Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: JoeRau on August 01, 2013, 10:08:03 AM
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I'm looking to mount a set of driving lights on my C14. Using the search I found basically 3 locations.... Under the mirrors or the reflector mounts or on tip over bars. I don't care for any of these. I see the reflector mount as having a lot of movement as the front wheel goes over bumps causing stress on the bracket and the light to shake while going down the road. The under mirror mount looks too much like a woman's earrings.... I just can't do that either. I don't have Canyon Cages, no will I.
I have a few thoughts.... I will be looking into all of these.
1st Make a bracket that goes from the motor mount bolt out through the fairing to hold the light. The only problem I see is from the front the turn signal will be drowned out by the driving lights.
2nd Place them under the headlight & fairing. Problem.... Clearance with front fender at maximum upward travel.
3rd Bracket from inside lower fairing in front of the radiator. This seems to be my best idea. The lights would be hidden, protected, and effective, but could loose some of the horizontal light beam blocked by the fairing.
Any other suggestions? My dad put his Denali DM1 lights on a bracket he made to fit under the mirror mount on his Honda NT. That looks great, but is too high for me, and too high to be legal in some states.
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The best spot I've seen IMO is under the mirrors. I don't have any additional lights mounted and don't have any pics of that mounting spot used, but I've seen it done and if I add lights that's where I'll put em.
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The front fender mounting bolts is where mine are. No movement at all since they are what hold fender on. Pics here...http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10701.msg135185#msg135185 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10701.msg135185#msg135185)
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The front fender mounting bolts is where mine are. No movement at all since they are what hold fender on. Pics here...http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10701.msg135185#msg135185 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10701.msg135185#msg135185)
Rob had his eventually break in that spot, maybe he'll see this post and chime in... :-\
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I mounted my MM10's on the reflector mount and thought they were pathetic at lighting the ditches. Moved them to under the mirrors at a cost of about $3. Two longer bolts to replace the middle mirror mount bolt. The change in effective light was amazing. Now the ditches are covered in light. I run my lights all the time whether on dim or bright and never get flashed by oncoming vehicles. Besides that they really look good mounted there.
Fork
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Rob had his eventually break in that spot, maybe he'll see this post and chime in... :-\
Those were mounted at the reflector mounts and used the reflector brcakets, not at the finder mounts.
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Thoughts? Just thrown on there for the pic. Not installed.
(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f109/dcso3009/IMG_20130802_073622_429_zps1bc4ec3a.jpg) (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/dcso3009/media/IMG_20130802_073622_429_zps1bc4ec3a.jpg.html)
The other place I'm thinking now is right above the Kawasaki emblem on the fairing. I could make a small metal bracket to go under 2 of the screws, with a small turn to square it out.
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I have mine on the reflector mounts up front and have not had any issues whatsoever as of yet. :-)
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The reflector mounts on the front wheel are a good location is you want to be seen.
If you want the lights to be useful to you, that is to light up the road, then you want to get them as high as you can. For this the under-mirror mount can't be beat.
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This is a lot more work for my limited tools, but I like it. Oh, and yes, it will be painted. Just mocked up with what I had on hand.
(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f109/dcso3009/IMG_20130802_092712_856_zps6896f3d8.jpg) (http://s46.photobucket.com/user/dcso3009/media/IMG_20130802_092712_856_zps6896f3d8.jpg.html)
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Why don't you just buy some of these:
http://www.kawasaki.com/KawasakiNew/Accessories2/PCItemDetail.aspx?ItemNumber=215WSC0004&Reason=Y&intCatalogID=1&intCatalogType=4&ProductTypeID=8&ModelMarketingId=453&ModelYear=2013&CategoryID=31 (http://www.kawasaki.com/KawasakiNew/Accessories2/PCItemDetail.aspx?ItemNumber=215WSC0004&Reason=Y&intCatalogID=1&intCatalogType=4&ProductTypeID=8&ModelMarketingId=453&ModelYear=2013&CategoryID=31)
and drill and mount the lights to them. :)
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Those were mounted at the reflector mounts and used the reflector brcakets, not at the finder mounts.
That could be, I couldn't remember for sure... :-\
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Just another idea if it helps
John
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Driving lights high... Fog lamps low.
Lights to be seen... Anywhere you like.
Personally I plan to install a mixed pair.
One fog, one driving. Mounted on either the reflector or fender mounts.
Just my 2 cents...
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Another option is mounting the driving lights above the side mirrors, just like on the Kawi cop bikes. I did it and it works great and looks great too. I believe I got the mounts from Kawasaki Authority Sales, one of the outfitters for the police bikes. Beaudry Motorsports is the other supplier of police bikes. Btw Rigid Industries Dually 2 lights are awesome!
Dave
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Another option is mounting the driving lights above the side mirrors, just like on the Kawi cop bikes. I did it and it works great and looks great too. I believe I got the mounts from Kawasaki Authority Sales, one of the outfitters for the police bikes. Beaudry Motorsports is the other supplier of police bikes. Btw Rigid Industries Dually 2 lights are awesome!
That probably is the best place. It is robust, least likely area to get hit by a rock/etc, doesn't stick out a lot, gives better aiming control to prevent blinding people, looks pretty good, and best angle. Not a good location for *FOG* lights, but great for driving/high-beam tie-in. Maybe some day I will do that.
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There are some strange/confusing/different/obscure/...... laws out there. Some states are very open to adding lights, others are very restrictive. Some states have very clear wording in their definitions, while others do not. Read them carefully! A few I looked at don't allow for any lights to be added above the headlight level. I ended up making the brackets for the 2nd picture I posted. They are painted now, just have to clear them. Maybe tonight. I'll post the finished product when they are installed. Not sure when, but I hope in this week.
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There are some strange/confusing/different/obscure/...... laws out there. Some states are very open to adding lights, others are very restrictive. Some states have very clear wording in their definitions, while others do not. Read them carefully! A few I looked at don't allow for any lights to be added above the headlight level.
You are very correct. The laws about additional driving/fog lights are all over the place and hard to understand.