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[PWM]

My bike needs enhanced lighting for riding at night and me thinks the best approach is as follows...

- SS9 option too expensive and too limiting in light output compared to 3rd party options?
- Retain dual lighting elements given contours of windshield and existing electrical wiring assignments
- Manage within allocated OEM power levels
- LED based w/ adjustable intensity - potentially custom which is the fun part
- No alterations to bike components e.g. use existing down tube brackets as primary hard-points
- Nose bracket for bridging (2) conventional motorcycle reflector housings AND supporting display is the obvious custom fabrication
- DOT compliant if/when possible

Open to suggestions on design and part selection...here's a lighting unit candidate...

https://truck.upauto.com/ultralit-8-high-power-led-5-3-3-4-7-headlight-blac-31202

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O O

[ultrarnr]

Completely agree the stock Energica headlights suck. I have the Denali D2 light pods on my Ribelle and KTM SA 1290. They work well and have never had any issues with them. https://twistedthrottle.com/shop/lighting/auxiliary-lights/driving-lights/denali-d2-2-0-led-light-pod-with-datadim-technology-2/

[PWM]

Completely agree the stock Energica headlights suck. I have the Denali D2 light pods on my Ribelle and KTM SA 1290. They work well and have never had any issues with them. https://twistedthrottle.com/shop/lighting/auxiliary-lights/driving-lights/denali-d2-2-0-led-light-pod-with-datadim-technology-2/

Nice option to consider, thanks for that, where is power sourced from?

One of the reasons I want to replace existing lighting versus augment is that it won't affect the heater grip power allocation.

The OEM lights are tightly fastened to to beak that supports windshield and display - it only takes (4) fasteners to separate from steering head...

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-dRSdWgF/0/4fd806d8/X2/i-dRSdWgF-X2.jpg

Next step is to measure load current on OEM lights.

[ultrarnr]

For power I connect to the wires that power the USB plug.

[Specter]

The bike has regular lights, and bright lights.
When Im riding at night, it's a little bit of a pest but I hold the light selector switch in, instead of just flicking it over to bright, if you hold it in it lights up BOTH of the lights and that really helps light up the road a lot better.  You could probably rubber band it to hold it in too or make some sort of clippy thing to slide on and off if you wanted too.

The high beams remind me of the batman symbol up in the air at night.

Aaron

[PWM]

The bike has regular lights, and bright lights.
When Im riding at night, it's a little bit of a pest but I hold the light selector switch in, instead of just flicking it over to bright, if you hold it in it lights up BOTH of the lights and that really helps light up the road a lot better.  You could probably rubber band it to hold it in too or make some sort of clippy thing to slide on and off if you wanted too.

The high beams remind me of the batman symbol up in the air at night.

Aaron

Works exactly as described, thanks for that - putting bike back together to test it.

Will ponder the options some more before tearing anything out.

Auxiliary lights may actually be the lowest hanging fruit to solving this...any picture examples that can be shared is appreciated.

[ultrarnr]

Aaron, Yes I do high beams the same way, hold the selector in with the side of my finger when I need them. That way you eliminate the huge shadows you have when you are using the high beams without the low beams on. It really makes me wonder if anyone in Italy actually rode the bikes at night before making a decision on these headlights. 

[PWM]

Heat build-up is significant when activating the low beam and high beam together, it is definately designed correctly w/ momentary switch intended for intermittent use.  Haven't ridden yet to determine if this is tolerable or not...I've always flicked the lever forward for high beams previously and found it silly at best...

[numist]

Completely agree the stock Energica headlights suck. I have the Denali D2 light pods on my Ribelle and KTM SA 1290. They work well and have never had any issues with them. https://twistedthrottle.com/shop/lighting/auxiliary-lights/driving-lights/denali-d2-2-0-led-light-pod-with-datadim-technology-2/

Do you have any photos of the Denali lights on your Ribelle? I've been considering adding some selective yellow for visibility on the commute.

[weck]

Completely agree the stock Energica headlights suck. I have the Denali D2 light pods on my Ribelle and KTM SA 1290. They work well and have never had any issues with them. https://twistedthrottle.com/shop/lighting/auxiliary-lights/driving-lights/denali-d2-2-0-led-light-pod-with-datadim-technology-2/

Do you have any photos of the Denali lights on your Ribelle? I've been considering adding some selective yellow for visibility on the commute.

Not on a Ribelle but here's what I did on my Experia.  Longer stainless bolts, couple rubber washers, 3d printed some "tubes" and used the front fender mounting holes, with some locktight.  They have not budged over some pretty rough pavement and gravel.  3d printed a bracket to use the standard switch that comes with the Denali wiring kit. 

I mixed one flood and one spot lens.  Cars definitely see me now.

[HoodRichOG]

Personally, I always thought that the headlight of a newer Ducati Streetfighter would look sweet on a Ribelle. It looks like it has better light output.

I think the Ribelle light output is fine when going straight, but non leveling projectors with a crisp cutoff are huge problem in corners on any motorcycle that has this type of setup. Can't see anything when I'm turning at night without using the high beams.

[ultrarnr]

weck, I have mine on the upper body of the shock and also tilted outward slightly to help illuminate the inside of turns better. I also have one spot and one flood lense installed.

[weck]

weck, I have mine on the upper body of the shock and also tilted outward slightly to help illuminate the inside of turns better. I also have one spot and one flood lense installed.

I started with some lights with clamp mounts on the upper shock tubes, but there is not a lot of vertical room to clamp stuff between the fender and the fairing lower edge when the suspension is fully compressed.  If I mounted the lights low enough to clear the fairing, the inside edges of the clamp mounts would come in contact with the fender on heavy breaking. 

[numist]

Appreciate the rainy photo! I was separately curious how the lights would handle the extra abuse of being unsprung mass; it's nice to hear that they're solid.

I started with some lights with clamp mounts on the upper shock tubes, but there is not a lot of vertical room to clamp stuff between the fender and the fairing lower edge when the suspension is fully compressed.  If I mounted the lights low enough to clear the fairing, the inside edges of the clamp mounts would come in contact with the fender on heavy breaking.

Probably not too big a deal for accessory lights, but the fork legs also aren't really designed to be clamped outside of the areas that are designed to mate with the triples. Last I checked Denali's product photos all showed their clamps mounted flush with the bottom of the bikes' lower triples.