Light Bar Options for a Standard (with Tourer windshield)

[desertrefugee]

I'm hoping you guys can provide some definitive advice for a light bar for my bike.  I like both the look and the extra visibility they provide.  And the big Valk is deserving of that extra light and "look" up front.

I'm having a little trouble sorting through options and really don't know the best path to take.  Even our archives here - which I searched - leave a few questions.

Of course, I'd love the Cobra setup, but it seems to be made of unobtanium and is danged pricey even if I were lucky enough to stumble onto one (but I'd still pay up).   Then there are the many, cheap bars to be found on ebay and elsewhere.  I'd very much prefer NOT to go that route.  I hear Rivco is a reasonable alternative, but don't really have a consensus.   

So, what are folks using that works with the Tourer windshield setup that can be found new and delivered to my door?    I've decided I'm going to add the lights, but just can't be sure what the best options are.

Ideas?

[BF]

My bike used to have a Tourer shield on it before I gave the bike a make-over and put a Woodys fairing on it. 

Putting a light bar on it was one of the first things I did to it. 

I put on a light bar from Big Bike Parts on my bike.  I also added some driving lights and put them on the upper part of the engine guards.  They're also from Big Bike Parts. 

The BBP light bar....

http://www.bigbikeparts.com/templates/product.aspx?ProductGuid=55-312&GroupGuid=16

I see that they make one with leds on it now (pretty spendy)....

http://www.bigbikeparts.com/templates/product.aspx?ProductGuid=55-312L&GroupGuid=16

These are the driving lights on my engine guards....

http://www.bigbikeparts.com/templates/product.aspx?ProductGuid=16-104A&GroupGuid=28









These next two pics are my bike before it's make-over.  Back then, it was a red and white standard with a Tourer windshield. 

It's the same light bar....although I did change out the spots on it after the remodel.

As you can see from the pics, that light bar works just fine with it on a Tourer.  The windshield can be taken off and put back on with no problems at all. 

[Black Dog]

I've been running the Rivco set up for years...  Mounted the switch on the triangular plastic piece just to the left front bottom of the fuel tank, by the steering neck (at one time Rivco instructions had you drilling a hole in the headlight bucket for the switch).  I also run the original Hoppe fairing (attaches to factory windshield), and there is no fitment issue.

I noticed an immediate increase in awareness from cages when installed.



Black Dog

[DK]

Con. rods with 45 mm big ends??

[dpcarson]

I've got the big bike parts also on my standard.  Never a problem with it.  Been on since 2002.

[salty1]

Ever considered mounting your driving lights on your crash bar. IMO the triangular pattern formed with headlight is more effective to alert on coming traffic.

[desertrefugee]

Ding!  Ding!  Ding!   I think we have a winner!

Although I really like the look of the driving lights up close to the headlight, I also like (and have also read about) the higher visibility of the wider triangulation.

...plus it's a heckuva lot cheaper.

Your post is timely.  I just attempted to order the Contour Lights from BBP, but the order routine was corrupted and couldn't complete the task.  Now I am having serious second thoughts!

Thanks for all the help and ideas - even using a connecting rod is not a half bad idea!

Ever considered mounting your driving lights on your crash bar. IMO the triangular pattern formed with headlight is more effective to alert on coming traffic.

[john]

driving lights on your crash bar ........ 

[pais]

where is a good place to find the brackets to mount drivers on the crash bar? Which lights are you guys happiest with?

[Jess from VA]

http://www.kuryakyn.com/products/531/magnum-quick-clamps

http://www.amazon.com/Kuryakyn-7941-Magnum-Quick-Clamp/dp/B00514CBKC/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1427550309&sr=1-2-fkmr0&keywords=Kuryakyn+Magnum+Quick+Clamps+-+1-1%2F8in.

