BMW K bikes (Bricks)


You are not connected. Please login or register

View previous topic View next topic Go down  Message [Page 1 of 1]


StefanMajonez

StefanMajonez
active member
active member
Hi!

Compared to new bikes, I find my K1100LT's headlight lacking a bit - at night, it sorta-kinda lights the road enough to see, while new bikes with their fancy headlights flood light in front of them.

So, I began thinking about getting myself some auxiliary lights to aid at night.

Problem is, I hate bliding other people, so I'd like to get lights that have a proper cut-off. From what I've heard it's nigh impossible to find low-beam auxiliary lights with a proper cut-off.

Does anyone know of any auxiliary lights that have a cut-off?

Some photos and addicitonal info:

Street-legal low-beam auxiliary lights? Bmw_210
That's where I plan to attach the pair of lights
Street-legal low-beam auxiliary lights? YjWfQmK
That's how the switch will look. I did the headlight relay modification to my bike, and I plan to connect it up in such a way so that the aux lights will turn on only when the main light is on.


__________________________________________________
1994 - BMW K1100LT
Dyno results 2017


Previous bike:
1989 Honda CB450S
    

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
Upgrade the headlight wiring by adding headlight relays and switch to a 100/90 Xenon H4 bulb.  You get plenty of light that way and the good cutoff on the factory headlight keeps from blinding other drivers on low beam.  I do that on my bikes and can do 90 MPH at night while seeing what's in front of me.

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/hl.relays/hl.relays.htm


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

John A

John A
active member
active member
duck wrote:Upgrade the headlight wiring by adding headlight relays and switch to a 100/90 Xenon H4 bulb.  You get plenty of light that way and the good cutoff on the factory headlight keeps from blinding other drivers on low beam.  I do that on my bikes and can do 90 MPH at night while seeing what's in front of me.

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/hl.relays/hl.relays.htm
 Duck,

I followed the link and am in favor of getting the H4 kit instead of making my own (I do not have a lot of experience working on electrical connections on vehicles and think the price is pretty good assurance in more experienced work). My question about the kit is; what is the "LO CUT" that can be integrated into the kit? I would be getting the "In Fairing" relay kit since I have an RT, but don't know whether or not I need the LO CUT (or even what it does).


__________________________________________________
1985 BMW K100RT Vin: 0051738 (old style tank)
1982 Suzuki GS650GL
    

StefanMajonez

StefanMajonez
active member
active member
duck wrote:Upgrade the headlight wiring by adding headlight relays and switch to a 100/90 Xenon H4 bulb.  You get plenty of light that way and the good cutoff on the factory headlight keeps from blinding other drivers on low beam.  I do that on my bikes and can do 90 MPH at night while seeing what's in front of me.

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/hl.relays/hl.relays.htm
I don't like that idea on several fronts - first, it's illegal, and a mandatory annual inspection would catch that. I could change the bulb each year to a legal one, but it's a hassle.

Second, I'm worried about damaging the reflector assembly. Can the reflector handle that heat? What if I ride with this light for a while, make the glass nice and toasty hot, and then ride into rain?

If this mod has zero risk of damaging the reflector and glass assembly, and if I can't find auxiliary lights, I'll probably consider doing it


__________________________________________________
1994 - BMW K1100LT
Dyno results 2017


Previous bike:
1989 Honda CB450S
    

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
John A wrote:
duck wrote:Upgrade the headlight wiring by adding headlight relays and switch to a 100/90 Xenon H4 bulb.  You get plenty of light that way and the good cutoff on the factory headlight keeps from blinding other drivers on low beam.  I do that on my bikes and can do 90 MPH at night while seeing what's in front of me.

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/hl.relays/hl.relays.htm
 Duck,

I followed the link and am in favor of getting the H4 kit instead of making my own (I do not have a lot of experience working on electrical connections on vehicles and think the price is pretty good assurance in more experienced work). My question about the kit is; what is the "LO CUT" that can be integrated into the kit? I would be getting the "In Fairing" relay kit since I have an RT, but don't know whether or not I need the LO CUT (or even what it does).

I don't know what the LO Cut is.  You can email Jim (the guy who owns Eastern Beaver) and ask him what's best for a K. You can tell him Duck sent you. I know him and have ridden with him before. He used to own a K100RS which has the same headlight so he knows Ks well.



Last edited by duck on Thu May 02, 2019 6:32 pm; edited 1 time in total


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
StefanMajonez wrote:
duck wrote:Upgrade the headlight wiring by adding headlight relays and switch to a 100/90 Xenon H4 bulb.  You get plenty of light that way and the good cutoff on the factory headlight keeps from blinding other drivers on low beam.  I do that on my bikes and can do 90 MPH at night while seeing what's in front of me.

http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/hl.relays/hl.relays.htm
I don't like that idea on several fronts - first, it's illegal, and a mandatory annual inspection would catch that. I could change the bulb each year to a legal one, but it's a hassle.

Second, I'm worried about damaging the reflector assembly. Can the reflector handle that heat? What if I ride with this light for a while, make the glass nice and toasty hot, and then ride into rain?

If this mod has zero risk of damaging the reflector and glass assembly, and if I can't find auxiliary lights, I'll probably consider doing it

They also sell those Xenon H4s in 60/55 which is legal and with better wiring will be much better than the antique halogen bulbs from the 80s with stock wiring.

Osram and PIAA also make really good legal H4 bulbs.

I've been running the 100/90 bulbs for years in several of my Ks and have had no problems in rain (or snow.) 

Even if you do add aux lights it's still a good idea to add relays with beefier wiring and  better bulb.  With the right wiring and a good H4 the stock headlight is pretty good. (At least on the RT/LT/RS bikes. The K75S headlight isn't all that great.)


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
I run the standard headlightbulb with the Eastern Beaver relays, and the difference in light output is impressive because of the heavier wiring and the elimination of the handlebar switches from the headlight power wiring.

For auxiliary lights i use cheap ($19 a pair 10w LED spotlights).  They are very bright and make me visible in daylight, and even when aimed away from oncoming drivers throw a lot of light where I need it at night.  I mount them under the chin of the fairing below the headlight.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

Laitch

Laitch
Life time member
Life time member
John A wrote: M. . . what is the "LO CUT" that can be integrated into the kit? I . . . don't know whether or not I need the LO CUT (or even what it does).
The low cut feature is used to conserve battery energy by allowing a selective shutting off of headlight low beams when starting the engine.

Our motos have load shed relays so that feature is unnecessary.


__________________________________________________
1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

Sponsored content


    

View previous topic View next topic Back to top  Message [Page 1 of 1]

Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum