Extra lamps seem to have become all the rage in the ‘adventure bike’ sector, but now there may be justification to indulge in a new set! Long-range weather forecasters predict that 2015/16 will be a winter of two halves: mild and wet conditions in December followed by a sharp drop in temperature through January, into February and March* with increased chances of fog. Both situations reduce visibility. And then there’s riding at night…
Relatively inexpensive and often easier to install than you might think, auxiliary lighting typically comes in two varieties: lights that project a short but wide light pattern, enhancing and extending the illumination provided by the dipped headlight, and those that project a longer and narrower pattern, intended to supplement the high beam.
One of the main reasons that standard headlights struggle in heavy fog is that most bike headlights are positioned high on the machine and, as a result, the light is reflected from the water particles in the air back to the rider’s eyes. Fog lights, particularly LED versions, can penetrate further into the distance, because they can be set at a much lower position, reducing the amount of reflected light.
In addition, both LED and Halogen bulbs found in fog lights emit a more ‘cool’ white light that resembles natural daylight, which is much more effective at cutting through the gloom than the yellowish light produced by traditional filament bulbs.
BMW Motorcycle accessory specialist, Nippy Normans, has an extensive range of both model specific and universal auxiliary lights from Wunderlich. Most can be mounted on crash bars or attached to mounting points on the bodywork, so they can usually be fitted without any modification to the machine or wiring.
The kit for the BMW R1200GS LC sells for £319.00 including VAT and, in addition to a pair of spotlights, it comes with two laser-cut anodized aluminum mounts and covers, a custom wiring harness that can be hard wired to the bike or into the accessory socket, and an illuminated switch. Visit www.nippynormans.com to view the complete range, but please note, Overland hasn’t tried any of these products so can’t vouch for their quality.
*http://www.ukweatherforecast.