL-p--KrtA/VWUsx0Lf0kI/AAAAAAAAC20/-QAhL_7Sl9k/s800/2006%252520Chrysler%252520300%252520HID%2525204100 K.JPG

[srt8-in-largo]

Thanks for posting the PIAA mounts.

...

Hey Tim, I thought I'd bring our conversation out of PM so others may benefit.

My PIAA 74008 mounts came early. Got them today and took a good look at them. They did come with instructions which are pretty good actually. Apparently PIAA updated this kit to work with both pre- and post- 2012 Goldwings; there are extra mounting holes in the brackets and extra hardware to accommodate all bikes. For us, these will bolt directly to the bike with no cutting, drilling, trimming, or anything like that.

I'll get some pictures up tomorrow.

[ths61]

Hey Tim, I thought I'd bring our conversation out of PM so others may benefit.

My PIAA 74008 mounts came early. Got them today and took a good look at them. They did come with instructions which are pretty good actually. Apparently PIAA updated this kit to work with both pre- and post- 2012 Goldwings; there are extra mounting holes in the brackets and extra hardware to accommodate all bikes. For us, these will bolt directly to the bike with no cutting, drilling, trimming, or anything like that.

I'll get some pictures up tomorrow.

Good to hear. I am anxious to see where the other mounting point(s) are. If it is not prohibited, please post your supplier.

[srt8-in-largo]

I got them right from the source: http://www.piaa.com/store/p/396-Honda-Goldwing-Sport-Touring-Bracket-Kit.aspx

The other mounting point is the top push-pin location on the side of the fairing. The push-pin is replaced with what PIAA calls a Tuflok anchor; it's a screw mount that gets pushed into the hole and when you tighten a screw in it, it spreads open so that it can't be pulled out. I'm not sure how much I like this... but I guess it'll hold; besides, this location is only big enough for a small, lightweight set of lights anyway.

I'm gonna be working on this first thing in the AM and the picture will explain it all. The fitment of the supplied screws is not good btw; you'll want to get some washers and a longer screw from Home Depot for 1 or 2 $.

[srt8-in-largo]

BikeMP3 sells a kit with similar mounts, but I have no idea if they'll sell them separately, and idk if the mounting is any different.

http://wingstuff.com/products/34391-nine-sixty-led-upper-driving-lights-for-gl1800-2nd-gen?context=gold_wing_gl1800-driving_lights

[ths61]

I got them right from the source: http://www.piaa.com/store/p/396-Honda-Goldwing-Sport-Touring-Bracket-Kit.aspx

The other mounting point is the top push-pin location on the side of the fairing. The push-pin is replaced with what PIAA calls a Tuflok anchor; it's a screw mount that gets pushed into the hole and when you tighten a screw in it, it spreads open so that it can't be pulled out. I'm not sure how much I like this... but I guess it'll hold; besides, this location is only big enough for a small, lightweight set of lights anyway.

I'm gonna be working on this first thing in the AM and the picture will explain it all. The fitment of the supplied screws is not good btw; you'll want to get some washers and a longer screw from Home Depot for 1 or 2 $.

If you have to take the Tupperware apart, how will you get that spreader-anchor out ?

[srt8-in-largo]

This picture didn't come out as good as I thought. It's hard to see but the anchors are shown in the upper left and upper right, next to the big rubber washers. These anchors go in and come out as easy as the push pins do; the only time they "hold" is when the screw is in them.

Those two little black screws are what came with the kit. The head is too small and they pull right through the bracket, fail #1. Also they are not long enough to cause the anchor to open; fail #2. A longer screw with a washer solves both problems.

There are two threaded inserts attached to the center of the brackets and two machine screws that are used for attaching lights. These seemed a little wimpy so I drilled out the brackets to be able to use a 3/8" nut and bolt.

The lights seem to be sturdy enough on the bike. I ended up wiring them directly to the battery but added an inline 5A fuse and a relay tied into the high beams. I'm hoping to do a little testing tonight.


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r-THa7CN3Lo/VWo9wQMr8mI/AAAAAAAAC5k/oOnIkfHcK-8/s800/PIAA%25252074008.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qZpy2qyrnOE/VWo9xd5-C-I/AAAAAAAAC5s/zG3WIv-owLk/s800/DSC00731_cropped.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QhO-_GiA1Wo/VWo95SC4u7I/AAAAAAAAC50/I76mghjQAXE/s800/DSC00730.JPG

[srt8-in-largo]

Dudes... my quest for more light is OVER! I got some good road testing tonight and I'm back with two thumbs up :yes::yes: two big toes up :yes::yes: and five stars for the Squadron Pros.

:woohoo:

I have to admit I wasn't impressed with the backyard testing as shown in the pics above, but out on the road where they have the space and distance to shine, they do just that. SHINE.

I was concerned that the beams were too narrow and that there would be dead spots or dark patches between the beams but that just isn't the case. With each light adjusted *slightly* outward, the spill from each light is enough to overlap with each other and completely cover a two lane road and deep into BOTH shoulders. For perspective, if you were driving down the center of a four lane road, you could easily have all four lanes lit up.

As for distance, well, how good is your eye sight? I have no doubt at all about the published lux charts and believe that you can indeed read a newspaper from these at 500 feet! These things are literally throwing light as FAR as you can see.

I was also concerned about the lack of a cutoff in the light pattern; these things throw light in the vertical as well as horizontal. After driving with them, I now see this as a benefit. When going around dark curves, the light being thrown vertically works to light up the curve.

The lack of a cutoff, of course, means you shouldn't run these at full power in traffic but a Skene dimmer running at 10 or 20 % should allow these to perform double duty as conspicuity lights that can be on with the low beams.

