Morning, 
You UK folks that run LED DLR (front parking light) have any MOT issues with the white and std globe colours on at the same time?
I've been thru the regs and it seems like it maybe only an issue for post 2018 bikes. Does the DLR need to be indepently switched?
TIA

Not here... LFB has COB LED DLRs and it pisses off the car drivers coming the other way. Tough shit. At night though they're switched out in favour of halogen-fed low-beam projectors.

Thanks Dai, I'll put it back together without a switch and take a view after we're back on the road.

Ummm, DLR?   


Is that like Daytime Running Lights?  DRL?

Point-Seven-five wrote:Ummm, DLR?   
Is that like Daytime Running Lights?  DRL?

Docklands Light Railway. You can take the boy out of London etc...
Yeah DRL 

Thanks, I'm not real good with the language and get confused rather easily and often.

Point-Seven-five wrote:Thanks, I'm not real good with the language and get confused rather easily and often.

Clearly, you’re not alone 

Oi!

I used to be OCD with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  Drove me nuts!!!

I now have Compulsive Disorder Obsession(CDO) which is much better.

I think we all need to be back on the road 

One of the best things I have done was to fit a 6" LED light bar under my headlight. It has virtually eliminated cars pulling out on me and cutting me off. It is wired into the ignition through a relay and a separate on/off switch that also cuts in the second horn. They were $16.00 Au a pair off AliExpress, Matt bought the spare and I gave Paul my old one that had a slightly discoloured reflector due to my stuff up. All the guys I ride with have commented on how much more visible it makes the bike. Two out of the three are fitting them. I don't know about Mick?   I would highly recommend fitting some type of DRL.
Regards Martin.

This is a single strip, very pleased. It’s a result from a visibility POV but also I have my accessories switched thru this light so good to get the draw lower.

I was going to say 'stop showing off' but I changed my mind  

Are you still running with the OEM 33amp alternator in there Stu? If so - and you're interested - I have a spare 50amp alternator just fitted with a spanky-new regulator. Yours for what it cost me; which, IIRC, was £40 for the alternator and £15.95 for the regulator, plus the p&p. It's a drop fit with the exception that you need to change the two-pin plug  for an 8mm ID ring terminal on the red cable and a 6.25mm spade terminal on the blue wire.

Dai, I’ve just replaced the brushes and cush nuts on mine. But if yours are in good nick I’m definitely up for it, thanks. Message me please. Cheers, Stu

tinyspuds wrote:

This is a single strip, very pleased. It’s a result from a visibility POV but also I have my accessories switched thru this light so good to get the draw lower.

Do you have any information on that strip?  Is it as intense as what is shown in the photo? 

I am using a self adhesive strip of white LED's in my headlights, but it is nothing like what is in your photo.

How do the LED globe/bulb upgrades and such that are part of main harness coincide with the Bulb Monitor Unit?

Have most removed the BMU from moto?

Point-Seven-five wrote:

Do you have any information on that strip?  Is it as intense as what is shown in the photo?  

Spectric Single Colour LED Strip Lights (120 x 3528 SMD, 9.6W, 800 lumens) from ‘wholesaleledlights.co.uk’.
Cost around 10GBP per metre with cutting points every inch. I used 6 inches and bought some additional connectors for future projects (rear stop and tail probably).

If I’m honest I think it’s too bright and may cause me some issues with local regs inspection (because no dip or cut off).

Will post an outdoor picture later.

I think the led strip lights are absolutely the way to go for increasing your daytime visibility. HIDs, which are brilliant for illuminating a dark road ahead, can also be downright unpleasant for other road users. They can be a bit counterproductive too - if you see an approaching HID the point glare is so big it can obscure the bike behind it, so making it hard to judge the bike's distance and approach speed. OTOH those LED strips seem to be visible from a fantastic distance, and the shape of the strip means that distance is easily judged. This was something I learned whilst touring in a group - the tail ender had a pair of these strips nailed to his mirror arms making a distinctive shallow 'V'. I could easily pick him out in my rear view mirror, in daylight, on a busy motorway, for over a quarter of a mile back.
If your MOT tester quibbles about them, you need  to be having a conversation with him/her!

I don't do much nighttime driving but a  6" LED bar lights can be adjusted up or down to eliminate problems with oncoming traffic. I paid over the odds at $16.00 Au for a pair, AliExpress has one similar to mine for $3.66 US free shipping.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000147039491.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.49e21237fzopzF&algo_pvid=0286569f-87b8-4134-ace9-0ba3c1724b0a&algo_expid=0286569f-87b8-4134-ace9-0ba3c1724b0a-24&btsid=0ab6fa8115878860375961923eea2b&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
Regards Martin

Chris, I think you are right on for daylight visibility. But I’m probably going to go back in and make it switchable for low light/night. As well as the ‘no dip’ issue I think the std yellowy headlight contrast with the ultra white presents a confusing picture. I want oncoming traffic to be thinking about how to avoid me, not “ooh what’s that?”.

