mounting lights on the oil cooler

bykemike · 07-19-2012, 02:02 PM

I am mounting a set of Hella FF 50's on the oil cooler just under the fairing.

It appears the bottom plate of the cooler is actually a quite stout frame and I believe it will be strong enough to carry the weight of a pair of lights.

I am overlaying the bottom plate with a piece of 1/4" aluminum that has light mounting studs threaded into it, the plate will be attached using adhesive technology (epoxy) . The frame looked good enough that I was going to fasten the plate directly to it using very short steel tapping screws but I chickened out..I think it would have worked though.

With the lights in place I will have about 5" of front suspension travel before the fender hits the lights..should be more than enough unless I decide to go for a jaunt around a MX track.

Has anyone done this..any stories good or bad?

Mike

signit98 · 07-19-2012, 03:10 PM

You will quickly learn how far the front forks actually compress under load...

As you learn that, you are also going to find out, just how sturdy your construction/oil-cooler/lights are.

I got that T-shirt a long time ago and quickly wore it out... it's gone, not even cleaning the bike with it anymore.

wswartzwel · 07-19-2012, 04:10 PM

You will also get to buy a new front fender.

R111S · R111S's Garage

I agree with Ralf you might have clearance problems. I have mounted 100W Halogen Driving Lights on my Mirrors and have seen better solutions than mine that utilize brackets on the mounting base of the mirror stalks.

As for lighting below the oil cooler or as in my case just below the "snout" I mounted these Philips 8-LED DRLs: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/bmw-r1100s-r1200s-tech-forum/667268-philips-daylight-8-led-drl.html

See "damage113" post #19 in the above thread for a pic of lights under the oil cooler that didn't have enough clearance according to him.

I've had these on for 3,400 Miles now and no contact with the front fender so far. The Lumen output is ~450 for this LED light.

signit98 · 07-19-2012, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wswartzwel

You will also get to buy a new front fender.

Oh yeah... forgot about that part, but I fixed mine...

bykemike · 07-19-2012, 05:47 PM

Thanks for all the input guys, tomorrow I am going to take a closer look at the actual clearance (I guessed 5", may be slightly more) and make a decision.
The lights pictured in post #19 by "damage113" are quite a bit lower than what I have but a fresh look is in order.
If I am going to go with it I'll post a pic and then another after a week on the Blue Ridge Pky.

Mike

SeabeckS · 07-19-2012, 08:54 PM

5 inches of clearance? Maybe not, when you're actually sitting on the bike, or riding it in the real world outside of your garage. Those forks can compress quite a bit, even if it doesn't really feel like it. Lights impacting the front fender and potentially binding up the steering at a critical moment may be something to avoid. The FF50's aren't that small....the only arrangement I've seen like that which seems to work is the Microflooter...

Mounting the FF50's like I did with Hawksproducts Talon mounts may not be as aesthetic (frankly, they do look a "little" goofy attached to the valve cover bolts...lol) but makes for a nice triangular arrangement for conspicuity, a great light pattern close to the road, and keeps them away from the front wheel.

I'm just sayin!....

Cheers!

bykemike · 07-20-2012, 03:15 AM

Thanks yet again! I didn't even know of the Microflooter, it appears to be a good option. I'm not a fan of the Cyclops look but it would be a nice quality smalllight to work with.

On one of my previous 'S's' I mounted FF50s on the side panels in the recesses near the headlight. Took a week to make the brackets but it worked nice except you had to unplug everytime you pulled the fairing.

This new one had a set of PIAA's mounted on the fairings in a flat spot...the PO had pulled the roundels and used the roundel footprint to mount the lights..not to my taste.

Mike

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

on my 11s i have a lipstick camera that is mounted to the plastic inner fairing part of the oil cooler.
it hangs down a little over 40mm below the fairing.
in 40,000+ miles its never kissed the front fender.

1%er · 07-20-2012, 05:00 AM

Why would you want to take pictures of lipstick while riding a motorcycle unless they are turning around and saying KMA.

bykemike · 07-20-2012, 05:15 AM

Hey Brad, could you post a pic of that? I was going over my rig this morning and I can get almost 6" of clearance by moving the lights a bit outboard. The issue is the clearance decreases in a turn by 2". This may be a non issue but I would like to see what you have done.

Thanks

Mike

grizmo · 07-20-2012, 08:01 AM

A friend made me these brackets and tapped into the lower fork brace. No contact with the plastic under heavy braking

Noblehops · 07-20-2012, 08:32 AM

Wow, I guess I'm amazed that the filaments lasted more than 5 minutes with the lights on the business end of the fork. That would seem like a lot of motion and shock to be subject to.

...but as I think about that, I have a buddy that puts motolights on his lower fork legs, and I don't think he has had any trouble with them, and he has been doing so for years.

N.

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by bykemike

Hey Brad, could you post a pic of that?

yep:

this is a lipstick cam, which hooks to a regular camcorder. it's been there for 40k+ miles. I put a sticker on the fender directly below the camera housing, to see if it would hit.
since installation, there have been three small nicks in the sticker where the zip tie has kissed the sticker, but no marks in the fender itself.
based on history, i think it has kissed the fender sticker only when i've slammed into something that distorts the whole front end subframe that holds up the fairing and its friends.

it hangs below the fairing a total of 43mm. i wouldn't go past 45mm if'n i was you.....

bykemike · 07-20-2012, 12:09 PM

Thanks Brad!

bykemike · 07-21-2012, 06:21 AM

Picture of the light set up, I left the pivot bolts on the lights a little loose and marked the fork for travel distance...going out for a day ride and some hard braking. I tucked these suckers up pretty tight but I do have my reservations...we will see.

wswartzwel · 07-21-2012, 07:18 AM

Since the bikes have a natural antidive design front baking won't be a problem. Potholes train tracks and botched wheelies will be the test.

bradzdotcom · bradzdotcom's Garage

i sure hope you measured those lights, because they look like they hang down a whole lot farther than 40~45mm.

as bill points out, hard braking might not tell you much. you get in trouble when that front subframe bows down from hitting something harsh. not the kind of thing you want to go out and do repeatedly...

bykemike · 07-21-2012, 12:00 PM

Good eye! They are down almost 3/4" from your 45 mm determination.

I am still seeing a reasonable clearance but I know at some point I will be in for a surprise.

Here is a shot of my "fork travel gauge". I am able to use this on the fly. Top mark is bike on the stand, next is bike off the stand with me on it, next is a hard stop, then a stop while going over some RR tracks. The light hit mark is an inch and a half below the lowest visible mark.