Lighting on the Aprilia Atlantic 500 - Safety!

[Skullman]

Hey All: So, I want to be Seen More, Better or what have You! I’ve been reading about the Triangle of Light on the front of our Bikes. Some of this I got from the V-Strom Forum. Driving Lights, Fog Lights, Turn Signals, Flashing Brake Lights, LED’s Has anyone addressed this issue on our bikes? I just picked up an OEM Aprilia Atlantic 500 Top Box! Kind of unbelievable a New Factory Top Box or Old New Stock is how they labeled it!? Anyway, I now have the box I wanted all along but didn’t want to pay $350 for! I purchased the mount & hardware sometime ago cause I got a deal and well I couldn’t pass up $59 bucks for the New Box even though shipping out of Canada wasn’t cheap!? So, has anyone put Running Lights or Brake Lights in their Top Box? Since My Girlfriend has been going with me I have been more aware of Safety and Lighting is right up there! Hell, I even got full face helmets for the first time in my life! After riding this weekend it was my Girlfriends Bday and shopping was high on Her list the Back Pack was Bursting! She was complaining! It’s way past do for this Big Box! Any info shared would be most appreciated!

Thanks

[USAFE7RET]

If you have the OEM top box, then the E94 brake light kit from Givi will fit. Costs around 50 bucks, but you may find it cheaper if you shop around on the internet.

[Skullman]

If you have the OEM top box, then the E94 brake light kit from Givi will fit. Costs around 50 bucks, but you may find it cheaper if you shop around on the internet.

Cool Thanks! I'll check it out. But to be Really Honest I would like to save some Dollars and go another route! I've seen those LED Strips online for reasonable money has anyone worked with these? I'm not sure of the quality?

On the other hand has anyone done Driving Lights or Running Lights? Or how about Brake Light Flashers? I want to make My Girlfriend Feel Safer! She knows about my Highside and how hard it's been for me to come back and She has seen My Good Friend have a Tire Truck pull in front of him in a T-Bone situation End his Riding and Guitar Days End! So it's a Real Important thing Saftey! Even though all My Entire Life I Never thought of it!?!?!? So, I'm Looking Through Different Eyes! She's My Love, My Life and I want to do Her Right! I have not seen anything in my searches for this type of thing and I know there is so much New Electronics out there maybe You All can Help Me!? Thanks!

[USAFE7RET]

The led strip lites are very doable, however, you need to know about wiring them correctly, resistors, polarity, etc.

Do a search on here for adding led lights, or even look at this web site:

http://www.x9ownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php

You will have to join in order to use their search function, but those guys are sharp and they have done some amazing things to their bikes with led conversions.

Good luck!

[Expraesto]

I've been doing the same research, for a light triangle in the front, and brake modulator/license-plate-mounted-lights in the rear. I currently have a Givi top box with brake light on my Beo 500ie. Need more 'conspicuity' in my South Florida asphalt jungle. No decisions so far, but the interim info:

- WebBikeWorld has the best compilation of vendors, research, info. A good jumping off site.
- LEDs have many advantages, and options over incandescent and HIDs.

Vendors on short list so far:
- front - Bike-Vis bullet LEDs
- front - Skene Design Photon Blaster
- rear - Vizi-Tec
- rear - Comagination Visistop
- rear - Skene Design P3

I also added stealth black reflective tape, conservatively, on the top box. Some help, but not great. Have 3M marine-grade SOLAS silver custom shapes on my silver helmets. These latter are inconspicuous in daylight, and very visible at night.

[fire1427]

http://www.streetglo.net/motorcycle.graphic.kits/

http://www.oznium.com/ for LEDs

[buddy19520]

If you really want cheap, check out WalMart. In the automotive section they have three types of fog lights that can be mounted (probably on the forks) easily. They are labelled as 55 watt each, but the bulb says 50 watts. They are extremely bright and they do catch the attention of cagers. Best thing is they are all of $18.88 a pair. Wire, mounting hardware, switch are all included. I have ridden in light rain with no ill effects.

Also, here is a reasonable place for LED brake light http://www.customdynamics.com/knight..._light_bar.htm
It is small enough not to look out of place on the bike.

I also think good lighting makes you much more visible to the cars.

[williamr]

Givi kit will fit - lets you take the box off the rack without wiring problems. Unless it's changed very recently, it uses miniature incandescents soldered on to a board - not leds. Doesn't make any practical difference though. If you get a truck close behind you in traffic you might find you need this kit because the box can mask your stock brake light.

As for the 'triangle of light' at the front - don't get too hooked up on that. You've only got a single low beam, and riding on high beam when there's other traffic around is more likely to cause an accident than to avoid one. Correct positioning and correct use of speed are far more important. The use of fog lamps in any conditions other than fog is illegal.

Good defensive riding skills will save you far more hassle than all the gimmicks on the market. One possible exception is the fitting of a rear fog light which, although illegal to use except in daylight fog, can help following vehicles to see you in heavy rain and spray. Make sure it's positioned so that it can't get confused with the brake light. The top box-fitted high level brake light kit helps a lot here.

Rob

[Bob Walker]

If you like the triangle front lights take a look at this Kymco 700cc scooter. It also uses LED turn indicator lights.

http://bunnypunia.blogspot.com/2007/...-powerful.html
http://www.scootersales.com.au/News-...road-700i.aspx

[Skullman]

Hey Scooterists: Wow, great info all around! I’ve checked out all the links you all have shared and have come up with some Great ideas. But, I have noticed I can't find much info on the Stock OEM Location of the Euro Type Lights, the Round Ones above our headlight and below the turn signals! Anyone have info on these or have links to find out or have utilized these Stock locations and installed lighting in them? If you have Please Share your info! Also, I mounted the Aprilia Top Box and found No Third Brake Light! No Really What’s Up With That!?

Thanks again!

[Skullman]

Hey Rob: Great info we all need to take to heart! Really, I'm not going overboard on the "Triangle" thing but I do think the theory of being able to more correctly judge our distance as we approach cagers is more important to me and if the additional lighting may help them then it's a go for me! My best friend was seriously injured when a tire truck pulled out in front of him at 55mph, the driver of the truck said he thought he was farther away. This was during the day with headlight on. Though he is much better today he will never ride again or play his guitar or many other things, since I have a passenger a lot of the time, safety at all cost is important as My Passenger is Very Important to Me! I'm considering the Daylight High Beam Flashers as well as additional running lights mostly LEDs.

Givi kit will fit - lets you take the box off the rack without wiring problems. Unless it's changed very recently, it uses miniature incandescents soldered on to a board - not leds. Doesn't make any practical difference though. If you get a truck close behind you in traffic you might find you need this kit because the box can mask your stock brake light.

As for the 'triangle of light' at the front - don't get too hooked up on that. You've only got a single low beam, and riding on high beam when there's other traffic around is more likely to cause an accident than to avoid one. Correct positioning and correct use of speed are far more important. The use of fog lamps in any conditions other than fog is illegal.

Good defensive riding skills will save you far more hassle than all the gimmicks on the market. One possible exception is the fitting of a rear fog light which, although illegal to use except in daylight fog, can help following vehicles to see you in heavy rain and spray. Make sure it's positioned so that it can't get confused with the brake light. The top box-fitted high level brake light kit helps a lot here.

Rob

Kisan Pathblazer P115W-S
http://www.casporttouring.com/store/...tegory_Code=HM

Diamond Star Headlight Modulator
http://www.customdynamics.com/signal..._modulator.htm

Kisan PathBlazer Headlight Modulator
http://www.customdynamics.com/kisan_..._modulator.htm

[qorray]

https://www.motolight.com/index.php

I've checked these guys out alot recently, free light bulb replacement for life!!!!! These are expensive, I'm saving my change as we speak. I called them to ask if they fit scooters and they said that as long as I had (2) discs in the front and enough power to run them. They put some on a mp3 500 I have a 07 BEOie, I think if you have at least a 400cc bike they will work well. My bikes generator puts out something like 380w. I'm all about safety myself being a night rider.

[Skullman]

Hey qorray: I've seen these Lights. There's a guy with a Suzuki Burgman that lives near my Girlfriend. Been trying to catch up with him to find out more about the lights! Holy Moly are they expensive! What's up with that!? They sure would fit the bill it just would be a Real Big Bill! I don't get why they are charging so much? They are just a bit to rich for my blood! Hell, I've paid way less then half for what they want for Bosch Halogen Fog Lamps for my BMW 540! With all I want to do I'm going to have to go another way. They sure are Nice though!

https://www.motolight.com/index.php

I've checked these guys out alot recently, free light bulb replacement for life!!!!! These are expensive, I'm saving my change as we speak. I called them to ask if they fit scooters and they said that as long as I had (2) discs in the front and enough power to run them. They put some on a mp3 500 I have a 07 BEOie, I think if you have at least a 400cc bike they will work well. My bikes generator puts out something like 380w. I'm all about safety myself being a night rider.

[williamr]

Skullman - the third brake light kit is an option that has to be purchased and installed by the user. Takes about a half hour to fit and isn't expensive - maybe US$ 30?

RE your friend - headlights, especially dual headlights and poorly focussed HIDs, can give a misleading impression of distance off and actually increase the risk of the sort of accident you describe. Although cars are conditioned not to see bikes if low beam isn't on, I find the high contrast of a reflective Sam Browne belt is the best thing to augment the low beam.

On the other hand, it's up to the rider to be positioned and at an appropriate speed to able to see the start of movement of a vehicle waiting at an intersection, and to be able to stop or otherwise avoid it. Not always possible, I know, but 99% of the time it is.

Be aware that if the road has a speed limit, most drivers will assume that you're not exceeding it by more than 10 mph. If you exceed a speed limit by 20 mph it's almost certain that other vehicles will misjudge speed and distance off, and some of them will pull out. If you see a vehicle waiting to pull out, move away from it - towards either the near side or the crown of the road depending on what side the intersection is, to give yourself more space, and slow down. If your room to create distance is limited - moving near the crown of the road, but traffic coming towards you on the other side is a good example - then slow some more.

Rob

[fzxtchr]

My two cents:

I have done the following with the lights on my AA500:
Headlight Modulator
Brake Flasher
Givi top box with light kit
The ability to have hi/lo beams on simultaneously
PIAA replacement bulbs

I want to see and be seen on the road. The selectable Hi/Lo/All really made a difference. Lo allowed me to see close to the scoot but it was too easy to over ride the lights. Hi allowed me good visibility well out in front, but the road was dark up close. Using both works well to light up all areas.
Once I get back on the road (waiting on a new handlebar), I'll see if I can shoot some video showing the headlight patterns.

The modulators have an interesting side effect; drivers in front of me slow down and pull over! Flashing lights = police.

I also added a Little Big Horn from Howard's Horns http://www.howardshorns.com/
This is louder than stock, but not ridiculously so (you can hear it at http://www.howardshorns.com/lhorn.wav)

David