My New LED Running Lights--$75 OFF

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

SacramentoMike

Not Safe For Work
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
5,043
Reaction score
1,799
Location
Sacramento, CA (honest)
First, background: I bought my '05 from a local guy who had gone over to the BMW world. He (Glenn) signed onto this forum back when he bought the bike new, but really never posted much or ever after that, being a busy guy, I guess, and running his own business. His business is electronics--he makes and installs stereo systems for cars and boats, primarily. But he also developed this new kind of lights and installed the prototype on his Beemer--I think it's the R1200GS.

Anyway, he'd done some quality installs and mods on his/my FJR (Hellas, grips, powerlet etc.) so I was not reluctant to be a guinea pig when he called and asked if I'd bring my new/his old bike into his shop so he could take measurements to fit mounting brackets so he could expand to the FJR market. To shorten this up, after I made a couple trips out there, he had the new parts fabricated, and he gave me a good deal on a set--a "tester's discount" or something--and I had the new lights on when I rode up to Nakusp--the only ones. They got good reviews from the folks up there who saw them.

He's interested in getting them out there, and will offer a discount if there's interest here. First of all, here's his website: Clearwater Lights. About the site, as of right now, the site mentions they have a kit for the '03-'05 FJR only, since that's what he fitted them onto. But now he's double-checked, and the measurement fits both generations, so year of bike is not an issue.

Here's what I can tell you about the lights.

o They’re LED (3-light cluster in each housing) so they draw VERY LITTLE current (about 1 amp each). They will not burn out before you do. He says the light output per side is roughly equivalent to a 55-watt halogen light, but hard to be exact as the light is 1) a different color—white, and 2) more diffused. For approaching vehicles, the white light really stands out from the much yellower light of the headlights. (Read Glenn's post later in this thread for better info.)

o They’re DIMMABLE (rheostat controlled). I believe there are no other dimmable LEDs on the market anywhere. Glenn’s got a patent attorney researching and a patent may be pending now. At full brightness, these things SHOW UP! You can lower the power if you want, or are getting too many high-beam flashes (and yes, I’ve had several). LOVE ‘em for lane splitting (hooray for California)!

o They’re BRIGHT. I bought them to BE seen, but they provide significant fill-in light on the road at night I’m hoping some of the folks at CFR will chime in on this point, as I aimed them up a dark alley in the Kuskanax parking lot and showed the effect of different combinations of lights. By the way, these are mounted right down on the front axle, so they point wherever you turn the wheels.

o Blue is the standard housing color, but others are available. I think he’s charging $20 extra for non-blue ones. He can tell you about available colors. (ADDED: See Glenn's post--no. 31 on this thread. He is WAIVING THIS CHARGE as a part of this limited-time FJR Forum-only deal!)

o Listed cost for the full kit is $475 (all brackets, controls, wiring, whatever). Assuming he gets half a dozen orders or so, he’ll sell to forum members (identify yourself) for $400—at least for now. I believe he said “shipped.” Double check on that. CONFIRMED You contact him by phone or email to order or ask questions. ADDED JULY 14TH: Glenn has already been honoring that $400 price for anyone who contacts him and i.d.'s himself as a forum member--See later posts in this thread. AND THIS DISCOUNT WILL CONTINUE ONLY UNTIL THE END OF THIS MONTH. ORDER BY 7/31/09

o Installation is very doable if you have some electronic know-how. I watched them do mine at the shop, since it was the first FJR and they wanted to learn the setup. They just tapped into the headlight circuits (explained in the instructions I am sure) and the physical mounting was pretty straightforward. You just need to find a good spot for the dimmer switch controller on the dash panels with a little space behind it. Mine (Gen I with some things already mounted on panel D) is on panel C, the upper right one. Glenn said they’d install for $100 (Sacramento area) if desired. He’s already placed these lights at the local BMW dealership and they’re charging $150 to install, for comparison. But I do believe most of you can do it.

o One other thing. There’s a larger version in the works that would be mounted on the fairing, like those big round Solteks, which are about the same size. 6 large LED bulbs instead of my 3 small ones, but dimmable and a low (10 amps total) power draw. Much brighter than the small ones (I saw a mockup prototype). What I really like about these is, being dimmable, you could run with them all the time, or whenever you wanted, unlike the super-bright-or-completely-off Soltek or similar lights that are only usable in certain areas and traffic conditions. No info on price or timing, but very interesting.

o I am NOT involved in the ordering of these, organizing a formal “group buy,” or have any stake in the business. I like the quality of these lights and vouch for it, plus I appreciate the deal he gave me. I’d like to see these out in the FJR world. I’d love to pass some other feejers shining these LEDs back at me sometime.

Here’s what I’m talking about

YamahFJRb.jpg


IMG_1432.jpg


IMG_1476.jpg


Here's where the dimmer is located on my bike. Lots of mounting options.

IMG_1477.jpg


Coming at you (Should have called Old Michael over to take these pictures, huh?)

