Driving Lights

[cogenguy]

I have a 2000 tourer with stock headlight and would like to add driving lights.  I would like to mount them to the engine guards or on the fork tubes.  Does anyone have good recommendations on lights and mounting hardware.  I would like to brighten up driving at night and early morning hours. 

[hubcapsc]

I have moto-lights and a cobra light bar... I like it when others tell
me how much I stand out in their rear-view mirrors...



Moto-lights are still easily available. Good luck on a Cobra light
bar, though  ... The Big Bike Things guy still makes a Valkyrie
specific chrome light bar which is very simple but probably
works well...

https://www.bigbikethings.com/Honda_Valkyrie___VTX_1800_Light_Bar/p4325477_16655945.aspx

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

I have Moto lights on my brake calipers on one of my bikes, and they are great.  But they are ridiculously expensive.

There are so many good small (and fairly cheap) LEDs now, but I cannot recommend any.  Many are not nice chromy shiny, but just plastic (which is OK, as long as they are waterproof and reliable).  I also like a remote switch for them better than instant on with headlights.  

The important thing is to mount them well away from the headlight to set up a distinct and noticeable triangle of forward lights for oncoming traffic.  I think it's more important to be seen, than for you to see better (but that's also a plus).  Thus, I like an engine guard (wider) or brake caliper (lower) mount better than below the headlight on the forks, or fork wings (which from distance makes you look like you still only have one light in front).  Also, you must not forget the travel on forks, so lights mounted under there don't smack your front fender on compression (I did that with a horn once, to my great shame).

Driving lights can be wide dispersal fogs, or narrow longer range beams.  I think somewhere in the middle is best.

There's a fellow on here who sells super nice and bright upgrades for the standard Valk headlight, and that may be the best bet to get better light out front at night. 

[Valker]

My absolutely favorite mounts for the crash bars. Not cheap,  but work unbelievably well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096U121Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[John Schmidt]

Just be sure you wire them totally separate from the headlight circuit.

[98valk]

lots of info

https://advrider.com/f/threads/best-led-aux-driving-lights-at-a-reasonable-price.848904/

want bright and cheap check out the harbor freight lights.
I put the spots on my truck.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-led-spot-light-64323.html

[bassman]

is the goal to see or be seen?   Regular white to see and I always like amber/yellow to be seen (and they work pretty nice in foggy conditions as well).
I had yellow Motolights while riding cross country several years ago and my riding "partner" could easily see me in his mirrors and know where I was even when riding 1/2 mile (perhaps further?) behind him.  Darn yellows seem like they "pop" out more at oncoming drivers/riders thus making you easier to see - IMHO !

[CoreyP]

is the goal to see or be seen?   Regular white to see and I always like amber/yellow to be seen (and they work pretty nice in foggy conditions as well).
I had yellow Motolights while riding cross country several years ago and my riding "partner" could easily see me in his mirrors and know where I was even when riding 1/2 mile (perhaps further?) behind him.  Darn yellows seem like they "pop" out more at oncoming drivers/riders thus making you easier to see - IMHO !

That is true but...

In my case I'm looking to see better in fact I won't mind some illegal hi beams on my bike. Not to use in traffic but to use on rural roads. I have the same question as the poster.

[Ramie]

I have something like this on my I/S

https://www.amazon.com/Show-Chrome-Accessories-55-365L-Highway/dp/B01HEBLU9C/ref=sr_1_109?dchild=1&keywords=2"+chrome+led+driving+lights&qid=1598162677&sr=8-109

Mine are not made anymore but they're still going strong and their mounted on the bottom of my radiator pods down low and not on the engine guard.

You can see one here on the lower pod.

[hubcapsc]

I won't mind some illegal hi beams on my bike.

I'm not sure, but I think five lights on the front of my bike
might be illegal.

I wired my Cobra lights to come on with high-beam, so
they would help me see without blinding others (high
beams not on when there's oncoming traffic) and
my moto-lights are always on, they're to help me
be seen...

-Mike

[h13man]

These https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J6990A2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Plus https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195V8G4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Wired into the low beam @ 1.6 amp draw. I have a Smart Switch on my headlight circuit thus no additional load on the switching part of the circuit. These are bright enough to see by at night. If properly adjusted they PO low riding tuners!  

[CoreyP]

That's about the price point I like.

[98valk]

These https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J6990A2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Plus https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0195V8G4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

Wired into the low beam @ 1.6 amp draw. I have a Smart Switch on my headlight circuit thus no additional load on the switching part of the circuit. These are bright enough to see by at night. If properly adjusted they PO low riding tuners!  

a lot of reviews stating they only last one yr at the most.
what has been your experience?

[h13man]

Added them (lights) spring 2016 to present. Probably about 15,000 mi. Only issue I've had is the right side loosen up but I hopefully corrected the mount by going to a larger more precisely made screw. So far so good.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Over the years I've had a pair of National Cycle light bars on my various non-I/S Valkyries. One is currently on my '99 Tourer. Its OEM spotlight housings were replaced with Harley sealed-beam parts and the lights themselves will be replaced with an Eagle Infinity setup in the near future.

Turn signals are Kuryakyn Bullets w/ the H-D adapters and deep-dish bezels. These match the spotlight bezels and the rear signals also have Kuryakyn bezels along with red lenses.

About hi-beam w/ spotlights or driving lights: In some states it's illegal; others it's not. All of my bikes have been wired with a SPDT center-off switch (itself part of a Big Bike Parts master cylinder switch block) that allows me to set the lights to follow the low beams, to remain on regardless of beam switch setting or to be turned off. The common pole of the switch controls the relay which supplies power to the auxiliary lights.

[Madmike]

Over the years I've had a pair of National Cycle light bars on my various non-I/S Valkyries. One is currently on my '99 Tourer. Its OEM spotlight housings were replaced with Harley sealed-beam parts and the lights themselves will be replaced with an Eagle Infinity setup in the near future.

Turn signals are Kuryakyn Bullets w/ the H-D adapters and deep-dish bezels. These match the spotlight bezels and the rear signals also have Kuryakyn bezels along with red lenses.

About hi-beam w/ spotlights or driving lights: In some states it's illegal; others it's not. All of my bikes have been wired with a SPDT center-off switch (itself part of a Big Bike Parts master cylinder switch block) that allows me to set the lights to follow the low beams, to remain on regardless of beam switch setting or to be turned off. The common pole of the switch controls the relay which supplies power to the auxiliary lights.

handy graphic illustrating the various configurations of toggles, someone may find useful      https://www.littelfuse.com/technical-resources/technical-centers/commercial-vehicle-technical-center/poles-and-throws.aspx