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Light Bar; Direction of lights

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 3:15 pm
by jarobbins
I have a Suzuki C90 and had the dealer install a Suzuki driving light bar. I had thought the lights would point down to better illuminate the road but they actually point straight ahead. The direction that they point doesn't look very adjustable. Did the dealer install them properly? Will people flash their lights at me to dim them (switch is not accessible while driving)? Are they really designed primarily to increase visibility for daytime use? Thanks,

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:02 pm
by Gadjet
the dealer mounted them correctly. Unlike most aftermarket lighting setups, cruiser lightbars are more for visibility/bling factors, rather than improving nighttime visibillity for the rider.

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:34 am
by kfranklin
The twin spotlights found on most light bars are not really "driving lights" in the strictest sense of the word.

True driving lights are designed to illuminate the road beyond the reach of the stock headlight(s). Light bar spots can be adjusted (or at least mine can) to light the road ahead in about any way you want. On mine, each light can be adjusted individually both in elevation and side-to side.

I have mine adjusted to fall somewhere between where my low beam and high beam setting on the headlight and pointing straight down the road, parallell to the headlight beam. My intent is to provide additional frontal visibility during the daytime since I rarely ride at night and they are adjusted so that no one has ever complained when I do meet them at night. There's no reason why you can't adjust them to illuminate a wider swath of the road in front of you or even to illuminate more of the right shoulder of the road. In short, you can adjust them to suit your riding style.

As to the switch, if the switch controlling your light bar is not easily accessible while riding, take it back and make 'em relocate it.

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:59 pm
by jarobbins
Thanks, I just took the bike with the lights on for its first night ride. I am illuminating the trees and will blind any approaching vehicle. Right now these could clearly be used only for daytime riding and making me more visible. I looked at the potential for adjustment and the light is mounted on a ball joint but is already near it full downward excursion. I can't easily loosen the nut that might make the light adjustable because it is too close to the windshield to get a wrench on it. I cant use a socket wrench because there is a wire coming through the nut which cannot be easily removed. Looks like I need to take it back to the dealership to see what they can do. I'll be disappointed if I can only use the light for enhanced visibility in the daytime.