Lighter, cheaper.

http://www.kuryakyn.com/products/688/p-clamps

http://www.amazon.com/Kuryakyn-4018-Chrome-P-Clamp/dp/B002KR1TWE

[Hook#3287]

Jess, those Kuryakn P-Clamps are very nice.  Thanks.

[salty1]

where is a good place to find the brackets to mount drivers on the crash bar? Which lights are you guys happiest with?

Kuryakyn 1-1/8 inch magnum clamps on the bars and 55W halogen lamps held by the clamps. I used Show Chrome lamps as shown below. The hood on the lamp compliments the headlight housing.

http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/Show_Chrome_Accessories_3_1_2_Inch_Halogen_Spot_Li_p/16-35a.htm

[desertrefugee]

where is a good place to find the brackets to mount drivers on the crash bar? Which lights are you guys happiest with?

Kuryakyn 1-1/8 inch magnum clamps on the bars and 55 halogen lamps held by the clamps. I used Show Chrome lamps as shown below. The hood on the lamp compliments the headlight housing.

http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/Show_Chrome_Accessories_3_1_2_Inch_Halogen_Spot_Li_p/16-35a.htm

I'd like to thank everyone for the discussion on light bars and driving lights.  Since I'm a cheap b*st*rd, I really didn't feel like ponying up the $400+ even for the BBT setup (although nice).  I do think the light bars are the best approach, but any decent setup gets into the territory of real money.

After seeing the lights actually mounted on the crash bar on Salty1's bike, I really like that alternative.  At half (or less) the cost, I chose this route.   Standing on the shoulders of giants, I have ordered the ShowChrome 3.5" halogens from Phat Performance Parts and the Kuryakyn Magnum clamps.   I'll rig a standard auto relay feeding them directly off the battery and triggered by the main headlight circuit.   (But, I'm going to put a switch in the "trigger" line so that I can turn them off if I don't want them for some reason).

Thanks again for all the ideas/suggestions.

[pais]

     Salty and Jess,   
    Thanks for the great info! Ordering my clamps and lamps after I type this post. Now all I have to do is figure out the wiring of said items. All the years of motorcycling, never have messed with any electrical.

[dpcarson]

http://www.jpcycles.com/product/3800510

[salty1]

http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/circuits.html

[desertrefugee]

Thanks again salty1. Exactly what I had in mind.

[desertrefugee]

Salty1 - thanks once again for the idea, links and saving me a few bucks.  I can always add a bar later if/when I feel the need to spend a bit more money on the bike.  For now, those Showchrome Halogens are ridiculously bright and serve the purpose well mounted on the crash bar. 

...in fact, they might be just a bit too bright!

[desertrefugee]

By the way, how did you deal with your horn?  I've a fairly unsatisfying, temporary solution, but it needs to be repositioned completely.

[BF]

By the way, how did you deal with your horn?  I've a fairly unsatisfying, temporary solution, but it needs to be repositioned completely.

Search for Stebel (or Wolo).  Get rid of that meep meep horn.  

If you look close at one of Salty's pics, you can see his Stebel mounted on the left side above the alternator. 

A lot of us have them mounted there. 

[salty1]

Salty1 - thanks once again for the idea, links and saving me a few bucks.  I can always add a bar later if/when I feel the need to spend a bit more money on the bike.  For now, those Showchrome Halogens are ridiculously bright and serve the purpose well mounted on the crash bar. 

...in fact, they might be just a bit too bright!

At least they will see you coming. Glad it worked out for you.  As BF has said, I put a Stebel horn on the left side of my bike to replace the meep meep. I used 1 inch by 1/8 inch aluminum bar and created the mount. The horn should be wired using a relay.

[desertrefugee]

Thanks again for the experience and advice on a couple of nice upgrades to my '97.  Got the Wolo installed today.  Big improvement over the miserable Meep/Meep.  Now they can see and hear me.

Looks like it belongs there:


A little bit more chrome:


Both Lights and Horn share the same circuit (but separate relays):