IMG_1437.jpg


IMG_1452.jpg


With lights at minimum brightness (headlights only), then at maximum. Compare the white pickup, for example.

IMG_1466.jpg


IMG_1463.jpg


If you have questions, you can pm me or just post, or contact Glenn thru his website. Hope you folks who saw these up in Nakusp will chime in with any thoughts. Re-reading my post, I want to say it again, if I sound like a cheerleader for these things, it's cause I think they're very cool. No other reason. Thanks.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for the post-up! Looks waaaaaaaaaay better than what I took with my cellphone at CFR

 
IMG_1432.jpg


Set of WAY cool running lights, 400 dollars on gold mastercard, Shorts and Flip Flops 20 dollars on Gold Mastercard, FJR1300 (insert price paid here) on gold mastercard

Showing off your way cool toys and risking road rash/skin grafts/personal injury.......Priceless...

There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's ATGATT

*Ducking and covering* :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

 
Rode to the corner for these pics. Oh, like YOU'VE never done it.

(congratulations on beating Old Michael to that comment, though.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Any comparison to the Hyperlites?

Is it "No Comparison" since these are High Intensity LEDs, and Hyperlites are Halogen?

Sportster

 
Don't quite understand the question, Sportster, sorry. The only Hyperlites I know of are the rear-end red running/brake lights (which I have) that flash a few times when brakes are applied. The only comparison I can think of with them is "the more light the better" and they really show up--like these white, front-end running lights do.

 
Any comparison to the Hyperlites?
Is it "No Comparison" since these are High Intensity LEDs, and Hyperlites are Halogen?

Sportster
Hyperlites are LED's...the white hyperlites are called HyperWhites - White LED Running Lights... are made to command the attention of other drivers, not illuminate the dark or the road

whiteimage.jpg


I have these front and back and the three way switch for each can be set to off, solid, or flashing

I leave the fronts on solid 24/7 unless I'm in a PGR escort which I set both front and rear to flashing imitating police strobes

2 other PGRers riding Goldwings actually have strobes installed in their turn signal units

 
Found what I was thinking about, Motolights, NOT EVEN close to the lights in this thread.

Back to this thread and cool idea:

Judging from the above illuminated truck image, the light looks useable for more than attention. How far down the road is the light effective, if for testing only, you had your headlights off or covered?

Sportster

 
Saw these in Nakusp, and they are as Mike described... very noticeable, and a really slick set-up. IMHO, more of a compliment to the usual high-mounted aux driving lights than a replacement. They WILL be seen by the cagers coming at you.

Curious what it would look like if they were hooked into a headlight modulator... <_<

A bit spendy for me right now, but they really do work, and (IMO) would be a great addition for folks who ride in traffic a lot. :clapping:

Griff

 
Saw these in Nakusp, and they are as Mike described... very noticeable, and a really slick set-up. IMHO, more of a compliment to the usual high-mounted aux driving lights than a replacement. They WILL be seen by the cagers coming at you.
Griff

+1 - saw these in the back alley @ 2am and did they ever fill the alleyway with light, and the road surface in front of the bike.

Very impressive. I had NO idea LED's could project that kind of light.

 
Thx for the comments, Griff and Barb, and Auburn, dunno when on the big ones, but I'd guess soon as he had the mockup back in early June to take out to bike shows, etc. Contact him, I'd suggest. McG: no sweat, took it that way.

Oh, and Sportster, I never tried covering the headlights to see them alone, but it's an interesting idea. Watch this thread; I'll take some and post 'em up. But they really do augment the headlights. My bike has the Hella FF50s too, and with everything lit up, I feel pretty well illuminated on the darkest road (and I just rode the darkest road anywhere, 101 through the redwoods in the dark between Crescent City and Eureka during the "deer hour." )

 
Last edited by a moderator:
+1 - saw these in the back alley @ 2am and did they ever fill the alleyway with light, and the road surface in front of the bike.
Very impressive. I had NO idea LED's could project that kind of light.
I'm feeling left out for not having seen these at CFR. And I'm feeling very left out of the 2 am back alley tryst :p (is this considered a hijack? sorry ;) )

 
+1 - saw these in the back alley @ 2am and did they ever fill the alleyway with light, and the road surface in front of the bike.
Very impressive. I had NO idea LED's could project that kind of light.
I'm feeling left out for not having seen these at CFR. And I'm feeling very left out of the 2 am back alley tryst :p (is this considered a hijack? sorry ;) )
Yes it is a hijack you should be ashamed...so you wanted "in" in the scrum, eh? You can make up for it at the next gathering. You can register people in after eating the moonshine laden strawberries...that'll fix ya.

Then Sac Mike can shine his extremely bright and good looking lights on yer @ss.

 
Talked with Glenn for quite a while at Laguna Seca MotoGP races. I was surprised at how bright these are, even in full bright sunlight from quite a ways away. The discounted price for the pair he quoted me was less than I'd pay for a single HID kit.

 
Top