Auxiliary lights for Concours 14

Wiring option


  • Total voters
    5

Rony6ble

Premier Member
#1
Today I need some good advise to add some auxiliary lighting and other electronics to my bike.

I have Denali's DX (dual intensity 1.5 amps per pair), D4 (3 amp per pair) and a SoundBomb (20 amps) (total of 24.5 Amps) that I want to install. I also would like to add 1 gps and probably a phone and/or a tablet (say 2-3 amps each = 2-3x3=6-9 amps).

I could wire the SoundBomb independently since it is the one that draws the most amps (but not constant) and leave all other farkles go through the block.

One option is to run the lights using the stock low/high beam switch: in low beam DX 40% D4 off; in high beam DX 100% D4 on. They come with a switch that can cancel the lights completely. This will make operation easier.
A good friend tells me that he would rather use a complete independent on-off-on switch and don't touch the motorcycle high/low beam wiring.

3 options: (1) Fuzeblock FZ1 $89.99 (30 amps, max 10 amps circuit), (2) DENALI PowerHub2 Fuse Block $129.99 (30 amps, max 15 amps circuit) and (3) PDM60 Power Distribution Module $199.99 (60 amps, max 20 amps circuit). Big difference in cost between the first and last.

Question #1: Low/High beam option (easy operation) or use separate switch (don't mess with bike's wiring)?
Question #2: Fuzeblock FZ1, DENALI PowerHub2 Fuse Block or PDM60 Power Distribution Module?

Thanks...
 

Scott Parish

Premier Member
#2
I was recently looking at adding auxiliary lighting to my 2009 Concours as well. However, I have now decided to wait and pull the trigger on a new 2017 KTM 1290 SA-T as soon as they are available and then revisit lighting options. I would prefer the option of leveraging existing low/high beam circuit using the IQ-275 Intelligent Lighting Controller from LED Rider. http://ledrider.com/shop/?model_number=IQ-275 Good luck.

Scott
 

Tep_52

Premier Member
#3
Just sold my Connie last year and I found that anywhere near civilization a plain jane hid conversion was more than enough only when I was farther away did I ever desire more light as such I vote independent switch
 

kwthom

=o&o>
Premier Member
IBA Member
#4
Independent switch; but I've also got mine into a light controller as well.

On low-beam, I can have 10% aux lights or nothing, but when the high beams are on, if the aux lighting is needed, that triggers the 100% aux lights.

A quarter-mile of daylight in front of you is nice, but as @Tep_52 mentions, anywhere around civilization, there's no way you want to throw that much light out there.
 

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#5
A few years ago I flew over and rode a Connie in the States. It had ok OEMs, like most Kawasakis it seems.



I do prefer more light though.

I have 4 LD bikes and use only lights with a round pattern and no cut-off and use 3 different switching options:

A - Skene controller on a BMW F800GT with no independent switch. 2x little LED Denali D2s and 2x 35W 4 inch LEDs. Output is 10% from the LEDs when on low beam, and then 100% triggered by the bike's high beam. Simple.

B - Independent switch on a Kawasaki Versys - like Rony6ble's good friend. Just a pair of 25W LEDs on their own relay loom wired to the battery. Push for on, push for off. I can have: low only; low plus LEDs; high only; or high plus LEDs. Basic wiring. It means dipping from high to low when a car approaches I must hit 2 switches.

C - 2 switches triggered by the bike high beam on each of a Super Tenere and FJR1300 (the most Connie-like bike of course). Running through an Eastern Beaver PC-8 fuseblock for power supply. Each bike has 2 or more LEDs per switch, grouped for wide/flood pattern on one switch and true spot pattern on the other. I can then have: Low beam only; high beam only; high beam plus spreads; high beam plus spots; or high beam plus spreads and spots. When a car approaches I can dip just the bike's high beam switch and pass the car on low beam. Or, more usually when riding through the outback, and seeing the vehicle lights in the distance I dip only the spots, then as the vehicle gets closer dip the spreads, then as the vehicle gets toward legal distance limit dip the high down to low.

I prefer option C. Sometimes in the twisties it is good to have just the high plus spreads available to help 'see around corners' so I don't use the spots. Sometimes way out in the sticks it is better to just use the spots so the nearer visual field is not so brightly lit, so I turn off the spreads. Plus it saves electrical power compared to when all 12(!!!) lights are running on the Tenere.









As an aside, perhaps things will get much better in the near future. Although it has only done one SS1000M ride, my youngest bike is my Yamaha TMax scooter. it has easily the best OEM lights of any bike I have owned. LEDs straight out of the box and I have not felt the need to enhance them.

 
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Mike Riley

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
I have a 2012 C14 with MC Enterprises police crash bars. All lights and controls currently installed are from Justin at LEDRider except for the marine switches I use to turn off either or both pairs of aux lights and the stock headlights with SilverStar bulbs. I went back to stock headlights due to reliability problems with the HID ballasts. They were going out every 25000 miles or so. I have D2's mounted low on the crash bars wired through the Skene controller to run 50% (daytime running lights) , 10% (nighttime driving lights) or 100% triggered on high beam. I have LR5s mounted high on the crash bars normally off and 100% bright on high beam. Both sets of aux lights are wired independently to a switch on the right side fairing panel so either or both pairs can be turned off on either high or low beam. Everything is connected through a Curt Gran Fuzeblock. Plenty of light and I just turned over 100,000 miles with no failures except for replacing the original rotary light controller with the Skene.
 

Rony6ble

Premier Member
#9
I wanted to thank everyone on this list that send usable advise. Since, I have added the auxiliary lights through the stock low/high beam switch and using a PDM60. Horn was mounted on the stock mount with the compressor under the right side fairing (a special mount was fabricated).

I'm happy to report that the lights work very, very good. On my last ride (Heaven to hell Gold) I rode through western Colorado, Utah and Nevada during the night. US6/50 in western Utah and Nevada was very lonely and a good chance to use all the lights without oncoming traffic. The Elk was clearly visible from about 700 feet. No photos or video but will make sure to get the GoPro mounted the right way next time.

This is a Google Photos album link, hope it works.

https://goo.gl/photos/6mwM1vYugxvjN6mR8