Tales from the Emporium

**buggsubique** · 22nd June 2007, 19:56

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

A small pair of 55w spotties from SuperCheap and a harness for $50 and a bit of fiddling around and...

Ummm...

It's bright but doesn't seem to throw much light.
Need a night test to see though.
Should be a good wide beam to compliment the high beam.

Mate, let us know the results of your "night test" - was looking to do something similar for the DR-Z, but not too sure about overloading the electrical system... can the alternator take it along with the tail light, headlight, indicators etc blah blah or will it simply drain more off the battery while running the extra light? I see a couple of threads on TT with guys rewinding their coils or buying custom with higher output but I cannae be arsed with all that...

Here's a thread of a dude in Aussie with a nice lookin set up. Just scroll down a bit to see the headlights pic: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=198916&page=2

**NordieBoy** · 22nd June 2007, 23:02

Yep, Burren Riders'one is nice.
The Buell mod is cool and about $200nz as well.

Some of the US guys are running 100/130W bulbs without problems.
I'm totalling 115W on high and with the spottie on.
The DR stator puts out 200W max.
The main current draw apart from blinkers is the brake light which is a LED on mine.

Not sure if I'd prefer lowbeam with a spottie for the longer distance or high beam with a flood spottie...

**cooneyr** · 23rd June 2007, 08:59

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Yep, Burren Riders'one is nice.
The Buell mod is cool and about $200nz as well.

Some of the US guys are running 100/130W bulbs without problems.
I'm totalling 115W on high and with the spottie on.
The DR stator puts out 200W max.
The main current draw apart from blinkers is the brake light which is a LED on mine.

Not sure if I'd prefer lowbeam with a spottie for the longer distance or high beam with a flood spottie...

From my experience with 4wding a high mounted flood (i.e. roof) with high beam on it best. Gives you more light immediately in front to see potholes etc while still being able to see where the track goes. Floods generally spread more than low beam lights. If you are into serious speeds in the dark I would swing the other way though

Cheers R

**mbazza** · 23rd June 2007, 10:29

[QUOTE=NordieBoy;842216]2001 with 7000Km on the clock.

Givi screen.
ScottOiler Touring kit.

Tis well set up! Cool gravel up your way! On the wee-strom anyway. Should be home for a good DR. Cheers

**NordieBoy** · 23rd June 2007, 10:31

Originally Posted by cooneyr

If you are into serious speeds in the dark I would swing the other way though

Well that solves that problem.

I find I have more of a serious lack of speed in the dark.

**buggsubique** · 23rd June 2007, 19:01

Originally Posted by cooneyr

From my experience with 4wding a high mounted flood (i.e. roof) with high beam on it best. Gives you more light immediately in front to see potholes etc while still being able to see where the track goes. Floods generally spread more than low beam lights. If you are into serious speeds in the dark I would swing the other way though

Cheers R

Yeah back in the day we used to wire up all sorts of lights on out mountain bikes and helmets and get out on the trails at night. Helmet lights work a treat off road but are illegal on the road (pretty sure). Gives you a high-angled light where you want it - near, far, high, low & great for cornering. Normally we would run a few extra volts across a lower rated bulb to get the brighter light...just means carrying spare bulbs though.

**NordieBoy** · 24th June 2007, 18:52

Went up the Maungatapu to see if there was any snow at the top.
There wasn't

There was a bit on the transmitter track off the top.
Enough that I think knobblies would be in order for me to try more snow stuff.

My bike likes poseing...
Showing some belly this time.

**NordieBoy** · 24th June 2007, 18:56

Just done a night ride up to the caretakers residence up the dam.
The spotty compliments the high beam well.
Throws out a very wide beam that fills the dead spot between the bike and the high beam nicely and lights up the trees/bush around you so there's no big light/dark contrast.

So far so good.

**clint640** · 25th June 2007, 11:41

Lookin good, I mounted a similar light on the KTM a while back, but haven't done any proper testing yet.

Cheers
Clint

**warewolf** · 25th June 2007, 15:42

Originally Posted by clint640

Lookin good, I mounted a similar light on the KTM a while back, but haven't done any proper testing yet.

2nd weekend in October will be a good test...

**clint640** · 25th June 2007, 15:52

Originally Posted by warewolf

2nd weekend in October will be a good test...

Yeah, what the hell, I've been meaning to do it for a while, why not this year. Team 640?

I think I'll fit a bigger light for that though. A helmet mounted HID would be tha shizz...

Cheers
Clint

**warewolf** · 25th June 2007, 17:08

Originally Posted by clint640

Yeah, what the hell, I've been meaning to do it for a while, why not this year. Team 640?

It's a hoot.

Originally Posted by clint640

I think I'll fit a bigger light for that though. A helmet mounted HID would be tha shizz...

Would have to wired into your high-beam switch.

That might just solve the problem of lights not shining around corners.

Been out on the mtb a couple of times recently with only a handlebar-mounted light, it's not the best, it doesn't point where you need to see.

Just in the process of making up the HID 21 watter for my mtb, then the next project is the 35W jobbie for the Triumph... which might just have to be deployed on the Adventure for the GC. But it's not like I need any more forward lighting on the Adventure, the problem is lighting up the corners (as opposed to lighting up the tyre in the corners!)

**NordieBoy** · 25th June 2007, 22:56

Hmmm.
Had the stock pipe on for a tank and got around 1km/L less than the SuperTrapp.
Now I know it's jetted a bit too lean and running a 150 compared to the ST's 155 main so should rule for fuel economy.

But...
I think as it's so quiet I don't hear what revs it's pulling and am riding a gear lower than normal.
Quite often I found myself looking down and doing 50-60kph in 3rd instead of 4th.

Pros...
1. listening to music in the hills.
2. lack of audible popping in off-throttle conditions.

Cons...
1. less power/torque.
2. less feedback from the engine.
3. less mileage.
4. heavy.
5. hot!

Need to find out if the torque/power is actual or perceived though.

**NordieBoy** · 26th June 2007, 22:08

SuperTrapp and DJ155 main are back on.

Just measured the tread depth again...
Rear Mitas E07 5mm tread side of centre knob (8mm or so on side knobs).
Front IRC GP21 7.5mm tread side of centre knob

As far as I can tell I've used 0.5mm of tread off the centre knobs on the front tyre in 5726km.
A little more (<1mm) off the trailing edge of the 2nd row though.

Also have to make a little cover for the spottie as I can see the (bright) top of it when riding.