K11 Owners Group

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:41 am Post subject: Hella FF50 Driving Lights

I installed these a couple of weeks ago but didn't get the chance to try them out until a late night ride in the country that I took on Friday night. I have them installed under my mirrors using some Reynolds mounts that I got on ebay for $35. The lights cost $40 on ebay.

I bought these after reading good reviews of them at various sites like ADVRIDER.

Anyhow, even though I was pretty happy with the 90/100W Xenon bulb in the LT, the Hella FF50's make a HUGE difference and REALLY light up the road. It's like......... night and day! Wink

Two thumbs up for the FF50s.

I'll try to remember to take some pictures next time I'm out for a night ride and add them to this thread so people can see how good they are.

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93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

bluechip · Brick Rider Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 26

This is a pretty clean looking installation, Drake. I didn't know Reynolds was still in business. I'm looking at lighting options for my "new" 96. Are those mounts available at retail or only to known scavengers like yourself?
Chip in Poulsbo

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:09 am Post subject: Re: Helpful!

djw · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:36 am Post subject:

There was also an under the mirror mount sold by CBT Imports, called the "Top of the Line" mount. Unfortunately, they are also no longer in production (I purchased the last one they had 2-3 years ago). I do not know if this is the same unit you are referring to, FD. $35, or even $70, is certainly less than what they were new Embarassed

I'll post a pic of my LT with the Hella FF75's when I can. I bought the 50's on ebay for $30, thinking I would mount them on the LT, then the vendor, 99centsnoreserve, responded and said, "Hey, you wanna buy the FF75's also, only $20." So the 75's ended up on my LT, and the 50s are going on the Dakar as soon as I put together a mount for them. The 75's are shorter and wider than the 50's, almost as wide as the LT mirrors.

Don
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'93 K1100LT - Pine Green, '73 CB350Four

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:55 am Post subject:

Man, I wish those guys had offered me the same deal - I'm considering some FF75s for the RS.

I"m not 100% sure my mounts are made by Reynolds - I just took the seller's word for it. Here's what they look like:

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

texasplumr · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject: Hella FF50's

http://www.blm-accessories.com/

Not being the patient man that our esteemed "Flying Duck" appears to be I chose to order a set of under the mirror brackets from Bill Macavan. Link posted above. Beautiful powder coated aluminum with all mounting hardware, $85.00 + $8.00 shipping. Have had them mounted a year now with PIAA 910's and have had no problems or complaints. No affiliation etc.
I have the Hellas under the headlight and as far as I'm concerned, you can't beat the FF50's when it comes to bang for the buck! Like Drake said, "night and Day".

On a side note, saw a Corbin Gunfighter off of a 94 K1100LT show up on IBMWR this morning for 250.00 with a backrest. Good deal for all of you Corbin fans out there.

Russ Lane
Spicewood, Tx.

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:05 pm Post subject: Re: Hella FF50's

djw · Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:55 am Post subject:

Here are pics of the FF75's on the Top of the Line mounts on my LT. They are definitely different than your mounts, FD.

Click the thumbnails for a larger picture.

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'93 K1100LT - Pine Green, '73 CB350Four

Sugar · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

[quote="djw"]Here are pics of the FF75's on the Top of the Line mounts on my LT. They are definitely different than your mounts, FD.

quote]

Could you please take some pics of the mounting system for the lights you have on the forks, or is that on the bottom of the crashbars?
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Regards,

John

KOG#57
Ulysses#36185
'96 K1100LT-SE

djw · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 5:16 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:13 pm Post subject:

I might experiment with making my own caliper mounts for my RS. I think it would be pretty easy to make some universal mounts. Take a 1" piece of bar stock metal and then bend it into the following shape. I'm may try aluminum first but I'm not sure if I can get it to bend that much of an angle without breaking. Otherwise, I may take a trip to the local scrapyard and see if I can find some stainless or something.

This would only work with an RS rear front fender since the rear front fender on the LT covers the top of the caliper.

If anyone out there has access to real shop and would like to make me a pair for coming up with such a brilliant idea, that would be cool. Wink

My other idea is to just put a piece of metal across the bolts and then rivet/bolt a piece of angled "L" metal to that

I tink that the first one might be more stable so that will be my first experiment.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Mystic Red · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject:

John (Sugar), I also have the caliper mount Motolights and they are (although spendy!) the best thing since sliced bread. Everything (including the bulbs) is guaranteed for life! Who's life, I don't know, but they've been in business for a while. Laughing

Duck, I'm not looking at my bike right now (got TV in the shop but not computer access) but doesn't only one caliper bolt show? I mean the other one is covered by fender. Rolling Eyes

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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:47 pm Post subject:

djw · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:51 am Post subject:

Mystic Red · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject:

Drake, no shadows and I don't notice when I turn that the lights turn also. If you think about it, the wheels follow the road surface much more closely than anything above the forks will.
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

Gomedic · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:54 am Post subject: Lighting

I have the Motolites mounted to my forks. Work like a charm, bright as hell. Just make sure you are aimed right!
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1997 K1100LT Mine...ALL MINE!

Mystic Red · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:30 pm Post subject:

Just out of curiosity, has anyone of you motolights owners tried the 50 watt amber bulbs or the 72 watt clear? All I've tried is the 35's but the amber intrigues me.
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

bluechip · Brick Rider Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 26

Does anyone have plans for or know a fabricator for a crash bar mount for the Hellas?
_________________
96 K1100LT
82 528e 265k
82 FT500 Ascot
ex-K75RT, 83 R100 RS, RT, 74 R60, 85 K100RT

Off the grid · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:54 am Post subject:

Whats involved with the electrical wiring of these added lights? I am a decent fabricator, but electrical stuff is a bit....daunting to say the least.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"