Crashbar-mounted Fog Lights

[LaKraven]

Firstly: would my bike fail an MOT if I added a global switch to kill the headlights? (Answered: No, but not necessary for my needs - see mjc506's reply below)

Secondly: I'm fitting switchable foglights to my Wee (on the cheap - sort of).

The lights: 12v, 15W 1200 Lumen CREE Q3 LED (from eBay) - 2 of them! £71 for the pair inc. shipping!

The switch: Universal handebar mount light switch (from eBay) - just 1 to control both lights (logically). £18.73 inc. shipping!



I'm RAM-mounting these to the Crash Bars (or "Engine Bars") so they can be rapidly removed for MOT purposes!
Because my chosen lights have a single hole on their mounting plates, I'll attach a 1" RAM Ball Hitch to each of them!

RAM Ball Hitch: 1" Ball with M6 Threaded Hole (RAM-B-273-M6) (from RAM's UK store) 2 of them! £35.76 inc. VAT and expedited shipping! NOTE: You'll need a suitable length M6 threaded bolt, which I already have many of! These can be obtained from literally any fixings stores such as Jewsons

RAM Arms: Double Socket Arm for 1" RAM Ball (RAM-B-201) (from RAM's UK store) £34.18 inc. VAT (I didn't have to buy these as I already have loads of them).

RAM Crash/Engine Bar Mounts: Clutch/Brake U-Bolt Handlemar Mount with 1" Ball (RAM-B-309-7) (from RAM's UK store) £36.63 inc. VAT (I didn't have to buy these as I already have loads of them).

Left Mounts:


The nuts are a little corroded because I've had these RAM mounts in storage for many years, but the thread is perfect thanks to some copper slip!

Right Mounts:



Cost to me so far: £125.49 (didn't feel like that much until I just added it all up... not quite so cheap really)
Cost if you don't already have some of the parts: £196.30 (Yowzers! You might be able to get some of the parts for less, or find a cheaper mounting option!)

I'll update this parts list (and add photos) as things take shape! Above is what I've put together so far... but until everything arrives I haven't actually mounted anything just yet!

Also, can anyone recommend a relay to use so that the lights can only come on with the ignition, and where would be best for me to connect the relay? What'd be really cool is if there's an AIO unit out there which provides simple screw-in or molex connectors for 4 or 5 additional power outputs, with the relay built in, and knowing where best to connect that. I'm thinking possibly the reg plate light would be a good line to hook up the relay?

Here's a somewhat low-quality (camera phone) pic of the right-hand foglight extended out on its mounting arm:


Took it for a test ride in the rain, and here's a shot with the lights on (pre-calibration)


Got the bike up on my ramp, calibrated the angle of the lights (you can't tell by looking at it but they now cast a wide scattered horizontal beam):

I also added "evil eyebrows" in Reflexite yellow tape above the headlights... because I thought it'd be mildly amusing!

[mjc506]

Your K9 wee should turn its headlights off when you thumb the starter button. If you want a few extra joules, press the starter button (keep it pressed), turn on the ignition (the headlights are still off, as the starter is pressed) then pull in the clutch to start the bike. Then release the starter button.

That'll work, assuming all the safety interlocks are working, and not bypassed.

You will need a relay for those lights - the current they pull is too much for the stock switched wiring imo

[Sven]

Your K9 wee should turn its headlights off when you thumb the starter button. If you want a few extra joules, press the starter button (keep it pressed), turn on the ignition (the headlights are still off, as the starter is pressed) then pull in the clutch to start the bike. Then release the starter button.

Yes this used to annoy me as well, until I found this way of starting the bike. Now I've got into the routine of always starting the bike the above way. No need for a switch!

[Juvecu]

+1 to what mjc506 said. In an emergency you could also pull the fuse for the headlights. I do this if I work on the bike and I need the ignition on for more than a few minutes.

As for having a switch to turn off the lights completely, it won't fail. There are plenty of bikes on which you can turn the headlights off if you wanted to.

[LaKraven]

Your K9 wee should turn its headlights off when you thumb the starter button. If you want a few extra joules, press the starter button (keep it pressed), turn on the ignition (the headlights are still off, as the starter is pressed) then pull in the clutch to start the bike. Then release the starter button.

That'll work, assuming all the safety interlocks are working, and not bypassed.

That
Is
great!

Seriously, this should be demonstrated not only in the owners' manual, but also by dealerships when you go to pick it up!

You will need a relay for those lights - the current they pull is too much for the stock switched wiring imo

They are very low amperage, and combined only running 30W (max)... but yes, I would like to use a Relay so they can only possibly come on when the ignition is on. The question is: which relay should I use?

[Strommer]

You won't fail an MOT for having a switch.

You should fail your MOT for having non E-Marked lights.  This means they are for off-road only.  You can get around this by masking them or disconnecting them on MOT day.

They are too bright and have too round a beam pattern for running light usage.  You can make then less bad by masking off the top of each LED when on road.  You don't really need to see treetops anyway...

[LaKraven]

You won't fail an MOT for having a switch.

You should fail your MOT for having non E-Marked lights.  This means they are for off-road only.  You can get around this by masking them or disconnecting them on MOT day.

They are too bright and have too round a beam pattern for running light usage.  You can make then less bad by masking off the top of each LED when on road.  You don't really need to see treetops anyway...

