BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I think I'm going to install Weiser Ultrbrights on my '07--

https://www.weisertechnik.com/shop/ultr ... dels-rxrzp

I saw them in action and they look pretty good.

Here's my question: installation requires Posi-Tapping into a 12 volt wire. Where's a good place to find such a wire that's live only when the ignition is on? What about a wire that's live only when the engine's running?

I connected to the small lamp inside the headlight shell. I'm using that 12V to power two relays that operate my driving/fog lamps. I'm only using that connection to power the relays, the voltage for the lamps comes from another source (aftermarket fuse block) and is turned on/off by the relay.
Didn't see a schematic so I don't know how your going to wire your lights.

BTW: A little pricey but looks like a really clean way to get some additions lighting with little drain on the bikes electrical system. Good luck with the installation.

Thanks for the info. Did you tap the wire within the headlight shell, or did you locate the wire outside the shell? Just thinking about the weatherproofing where the wires enter the shell.

I think I used a posi-tap inside the headlight shell. It should be easy to sneak one wire in with the rest of them where they enter the rear of the shell.
Seeing as your only using LEDs in two lights you may be able to power them with the wire from the small lamp without using a relay. Would make the job infinitely easier (and neater).

Knowing when something is beyond my grade level, I had my indie do the installation. Things worked well at idle, but after I started moving the running lights flashed on/off about 2 or 3 times a second. I put Weiser in touch with the shop, and they changed where they accessed switched 12 volts, and now everything is fine. One thing I noticed is that with the first, unsuccessful hookup the running lights stayed on for a few seconds after I turned off the engine, but now they go off immediately, if that gives anyone a clue as to where the initial connection was made. At any rate, I am very pleased with the product.

Good to hear your satisfied. I think a good set of running lights is a major step at staying safer out there on the road.

And now for rear lighting. I’m considering either the Signal Dynamics 6 inch, 18 LED light bar, current draw 15-120 Ma, $42.95 -or- the Skene P3 2x12 LED kit, current draw 150-390 mA, $134.99.

The Skene has some nice programmability tricks, and is aimed at the BMW CANbus crowd, whereas the SD product seems generic.

Ages ago I replaced the stock single bulb tail light with the 9 LED version that comes on the K1300 and had the electronics flashed to accommodate that light with no dashboard lamp warnings, i.e., tail light-wise I have a K1300, not an R1200.

Anyone have experience with these products? I like saving money, so I’m drawn to the SD, which I would connect by tapping the tail light wires. Skene informs me that power for their kit is drawn from the bike’s diagnostic connecter, not the tail light. CANbus voodoo scares me.

Any comments or advice?

I have the Skene P3 lights on the back of my R1200R and I'm very satisfied with them. Easy to hook up I tapped them into the tail and brake lights under the seat, the Can Bus doesn't know their there. A friend just put them on her bike and I think their brighter than the ones I have that are a few years old.
I don't like the way the Skene lights mount, so I made a plate out of 1/8 aluminum mounted it behind the plate and installed the lights on the tabs.

Thanks for the info. Do you have the original one-bulb tail light?

I have the same '07 model as Harry, and the same Skene lights, wired the same way. They work very well and don't disturb the bike's electrical system. The bike does have the stock rear lighting: one bulb for tail/brake, and a separate bulb for license plate illumination.

I have the original tail light with a halogen bulb (brighter), the P3s and the directionals have LED units in them. I've also replaced the reflectors on the saddle bags with LED clearance lights that fit right into the slots in the bags and look like the original reflector units (can be seen from behind). Personally I subscribe to the less is better in the back, I've been behind people that if they have the directional signals on and hit the brakes there are so many things winking and blinking you can't tell what's going on.
The purpose of auxiliary lighting should be to make it clear to the (sleepy, distracted, talking on phone) person behind you what you are doing - not confuse them.

Naturally IMHO

"so many things winking and blinking you can't tell what's going on"

That's why I won't set my rear lights to flash automatically or have a pulsating headlight -- those things force other motorists into exception processing which can delay their reactions. Some people may disagree.

I'm disappointed that my BMW 9 LED replacement tail light isn't more conspicuous. Everyone I ride with tells me I need more lighting back there.

I stopped overthinking this and bought & installed the Skenes. They're fine, and at close range they appear brighter than the BMW LED light, and if I ever take the bike out of the garage I'll see how they look at a distance. I set them up as plain old lights with none of the programmed flashing. I thought the conspicuity flicker wasn't particularly subtle at close range, but I'll keep an open mind about that feature.

For years, my bikes had headlight modulators. They were very effective in preventing car incursions, but folks (including some riders I was following) complained they were annoying. I didn't like causing annoyance, but I did like not getting taken out by left-turners.

Five or six years ago, the then-in-use modulator died, and I replaced it with Skene Photon Blasters; these include the "Conspicuity Flicker" about which Skene makes much in its advertising. They're less than overpoweringly bright, and I imagine they're less annoying, but I haven't done much group riding in the last decade.

What I have noticed is that the incidence of cars pulling out into my path hasn't increased at all. The flicker seems to have significance out of proportion to the perceived lack of brightness. S'OK with me.

I'm very satisfied.

I got my bike into the great outdoors and turned on the flicker. They are subtle at a distance, but I prefer the nonflickering setting.

Even at the standard brightness setting they make the BMW taillight look positively feeble.

Any chance of a review or even maybe some photos of how effective the supplementary lighting is from the Weiser 2-in-1?

I have a couple of pics, but I have no idea how to post them.

So, I will say that I find the Weiser lights to be superb. The white running lights are extremely bright (and extremely white), and when in turn signal mode the white LEDs switch off and only the yellow lights flash, just like the signaling on late model cars. Dunno if I mentioned this earlier, but I'm so confident in my increased conspicuity I longer keep my high beam on in daylight and now use it just to give some extra hey-look-here to other drivers as needed.

Thank you for sharing your opinion!

Do you find they help at night? I have always found my 08 R to have rather poor lighting at night, especially on the low beam.

I don't find that they project usable illumination beyond a few feet, if that's what you're asking, but they sure are conspicuous in the dark.

So they are for being seen, not for the rider to see with. Thank you, that's exactly what I was wondering.