- Joined
- Jul 27, 2010
- Messages
- 5,497
- Reaction score
- 670
- Location
- Blouberg, Cape Town
- Bike
- KTM 890 Adventure R
How lucky we are. In a recent SuperBike issue Clinton Pienaar remarks on how well adventure bikes fare as commuters. They are big and intimidating - a car will think twice before turning in front of you, and mounted spots make them super visible to oncoming traffic.
Winter is approaching, and the ability to see and be seen is becoming more important, from the moment you put rubber to the road. A good set of spots is a must on any bike, and fortunately adventure bikes naturally lend themselves to mounting a pair. So what to fit?
I have tried various spotlights for bikes over the last 6 years, and as with all there are the good, the bad and the ugly. Expensive is not always best, and looks can be deceiving.
Wat makes a good adventure bike spot?
- First of all you want to see. OEM lights are iffy at best, and a good LED spot is a 100% improvement on standard gear.
- Adv riders want to see far and wide. A good spot has good penetration (can shine far), but has a decent shine angle so that you have a wide viewing angle -being able to see the side of the road for pedestrians, animals and hazards.
- To be seen: the bane of a biker's existence. How many times do we hear: "I didn't see you!" A good spot makes a bike visible from a distance. A wide beam angle means that cages can see you from an angle, not just from straight ahead.
- Mounting spots to form a triangle makes the bike immediately recognizable for what it is - a bike! - and an intimidating force to be reckoned with - you are SEEN!
- Apart from being able to shine, a good adventure spot should stay put, and not break off due to vibration and metal fatigue. Adventure bikes often operate in extreme conditions, and spots need to be tough to withstand the punishment.
- Good spots are weatherproof and will keep on working.
What works then?
Looks can be deceiving. Some projector type spots have such narrow beams that they are not suitable. Fiddly lights with many moving parts and protective shrouds are difficult to mount, and more prone to malfunction.
OEM Mist lights as mounted on BMW 800 and 1200 adventure bikes are just what it says: mist lights. They don't have the penetration or brightness to do the job, and are daytime running lights at best, or mist lights...
Good LED spots offer the best performance by far.
Over years I have identified a few lights that work well on adventure bikes. Here are a few examples:
Winter is approaching, and the ability to see and be seen is becoming more important, from the moment you put rubber to the road. A good set of spots is a must on any bike, and fortunately adventure bikes naturally lend themselves to mounting a pair. So what to fit?
I have tried various spotlights for bikes over the last 6 years, and as with all there are the good, the bad and the ugly. Expensive is not always best, and looks can be deceiving.
Wat makes a good adventure bike spot?
- First of all you want to see. OEM lights are iffy at best, and a good LED spot is a 100% improvement on standard gear.
- Adv riders want to see far and wide. A good spot has good penetration (can shine far), but has a decent shine angle so that you have a wide viewing angle -being able to see the side of the road for pedestrians, animals and hazards.
- To be seen: the bane of a biker's existence. How many times do we hear: "I didn't see you!" A good spot makes a bike visible from a distance. A wide beam angle means that cages can see you from an angle, not just from straight ahead.
- Mounting spots to form a triangle makes the bike immediately recognizable for what it is - a bike! - and an intimidating force to be reckoned with - you are SEEN!
- Apart from being able to shine, a good adventure spot should stay put, and not break off due to vibration and metal fatigue. Adventure bikes often operate in extreme conditions, and spots need to be tough to withstand the punishment.
- Good spots are weatherproof and will keep on working.
What works then?
Looks can be deceiving. Some projector type spots have such narrow beams that they are not suitable. Fiddly lights with many moving parts and protective shrouds are difficult to mount, and more prone to malfunction.
OEM Mist lights as mounted on BMW 800 and 1200 adventure bikes are just what it says: mist lights. They don't have the penetration or brightness to do the job, and are daytime running lights at best, or mist lights...
Good LED spots offer the best performance by far.
Over years I have identified a few lights that work well on adventure bikes. Here are a few examples:
