The PCA design and one homemade one being discussed on the other forum both seem to think it's important to have the mount parallel to the ground and have angles in them to match the angles under the mirrors. Since all that is required to aim the lights is two reasonably perpendicular axis axes, I ask ...Is it that important to any of you here aesthetically that these axis axes and mounting surfaces be perpendicular and parallel to the ground?

I just used some aluminum spacers, longer screws, and a few drilled SS fender washers for mine. No, they're not pretty, and they'd look much better if I went back and painted them black, but unless I squat down they're hardly visible. They were very easy to aim despite the angle.

So is the alignment with the ground that important for looks?

To me, they all look like earrings

To me, they all look like earrings

Not that I haven't seriously considered adding some additional lighting.  For most riding it doesn't matter to me.  But night riding on wooded roads, especially with my eyes getting "old", is becoming challenging.  I really do need some additional light when on high beams.  I just hate the mirror mountings, so if I ever get over being lazy I would go for the fork mounting.  Of course, down there, they are more likely to get dirtier quickly or damaged.

If the lights are round would they not be parallel to the ground regardless of where they are mounted?

To me, they all look like earrings

Have't you heard? It's ok for guys to wear earrings now....     (Not this guy, thou.)   

Marty, sounds like you did the same thing I've been working on this weekend. I'll post some photos once it's all done.

Max, for me it's more about being seen during the day. The more the bike & I stand out the better.

Have't you heard? It's ok for guys to wear earrings now....     (Not this guy, thou.)   

Me neither.  The hippy/pseudo-cool/whatever look ain't coming to THIS body (nor my bike )

Max, for me it's more about being seen during the day. The more the bike & I stand out the better.

As you might know, I am all in favor of that concept of additional visibility of the bike.  But only if it is done properly.  This is why I run yellow city lights and reversed the front turn signals (to blink off instead of on) so they are almost always "on".  Makes a big difference. More lights, noticeable color, bigger "footprint", visible from 270 degrees (unlike LED driving lights which are maybe/typically 90 to 100 degrees).

But where I need the light at night for MY vision (and I suspect most people) is necessarily going to be in drivers' faces.  Even in the day, that wouldn't be an appropriate direction.  So usable night light is at odds with just "marker" lights.  One compromise I have seen is to use the lights very dim in the day, and bright at night on high beams.  The problem with that is to be bright enough to be seen in the day would still be too bright at night on low beams, directed into oncoming traffic.  So it would require an ambient daylight sensor, too to override and turn them off or even much much lower on low-beams at night.  In practice, I don't think anyone does this, hence my objection to such a setup.  And yes, I have been blinded by many a selfish motorcycle driver with "auxiliary lights", both at night and in the day, and don't appreciate it at all.  It is very unsafe when someone coming at you can't see and/or has to look away from the road to protect their eyes.

I would use the reflector mounts on the front fender.

I would use the reflector mounts on the front fender.

Many have in the past, and if you are using very light weight "notice me" lights like say Hyper-Whites then that might be a good spot, but once you get up to the weight of small Denali lights, metal fatigue seems to be the norm and bracket failure occurs (I might have the time wrong) around 12-18 months. The fender bolts farther forward have about double that life but eventually fatigue and fail as well (not the bolts themselves, but the underlying bracket). When the failure occurs at the fender bolt it can cause damage to the plastic fender mount area which usually requires some Epoxy putty/JB Weld sculpturing artistry.
However there seem to be a couple of related solutions (so far), Twisted Throttle sell some mounts that seem quite stout and DIY versions that mount at the same spot.

More info here: http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=13970.0
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If the lights are round would they not be parallel to the ground regardless of where they are mounted?

Well yes, assuming that works for the aiming as determined by the user, but I was referring to the aiming axes one of which could be made parallel to the ground by the use of the wedged mounts.

However, I think I have determined the answer to my original question, and it isn't about aesthetics after all. I was assuming that because the auxiliary lights available are simply round reflectors (even the ones in some square or rectangular housings are just multiple round reflectors inside those housings) that there is no real need to have the two adjustment axes in any special relation to the ground, however I forgot that some aux lights are still made that actually do put out light in a specific pattern due to a special reflector/projection lens that would be defeated by mounting at an angle. The mount designers probably had that in mind when they went to such lengths to get that angle right. Once again I ignored the little bell that went off when I started this thread, usually that bell means I should think about it longer before asking the question. Hopefully someone found something useful in this thread that I now realize I probably shouldn't have started. 

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Marty, sounds like you did the same thing I've been working on this weekend. I'll post some photos once it's all done.

Maybe so. Below are photos of mine. Not pretty earrings, but very effective ones when the high beams come on. Cheap earings too. I don't think I paid over $80 for lights and mounting hardware.

Twisted Throttle sell some mounts that seem quite stout and DIY versions that mount at the same spot.

More info here: http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=13970.0

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-auxiliary-light-mounting-bracket-for-kawasaki-concours-1400-gtr1400-08-18

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-inverted-fork-tube-auxiliary-light-mount-for-50mm-60mm-2in-2-375in-diameter-tubes-black

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-fender-mount-for-dm-d2-lights-m5-m6-black

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-auxiliary-light-mounting-bracket-for-kawasaki-concours-1400-gtr1400-08-18

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-inverted-fork-tube-auxiliary-light-mount-for-50mm-60mm-2in-2-375in-diameter-tubes-black

https://www.twistedthrottle.com/denali-fender-mount-for-dm-d2-lights-m5-m6-black

Well yeah sure, you could just go there and buy 'em, but then what about all that fun reading missed in the thread that I referenced? ..and...and what about the DIY option?(requires login to see photos) 

By the way, that third link with the fender mount is the one I mentioned earlier, it will crack the underlying bracket eventually if the light has any weight to it. The second link is one I hadn't seen until now, it looks like it could be mounted low enough to get the so called triangle of lighting that many desire. Good find 'max. 

I've seen the threads about the fender mounts and breakage so didn't want to do that. So the under mirror looked to be the best option. Those tube clamps look pretty good. But the farkle budget is empty so had to go frugal even if I had seen them before now.

I used PIAA 1100X bullet lights I bought 14 or 15 years ago!!     They had been on my WRX for about 10 years prior to trading it in and stuck in the garage until now. I painted them black and they blend in with bike pretty well. Back then they seemed very bright & white. Next to the LED headlights they're much more yellow than I remember.          They are round with a round pattern so not being parallel to the ground shouldn't be a problem. The relay switching pulls power from the high beam so they will only be on with the high beams if the weather proof switch is on.

I should have photos up tomorrow.

Funny as I'm doing the same under the mirror mounts now that it's winter time farkling/maintenance. MondoMoto lights which have been sitting on the shelf and a fuseblock, plus bearing shifters are on my to-do list. I've seen some good mounting using the mirrors so thats the path I've taken...

I found this post awhile back using a cheap mount solution and works great.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22817.0

I'm not concerned about the angling or axis since it seems pretty easy to adjust the direction of light. I'm just trying to figure out now where/how to tuck the cable in after removing some fairing.

I found this post awhile back using a cheap mount solution and works great.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22817.0

At first I thought that was slick, then I realized that SS fender washers are cheaper and about the same amount of work so....
I should go back and paint them, but I just don't see them very often so I keep forgetting to put that on my list...maybe...someday.

I'm just trying to figure out now where/how to tuck the cable in after removing some fairing.

I couldn't find a better way so I drilled through the black plastic and put a grommet in the hole. I'd hoped I could determine a more streamlined way to do it through the mirror itself but I just didn't see enough room, especially since I already had wires going through it for other stuff.

The pictures are up on the other site: http://forum.cog-online.org/accessories-c14/my-diy-aux-light-mirror-mounts/

The pictures are up on the other site: http://forum.cog-online.org/accessories-c14/my-diy-aux-light-mirror-mounts/

"(Sorry, but you are not allowed to access the gallery)"

I've had a set of PIAA 1100X halogen driving lights sitting in the garage for about 4 years since pulling them off my WRX that was being traded in. They were on it about 10 years. So I know I like them. Seeing as how my farkle budget is all but nonexistent, I had to go the cheap err, inexpensive DIY route for a mirror mount & reuse the old halogens rather than buy new LED lamps. Here are the results:
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They are more yellow than the bike's LEDs... And looks like I need to lower that right one. But I like how the repainted 1100Xs blend in with the bike, they were originally silver. I haven't ridden it yet. Hope it doesn't generate a whistle.                Oh wait, "Loud pipes mirror mounts save lives!"    :
The pieces parts:
Template & raw parts
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Painted parts
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2 views of the plate mounted
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Leo

Seeing as how my farkle budget is all but nonexistent, I had to go the cheap err, inexpensive DIY route for a mirror mount & reuse the old halogens rather than buy new LED lamps.

I was kinda shocked by the Denali prices.  I thought they would have gone down a lot, now that LED is no longer "special".  Ha!