My last concern was that the foreground lighting would be too bright... but I don't see that as an issue either. On a pitch black road the lighting looks quite uniform actually; everything and everywhere in front of the bike looks like it's in daylight and the bikes OEM lights look like night lights lol.


Are they worth $220 per light? :shrug: I don't have other auxiliary lights to compare to. I'll just say this... I haven't seen anything anywhere from anybody offering 4300 lumens from a 3 inch cube. The lumen rating is just the starting point; anybody can buy the Cree LED's and generate this light output... BUT... not everyone can design the required thermal management to keep things from frying. Additionally, the real measure of a light is how efficiently the optics project the light down the road. From what I see, Baja Designs has done some excellent engineering here and stand behind it all with a lifetime warranty.

These were well worth the money to me.

[Jimmytee]

Nice, Those look like they might fit into the traditional fog light location in the lower cowl. Don't know how much that would affect the down road distance the lights projected, but what do you think about that? I have the Honda line LEDs in my lower cowl. Wouldn't have bought them for the money they want for them. But they were part of the accessories I got with the promotional $1000 free accessories when I bought my bike.

[53driver]

Nice, Those look like they might fit into the traditional fog light location in the lower cowl.

I was thinking the same thing......

[bigbird]

My only concern is that they come without any means to change their output. They're either 100% on or off.
As George stated he suggests a dimmer.
By the time you're done and through with brackets and dimmers, IMHO you may as well just buy the Clearwater Krista 2's. They come with everything you need, and are dimmable to whatever setting you'd like.
And I believe their GL1800 under mirror brackets will also fit the F6B without any modifications.

[srt8-in-largo]

Nice, Those look like they might fit into the traditional fog light location in the lower cowl. Don't know how much that would affect the down road distance the lights projected, but what do you think about that? I have the Honda line LEDs in my lower cowl. Wouldn't have bought them for the money they want for them. But they were part of the accessories I got with the promotional $1000 free accessories when I bought my bike.

Yes and no Jimmy, I think they could be made to fit but I wouldn't do it. Little dips in the road cast shadows that, at times, can be indistinguishable from pools of standing water in the road. The lower you mount the lights, the less capable they are of throwing light at a good angle to highlight little things like this.

With them mounted under the headlight, all dips that I encountered were fully illuminated. The OEM foglight location may in fact be high enough to do the same... I haven't tried it... but my goal is to balance as much function as possible with keeping a somewhat clean form. I'm actually thinking about moving the lights higher to the mirror location but I'm gonna run them for a while as-is to see how they do; I'm not 100% satisfied having a bracket that's mounted to the plastic fairing.



My only concern is that they come without any means to change their output. They're either 100% on or off.
As George stated he suggests a dimmer.
By the time you're done and through with brackets and dimmers, IMHO you may as well just buy the Clearwater Krista 2's. They come with everything you need, and are dimmable to whatever setting you'd like.
And I believe their GL1800 under mirror brackets will also fit the F6B without any modifications.

True on all counts Terry.

I like the Clearwater dimmer because I *believe* it's fully adjustable from 0-100 %; and the knob can be used to easily change the amount of dimming anytime you want.

The Skene dimmer on the other hand produces an output in 10% increments from 0-100; and the setting needs to be programmed, therefore it's not as easily adjustable. However this seems fine to me; this would be a "set and forget" adjustment that you only need to do once.

The other differences are beam pattern and light output. I believe Clearwaters come fixed with 85% of the light in a 20 degree beam, and the remaining 15% of light in a 45 degree beam. This is *probably* perfect for auxiliary lighting intended for long range with a little bit of spill for the shoulders... but not quite as nice as the Baja's where the lenses can be swapped out. Frankly, the Baja Spot and Driving/Combo patterns are similar enough that a person probably wouldn't swap between these, but their WideAngle lens could be a nice feature for someone.

Lastly, the Baja's produce a little bit more lumens than Clearwater. The difference in lumens may mean nothing at all, however, *IF* the Clearwater optics more efficiently project that light. Forgive me if I missed it, but I don't recall seeing any published lux numbers from Clearwater... and that fact made me wonder. If you're in the business of lighting, and your lights are truly badass, wouldn't you publish the more meaningful spec of lux instead of just lumens?

[bigbird]

If you're in the business of lighting, and your lights are truly badass, wouldn't you publish the more meaningful spec of lux instead of just lumens?


Lux...lumens, it's all geek speak to me. I trust your and Hornblower's conclusions and recommendations.

If the LED auxiliary lights light up the road at night like the sun, in a reasonably narrow beam, are dimmable, and use less wattage than 55W each, then I'm in.
I'm just waiting for a couple of questions to be answered by Clearwater and I'll likely go with Krista 2's under the mirrors.

[srt8-in-largo]

I haven't seen anything bad about those lights. For all the talk about specs and numbers, they're pretty similar to mine and I'd bet there isn't really a noticeable difference outside of a laboratory. I hope you'll be posting pics and impressions. Riding around town with street lights, store lights, and other car lights washes out a lot of the light... but oh man, when you get on a pitch black road be ready for something that seems like alien technology :icon_biggrin:

[srt8-in-largo]

Thanks to Hbejar and his fog light thread I now know the OEM foglight connectors are Sumitomo HW 090 Series.

The female is wired into the bike and the male without terminals is used for the plug. I may revisit my installation and use the OEM connectors after all.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--BWiMin7zC4/VXJseR7jhCI/AAAAAAAAC8g/6mI075E6cxY/s800/Sumitomo%252520HW%252520090%252520Series%252520%25 2528OEM%252520fog%252520lights%252529.jpg