Alternate location for driving lights (2nd gen)

[SilvrT]

Has anyone here mounted auxilliary driving lights anywhere else but the "normal" location (the standard Yammie light bar setup). If you have, can I / we see some pics and maybe some narrative on how you mounted them?

 

(looking for ideas)

 

Thanks.

[Kidh2]

Mounting Driving Lights........

 

check this thread

[KiteSquid]

Driving lamps or Passing lamps?

[SilvrT]

Driving lamps or Passing lamps?

 

Are you messin wif me?

 

Driving lamps.

[KiteSquid]

No I'm not.

 

Passing lamps have a wide lower intensteny beam when copmaird to the narrow and very bright beam of driving lamps.

 

I would try to mount Driving lamps as high as possiable to cut down the size of the shadows that can be made by low mouned lamps.

 

Look at rally cars, they put lamps on the roof, so the lamps are above the driver's head, so there are no "black holes" made by the shadows of the beams. of cours this is not possiable to mount driveng lamps on the top you your helmet, but that IMHO would be the best place for them from the driver's point of view but bad for other direvers on the road. AND you dont want the mass on your helmet.

 

 

Passing lamps can be mounted low, to make a triangel of light to make your bike more visable to other drivers, they dont help you with the shadows they make, but would help light up the sides of the road.

[SilvrT]

No I'm not.

 

.

 

The reason I said that is because there seems to be a lot of confusion and/or interpretation of "passing lamps" and "driving lamps". While you (among others) say there is a distinct difference, others don't know and call driving lamps "passing lamps" and viceversa.

 

I guess you were trying to clarify whether or not I was one of those "confused souls" ... (which I am for many things LOL) but I am definately referring to Driving Lamps ... for purposes of seeing far into the distance at night.

 

Having said that then, and in reference to your positioning of driving lamps and passing lamps (which I agree) ... a dumb question.... why is it that we mount those auxilliary lights on our RSV's and also on the Harley Electra Glide UP adjacent to the normal headlight (seemingly as high as we can get them) and call them passing lamps?? If, in fact, they are passing lamps, then why are they not down lower? If, in fact, they are driving lamps, then why do so many people call them "passing lamps"???

 

I am still so confused so, I am going to call them driving llights if they come on with the high beam and call them passing lights if they come on with the low beam and if they come on when the operator wants them (with high or low beam), I will call them ...... awrite...what should I call them?

 

[KiteSquid]

It is all about beam shape.

 

Wide is passing.

 

Narrow is driving.

 

There is so much confusion on Fog lamps that I wont even go there.

 

 

Where you mount them on a motorcycle is up to the owner, with the exception that you by federal law (that I have yet to see enforced) you cannot install any lamps above the headlamp.

 

It makes sense to install any lamps as high as you can and it is esthetically pleasing to install the lamps on the horizontal center-line of the headlamp.

 

 

Driving lamps should be installed high due to shadows on the road, but I have seen them at the bottom of the forks on some bikes.

 

I cant find the Federal law right now, but there is a lot about lamp placement on vehicles....

[SilvrT]

When I'm following someone and pulling out to pass (at night), I will be running on low beam and will flick my high beam on then off real quick to indicate my intention (it's a common practise around here). As I'm out beside the person I'm passing and about even with their side-view mirror, I will turn on my high beam soas to see the road sufficiently beyond their vehicle. Generally at that time, the person I'm passing will dim their lights soas not to blind me once I'm in front.

 

Now, if I had "passing lamps", where exactly do they come into this scenario?