Since they are LED, I could put a dimmer on them and dial them back to exactly what I need. I'm not looking to light up the universe, merely more effectively light up the sides of the country roads further ahead so that I can more easily spot the deer rather than blindly plough into them. It makes a lot of sense on these roads, especially during winter!

[Strommer]

Can you put a dimmer on LEDS?  I thought they had to be constant current.  

I guess if you can get a controller that keeps the current constant while allowing the voltage to drop you'll be in  business.

[LaKraven]

Can you put a dimmer on LEDS?  I thought they had to be constant current.  

I guess if you can get a controller that keeps the current constant while allowing the voltage to drop you'll be in  business.

Yeah, there are suitable LED dimmer circuits out there (used them before on RGB LED Point Lighting)... I can build such a circuit easily enough, and coat it in tons of flux to keep it watertight and rugged for use on the Strom.

[Strommer]

Do post some details please, as I may want something similar in future.

Ta.

[LaKraven]

Do post some details please, as I may want something similar in future.

Ta.

I'll document (photos and text, perhaps video) the entire fitting!

In light of what you've said re MOT failure potential, I'm going to "soft-mount" the lights using RAM Mounts (I'll provide a full list of part numbers used) to the "crash bars", with breakaway (probably molex) connectors.
This also has the advantage of making the lights "full articulated" so I can refine their aim to best light the sides of these narrower roads.
My intent is to aim them low since their purpose is to illuminate deer and other small critters (foxes, badgers and the like).
I can then quickly dismount the lights on MOT day, just to ensure no complaints (or attempts to screw me with a re-test fee).

[Strommer]

My intent is to aim them ...to illuminate deer and other small critters (foxes, badgers and the like).  I can then quickly dismount the lights on MOT day, just to ensure no complaints ....

Yeah, the Badgers can get nasty if you interfere with their parade...

http://peaksteve.info/badger/parade.htm

[LaKraven]

Began mounting the parts today! Added photos to the OP  

[mjc506]

Those RAM mounts look the best way of mounting those, good job!

[Strommer]

Those RAM mounts look the best way of mounting those, good job!

Looks like an expensive way of making your lights easy to steal to me....

[Sharpy]

Those RAM mounts look the best way of mounting those, good job!

Looks like an expensive way of making your lights easy to steal to me....

I did think that, I would have gone for the locking option if I was going to do that! But then they cost more....

[Sven]

If you drop the bike ( even at low speed), won't these be the first thing to get trashed!

[LaKraven]

Nobody is going to steal the lights. Where I live that kind of thing doesn't happen (mainly because there are no people here, except the occasional farmer on the fields around my house), not to mention that even if you remove the RAM arms, you've still got to find and disconnect (or cut) the cabling... all without setting off my insanely loud (eardrum bursting) alarm!
You assume that these lights are worth someone's time and effort trying to steal... and they're really not! Besides, it's no more difficult to steal them than it is the Vision X lights I've seen many bikes have, which are only connected by a single nut and bolt! 2 seconds with a spanner and they're gone!

You can of course get locking RAM arms, and they do cost more... but consider that ultimately they're attached to the bike by a single bolt anyway (just like Vision X and other much more expensive fog lights), so anyone intent on stealing them could, no matter how you mount them to the bike!

Where the arms are currently isn't the final mounting position when the lights are attached! I just put the arms like that for "artistic purposes" in the photographs. However, if you saw the whole bike, you'd notice that the crash bars extend further out than the RAM arms, so even in the current configuration the bars would do their job in a low-to-no speed drop without damaging the arms. In a high speed crash, I'd have more to worry about than some fog lights  

[LaKraven]

Foglights arrived today and I've fitted them. Picture of the right-hand light extended on its mounting arm has been added to the OP.
Will post more pics (and possibly even a video) soon (knackered and hungry rihgt now, and have work to do still). They are insanely bright, and there are some details I need to iron out (would you expect any less?) but they work great!

For the moment they're wired via a light switch on the handlebar to the battery (with inline fuse). I'll add a relay shortly!

[Strommer]

With regard to a relay, I ended up buying a PC8 fusebox with relay, from Eastern Beaver - though you can get fuseboxes with relays on ebay and at Halfords as well (£3-£4).  This means you can use the one relay to make all/some of the fusebox circuits switched.  This'll make life easier if you're adding more stuff.

I've added running lights Cree 2 things at 600 lumens (very bright) which are e-marked and have DRL on the lens.  This makes them legal.  They're wired into the fusebox as well so have no link to the stock wiring.  I believe to be fully legal they need to  be switched off when the main beam is on.  I've ignored that....

I'm still thinking of adding spotlights (high beam only) so am currently drawing up plans for a relay that is switched off the High Beam wire.  As I have a headlight relay this leaves one of the original H4 sockets unused, so I'll get a male H4 connector to avoid having to tap a wire.

For yet more light madness you can switch the headlights to keep main and low beam on at the same time.  The stock set-up kills the low beam when high beam is on.  This will result in hot lights - not sure if that's a major issue or not though - no reports received on this mod yet.

Again, to have spotlights on the bike they should be E-marked.  If not then they should  be masked for off-road use only.  This is why you should also have an inline switch.  I'll probably ignore this as well as it's a high beam thing only.  

I have a voltmeter wired into the fusebox, so I can see what the charging state is at any time...

Current elec mods:

GPS (switched)
Hot seat (switched)
DRLs (switched)
Hot grips (unswitched - will change that this weekend..)
voltmeter (swtiched)
proposed spotlights (switched via high beam)