If you fit LED DRLs and want them to switch off when the headlight bulb comes on then wire the LEDs to earth through the dip beam power lead. When the headlight is off the LED will earth through the dip filament and when you switch the dip on it will not.
The other way is to use a change over relay that switches off the power to the DRL when power is applied to the dip beam.
All very  simple.

There won't be an MoT problem. They're on the pilot light circuit, not the main headlight circuit. Also, pilot/side lights have not been a requirement since 1983, so unless it comes under some stupid rule somewhere that I've missed (quite possibly), it's not even a testable item.

Thanks all. Few things to think about here. The MoT isn’t until Nov and I’m in no hurry to go backwards right now.

Full sunlight:

Tinyspuds, thanks for the information.  I've been using those LED's that come on the strip in the past, but found that they weren't as visible in daylight as I liked.  Your daylight photos look about like my lights.

I have put 10W LED DRL's on all my bikes.  They're mounted under the chin of the fairing on both RT, RS, and K75S with no problems.  Guys I ride with say they're easily visible for well over a mile in bright sun.

I wire them to a SPDT switch with center off.  Daytime I run them in the "constant" position, while at night I can run them tied into the High Beam so they dip with the High Beam for oncoming traffic.  The center position is off, and I can't recall using it so far.

bert (our esteemed leader) did very similar , a few years ago now
he was very surprised at the brightness also

I found a pretty good led globe the other day , with true height cuttoff  on low beam (at last ) and a concentrated high beam effect , rather than just a flood - similar to hid of most led h4 globes  
still some adjustment to do , but you get the idea









the effect of the 6000 k ( bright white light temperature ) led lamps in the pilot light - parkers  and the new led headlamp is quite similar,  so near dusk - night the light is fantastic , wont predict the effectiveness during fog events at distance , but hey that's very unlikely for almost all the time around here


maybe hard to see from this angle but the colours match rather well 







but have  an equal pic of your current setup , lets call it a before pic ? and whats currently fitted to fred , which shall be changed as asap to match Gertys new white lights





in any case , just food for thought , and keep it up , good to see sensible and effective mods that do assist at getting seen ....cheers !

Here's another idea - dump that 'orrible standard halogen for an Osram Nightbreaker or similar. More light and a whiter colour. They're supposed to not last as long as a standard halogen but I've not had one go pop yet.

I don't do much night riding as that would normally mean I pitching in the dark. So I'll wait and get my money's worth out of the Eastern beaver kit which I'm really pleased with.

I have a custom LED strip DRL in the sidelight, similar to tinyspuds, on my R100RS. It's wired to come on with the ignition and go off when the headlight's on. Never had a problem with MOTs. Will do the same for the K in due course.
Totals 20W, so quite bright. Putting it in the sidelight keeps the original look of the bike and it is very noticeable in town. But it is only a narrow slit and I'm trying to figure out how to add an angel-eye style DRL in the headlamp.

My understanding of UK lighting laws is that, since DRLs are not required pre-2013(-ish) any retrofit is classed as "additional lighting". And the rules for such are rather loose. Pretty much comes down to white front, red rear and must not dazzle oncoming drivers.

DRLs are designed to be 1) bright and 2) scatter light everywhere for visibility. As such, most LED DRLs, mass-produced or custom, will dazzle and should be switched off at night, i.e. wire relay into headlamp circuit.

Stan, you've hit the nail on the head. Mine stays on with the headlight, hence my concern. Can't recall if the std set up was like that but suspect it's a feature of the Eastern beaver circuit which isolates the H4 components and leaves the sidelight/DRL wiring direct from switch to bulb.
Pretty sure I'm going to have to add a switch. Fortunately I have a crash pad rocker wired up for the sidecar spot which I'm not using at the moment.

Bit the bullet and swapped the sidelight circuit out in favour of the switched spot light wiring.

If I can get my hands on a 3 way rocker I’ll reuse the old circuit to get a choice of DRL or Spot.

Before and after:

[url=https://servimg.com/view/20027970/78]
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There's a Light!! Over at the FranKenstien garage.Bloody Bright im dazzled
 That will melt the darkness

It’s taken a bit of fiddling but between the Eastern Beaver H4 upgrade and switchable LED strip in the park light slot I’ve got a very flexible daytime running light + decent dip/main on the standard globes + in your face combo of the two for those ‘awkward’ moments . Not that I would condone any childish retaliation (pretty pointless in the garage. God I need to get out!).

If you are needing a 3 position switch with centre "off" position you can use a standard K bike heated grip switch, part number 61311459234, mounted in your dashpad. The symbol plate in the switch can be changed to one with a light symbol, part number 61311459359.

Cheers

Thanks Gaz