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

Anyone use these ?
Any comments on how good (or not) they are ?
Installation issues ?
Something better out there ?

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 9-816.html

Ric wrote:Anyone use these ?
Any comments on how good (or not) they are ?
Installation issues ?
Something better out there ?

http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/motorc ... 9-816.html

Hi Ric,

I just ordered these lights from Germany. Specifically made for the R1200R and mount using the same screws as those that hold the fuel tank on. I've not installed or used them yet so don't know how easy to install or how well they work They are despite the Euro and shipping $100 less than the lights you have listed above.

http://www.mv-motorrad.de/lshop,showdet ... che--,.htm

Here are a few pics of what I received.

I had these lights on my R1200GSA and loved them. I was surprised at how much light they throw out there. I traded an R1150GSA Adv. for the R1200GSA and they were installed by the previous owner so was very happy when I found out how much they cost, pretty pricy for lights. The installation and switching looked real clean like a factory add on accessory.

On one trip up to Ojai on a very windy and remote road my wife was following me in her car and I lit up the way with these. They easily matched her car's Xenon high beams and I was impressed with the light to the sides.

One admission. I have not used any other light kit so don't know if others are better (Motolights, PIAA, etc...) but I think they are about the cleanest looking and least noticable lights out there.

I have been extremely happy with all the products I purchased from Wunderlich. Excellent quality and always easy to follow the instructions to install. The company is pleasant to deal with if you need to call them. I rarely go out on my R1200R after dark, so don't know much about lights.

The quality and finish is outstanding. Brackets, wiring harness and switch look as good as anything out of the BMW factory.
These are not a driving light (long distance) but more a visibility and fog light. Mine are connected to low beam and leave them on most of the time for visability and have never had anyone flash me day or night. In saying these light are fogs they throw wide beam at night to light up lanes either side of the bike to make great lane markers from front and behind the bike. Also with the bikes high beam globe upgrade I think its a great all round package. I also have a Autoswitch fitted so in fog I can turn off my headlight and have the flooters cut through. Anyway if you are only going to fit one set of lights to the bikes these the ones I would go for.

Very pleased! I've had them 18 months now.

The kit is very discreet but throws a lot of light. Mine are angled to light the 'gap' between the bike and the high-beam cut-off, so as to throw light to the LH side so I can see the edge better on country roads, escpecially on low beam with oncoming lights (nb I'm in Australia, so LH is my edge / kerb side). This is exactly what I wanted and they do both jobs exceptionally well - I have great extra vision yet rarely get 'flashed' by oncoming cars. the stock headlight has good enough penetraion and long-range spread for my riding: it was infill and mid-range spread I wanted.

They also provide a great conspicuity triangle for daytime riding: cars melt away from the fast lane as I approach them!!

I'd heartily recommend you get the BMW GS foglight switch: costs a bomb but looks OEM (coz it is) and puts the switch in a great spot ergomonically.

Possible downside: I get a lot more waves from HD tourers and GS riders

Caroanbill wrote:Very pleased! I've had them 18 months now.

The kit is very discreet but throws a lot of light. Mine are angled to light the 'gap' between the bike and the high-beam cut-off, so as to throw light to the LH side so I can see the edge better on country roads, escpecially on low beam with oncoming lights (nb I'm in Australia, so LH is my edge / kerb side). This is exactly what I wanted and they do both jobs exceptionally well - I have great extra vision yet rarely get 'flashed' by oncoming cars. the stock headlight has good enough penetraion and long-range spread for my riding: it was infill and mid-range spread I wanted.

They also provide a great conspicuity triangle for daytime riding: cars melt away from the fast lane as I approach them!!

I'd heartily recommend you get the BMW GS foglight switch: costs a bomb but looks OEM (coz it is) and puts the switch in a great spot ergomonically.

Possible downside: I get a lot more waves from HD tourers and GS riders

Do you have a link to this BMW GS Foglight Switch ?
Also, Mike above says the Wunderlich switch looks OEM, do others agee or have an opinion on the switch subject ?

Ric wrote:Do you have a link to this BMW GS Foglight Switch ?
Also, Mike above says the Wunderlich switch looks OEM, do others agee or have an opinion on the switch subject ?

Search is your friend. I wrote it up with photos when I installed the GS switch about 3 years ago.. It REALLY looks factory because it is. Plus it falls readily to thumb. I'll find out what the Wunderlich switch looks like in a week or so - a friend just bought the kit and I'll get drafted to help install it.

I assume this is it then.......

Yes, that's the one. I didn't think the Wunderlich one in my kit looked anywhere near as good (no pic, sorry)

It was Don's pics that convinced me to go down the GS Adv switch route, and I'm glad I did.
(Of course, it looks soooooo much better on a switch block that has an ASC button. Ouch.)

It does look OEM....but.....if one is going to have an extra set of lights installed, why switch them. Why not save the money and just have them come on with the headlight ? Why turn them on & off ?

I'd heartily recommend you get the BMW GS foglight switch: costs a bomb but looks OEM (coz it is) and puts the switch in a great spot ergomonically.

Hey Ric I am in OZ as well and I my set came with wiring harness and a switch. My set is the ones that bolt on under the tank not the engine bars so that might be the difference??

Cheers

Ric wrote:It does look OEM....but.....if one is going to have an extra set of lights installed, why switch them. Why not save the money and just have them come on with the headlight ? Why turn them on & off ?

The lights I have (Hella FF50's) if left on with oncoming traffic will blind the traffic, which isn't a good thing. So the switch is there to turn them off when not needed or desired. You also may not want an additional 100W draw on the bikes electrical system after a cold winter startup when you're wearing all your heated electric gear.. it's possible (DAMHIK) to run the battery flat if you do a few stop/go's in succession under those conditions (on a K bike with a similar size alternator and larger battery.)

mikes wrote:

I'd heartily recommend you get the BMW GS foglight switch: costs a bomb but looks OEM (coz it is) and puts the switch in a great spot ergomonically.

Hey Ric I am in OZ as well and I my set came with wiring harness and a switch. My set is the ones that bolt on under the tank not the engine bars so that might be the difference??

Cheers

Think you've got me and Ric mixed up ...

... but having these switched in Oz (NSW in particular) is a practical necessity. While they have (or so I'm told, and do in part believe) Euro OK to run "on" permanently, I've had some sharp looks from PC Plod. Mine are also under the tank and are wired for on/off independent of my high beam and I turn them on for daytime conspicuity / nighttime infill when I feel I need 'em. I switch 'em off when I feel I might be stopped for having foglights on without a hazard present, or for failing to dip. That said, I haven't been stopped yet, merely had the "official" look / stare from PC Plod.

As for Ric - in a mandatory headlights-on world, having these running with the headlight means either (a) wiring them to high beam or (b) having them on all the time. Neither would be my preference: (a) would defeat the nighttime infill which is my precise want from them; (b) would risk a ticket and a flat battery (unless they were in CANBUS teamed with the main low beam .. CANBUS only lights my headlight once the engine is started but as I have these wired, they do come on without the engine)

mine are wired to low beam with an on/off switch. I also have an autoswitch (low beam in oz hard wired on) to low beam so I can override head light and switch low beam off. Basically if I hit heavy fog I switch of the low beam headlight and have my microflooters on. Don't get low beam light bouncing back in my eyes in heavy fog or rain. Microflooters are low enough to be useful i fog/rain and yes unexpected snow. They also throw and nice wide beam that light up either side of the road. I also keep them on cloudy days.

Cheers