New Front lights

[bpdchief]

6-8 months ago I mounted some rectangular LED driving lights down the forks, not to see better, but, to be seen better. I got many compliments from other riders on the way it made the bike standout because of the verticle blue/white light.

WW had sent me a link for some round 4 bulb LED's and I ordered those as spares. Well, last night being a day off and home bored, I got some aluminium flat stock and made a bracket to mount the round ones on the forks like the "big boy's" have on their bikes. The cross piece was 14.750 long with mounting tabs rivited at 2.250 off the center line using the mounting screws for the chrome cover under the headlight.

I'm sure what I consider logical thinking will be bashed and corrected by those who know better. :techy: Based on the formula watts = amps x volts and changing the parameters to amps = watts / volts I'm figuring the 8 one watt LED's = 8 watts divided by 13.4 volts (what my bike operates at over 2000 rpm) is drawing 0.5970 Amps. I'm probably wrong on the math, but, that seems negligible.


http://s18.postimage.org/guq2bzk79/001.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/guq2bzk79/)

http://s7.postimage.org/s70i99bl3/002.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/s70i99bl3/)

http://s12.postimage.org/rvlr5g149/003.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/rvlr5g149/)

OK let the bashing begin :poke2:

[blaine]

They look great!! I had two 20w lights on mine & never had any problems.
:) :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

Well done. You won't have a problem with the charging system keeping up. Now we would all like to see pics of the bike lite up and ready for a ride. All 4 LED lights at night would be very noticeable. During the day the color difference from the headlight is what draws the eye to the bike. You need that.
I know from observation that Lynda's GZ coming down the road towards me with only highbeam on was almost invisible during bright sunshine. You have a larger visual foot print for drivers to see.
Before I forget. Are you still thinking of going to a larger bike in the future??

[bpdchief]

NO... I can't justify the initial cost and the added fuel cost. A gel or sheep skin seat cover is $35-$85 and I'll still get 70+ mpg.

Maybe I'm going :retard: , but, I'll be much happier with the GZ once I get the exhaust hanging parallel to the ground. To me there is just something wrong with the upswept muffler - a sportier look?? I don't think so. Maybe I'm too anal
http://s4.postimage.org/cadcft62h/001.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/cadcft62h/)
Night pic will be added

[Water Warrior 2]

NO... I can't justify the initial cost and the added fuel cost. A gel or sheep skin seat cover is $35-$85 and I'll still get 70+ mpg.

Maybe I'm going :retard: , but, I'll be much happier with the GZ once I get the exhaust hanging parallel to the ground. To me there is just something wrong with the upswept muffler - a sportier look?? I don't think so. Maybe I'm too anal
http://s4.postimage.org/cadcft62h/001.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/cadcft62h/)
Night pic will be added
Have you checked with IKEA for a sheep skin??
If I remember correctly my sheep skin came from Alaska Leather. A reasonable price and I would think a small or mediun size at most for the GZ.
As for lowering the muffler beware of loosing your ground clearance and grinding the muffler or worse. I might be tempted to move it slightly to the right a bit to allow for better access to the axle during chain adjustments.
Oh just remembered this. Next time you have the rear wheel off you can install the axle end for end and make the job easier with the nut and cotter pin on the left side of the bike. The bike doesn't care. Just remember to keep all the spacers in their proper place. To do that you will have to lift the muffler temporarily to slide the axle in from the right side.

[Rookie Rider]

Nice idea with those lights.

[bpdchief]

Thanks Rookie. WW, I was thinking about going with a thinner barrel exhaust. Smooth tube with little or no flare which should reduce the ground clearance issues. But, that is down the road - my money is being called to other duties right now.

[Water Warrior 2]

Chief, you may have a louder noise following you down the road. I can't think of a reasonably quiet smaller exhaust for a GZ but then I've never been one to mess with a factory exhaust since 1979 and that didn't last long.
I temporarily put a piece of pipe in place of the muffler on a 370 Suzuki thumper. Yup, that impressed the neighbors. :whistle:

[bpdchief]

I have dreams of an old school level exhaust pipe, but realistically, the original exhaust will be there til it rusts through. Picture in your mind the 60's and 70's small CC Honda's and Yamaha's. Back then everything was level with the ground :) :lol:

[Water Warrior 2]

I have dreams of an old school level exhaust pipe, but realistically, the original exhaust will be there til it rusts through. Picture in your mind the 60's and 70's small CC Honda's and Yamaha's. Back then everything was level with the ground :) :lol:
Back in the day everything was more narrow and few of us leaned as far over. Now speeds are greater and tires grip better so we lean more. My vstrom of late would be classified as an ultimate performance bike if you took it back a few decades. In the present it is pretty good all things considered but not spectacular compared to modern sport bikes. I never did find the limits of the vstrom but I found my limits.

[bpdchief]

A mans level of saturation is exceeded only by his ability to comprehend. You have to know what YOUR limitations are, and they are rarely as extreme as the machine your on. :lol: