Front Running Light

[Glawster]

At the risk of offending the purists - does anyone have any experience of fitting a modern bicycle front light to a Ducati single as an aid to survival for daytime use?
In sympathy with the limited output of my 6v alternator I prefer to ride without the lights on in daylight. However, adapting back to an sls drum brake after 30 years of twin discs do not give me the most confident feeling as I anticipate a car pulling out in front of me.
Current bicycle LED lights seem very compact and have a surprisingly powerful beam. I thought to try tucking one under my headlamp or even just on the bars.
If anyone has any recommendation on specific lights or mounting points, I'd be happy to hear them.
Best regards,
Derek

[JimF]

I think that would work and would add a healthy measure of safety, so long as the LED running light draws its power from a battery pack for reasons relating to the power conditioning required by the LED running light.


Jim

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote="Glawster"] does anyone have any experience of fitting a modern bicycle front light to a Ducati single as an aid "

____ Not a "modern" one, but (as a teenager) I did do-so back in the '60s, (and also tried to use a bike-generator to independently run the bike-light) !



" as an aid to survival for daytime use? "

____ For improving the chance of being seen (by drivers who 'look' BUT don't see), I always preferred to leave lights off and flash my high-beam whenever seemingly needed, which always seemed to work BETTER than leaving the headlight steady-on !
So after learning-of electronic-devices produced for purposely flashing headlights (for that same purpose), I tried them, but found that they flash the light TOO fast, simply making it rather appear as a mere dim-light. _ So instead I next tried heavy-duty turn-signal blinker-units, which performed the intended-job much more desirably ! _ And also as a side-benefit, the headlight-blinking process helped to prevent the battery from becoming discharged during city-traffic riding.



" In sympathy with the limited output of my 6v alternator I prefer to ride without the lights on in daylight. "

____ What model is your Duke ? _ As there are many different mods which you could consider, depending on which alternator-type your Duke-model has !
But as STOCK, your Duke's alternator should have no trouble at-all running it's stock-lighting !
So have you been experiencing any such troubles ? _ If so, then there must be something that needs to be investigated.
__ Also, by-the-way,, there's REALLY no such thing as an actual "6v alternator",, if there was, then there'd be no need for voltage-regulators !
Your 'alternator' (no matter which model), can produce anywhere from 0 up-to between 50 & 80 volts, (depending on RPM & the connected circuit) !



" I thought to try tucking one under my headlamp or even just on the bars. "
If anyone has any recommendation on specific lights or mounting points, I'd be happy to hear them. "

____ I once stupidly (being new to motorcycles at the time), mounted a bike-light to the underside of my Monza's headlamp, which worked okay as expected,, until I hit a larger than average bump in an otherwise mostly smooth paved-road... I had then heard a resulting abnormal clanking-noise but wasn't sure of exactly what had caused it, until I got home to have a look at things and then-next discovered that the bike-light had hit & put an upsetting dent into the top of my recently painted fender. _ So I learned the hard-way that what LOOKS like plenty of room there -(between headlamp & fender), is ACTUALLY insufficient !
__ Seasons later, after having considered & trying-out some other (rather poor) options (like the front-end of the fender itself), I finally settled on placing my additionally-added/supplemental light-bulb right-INSIDE my Duke's headlamp, alongside -(actually just above) the stock light-bulb... All I had to-do (which had been a bit of a concern), was make another (well placed) hole in the lamp's light-reflector/dish, so as to accept the added-bulb's holder-socket.
I was then quite pleased with the results of my light-mod (which made-use of a std.taillight-bulb), as it's t.light-filament was lite at all times (whenever it's toggle-switch was not turned-off), and it's brk.light-filament would only light-up whenever the rear-brake pedal was pressed-upon, (as it was also wired-up to the stock brake-light's circuit).
__ I liked & came to depend on that added-mod so much, that I'd do it to all n-c.250-Scr.models which came into my possession !


Hopeful-Cheers,
DCT-Bob

[graeme]

LED bulbs are another option to consider,
They aren't great for seeing at night, but are ok.
They are bright to look at from traffic looking at you and don't draw much power.
Graeme

[Glawster]

Bob,
Your comments regarding the proximity of the headlamp and mudguard are noted! Never considered that!
In the short term I think I'll get as compact a bicycle lamp as I can and probably just mount on the bars.

Graeme,
I don't envisage using the bike at night and I think LEDs would be the perfect solution. I understand there's some issue regarding the power supply, but there seems to be a UK specialist called Paul Goff. I'll check with him. There's also a big UK classic bike show this weekend so I'll look out for solutions there.

Thanks for the advice!
Derek

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote="Glawster"]
" Your comments regarding the proximity of the headlamp and mudguard are noted! Never considered that! "

____ As a young-teen used to bicycles, I then wasn't expecting that near all of that space in-between could be used-up by the fork-travel.



" In the short term I think I'll get as compact a bicycle lamp as I can and probably just mount on the bars. "

____ After I had learned that my ideal mounting-location was no-good, I next tried mounting my bike-light to the front-top of my (already damaged) front-fender... But that place was then-next also found to be not so good because the light would then get shaken too-much (due to road-surface irregularities), and cause a lot of intensity-flashing (of it's beam-direction), which I assumed was being too disturbing for oncoming-traffic,, but that shaking-light might just be the type of attention you're looking for !?



" I don't envision using the bike at night "

____ Then why bother with an EXTRA light ? _ Why can't you get-by with just the stock-light then ?



" I think LEDs would be the perfect solution. I understand there's some issue regarding the power supply, "

____ I'm disappointed that you haven't yet mentioned which model your Duke is...
Depending on which alternator it has, there are a fair number of methods you could choose to power your intended LED.type-light !


Hopeful-Cheers,
-Bob

[Glawster]

Hi Bob,
My bike's a 1972 mk3 of an unusual type which provoked plenty of useful comment in the "New 250 mk3 Owner" thread on this forum. I don't know what the alternator is rated at...or indeed at 40 years old what it will really supply. In sympathy with it's output I thought it best to avoid using the lights where possible.
The bike did have indicators on when I got it (non original). You couldn't have the indicators and lights on at the same time - although I guess the wiring loom and bad earths were probably a contributing factor. I replaced the wiring loom and it seems to have brightened things up no end.
I contacted Paul Goff who seems to be a lighting expert and he says there's no such thing as an LED headlamp bulb, but he can fix me up with a suitable Halogen bulb. I guess this is a good starting point, but I would like some kind of LED light. Not something as lairy as the fairy lights on my Audi A6, but just a single bulb would be great.
Derek

[DewCatTea-Bob]

____ Please note that I've now finished my FIRST-post in this thread !

[quote="Glawster"]
" My bike's a 1972 mk3 of an unusual type which provoked plenty of useful comment in the "New 250 mk3 Owner" thread on this forum. "

____ I guess I've been too-busy with other-stuff to have yet gotten-around to checking-out that thread, (but recall wondering if it's chosen worded-title had expressly meant 'new owner' or rather 'new Mark-3').
__ I now assume that your 250 must be a wide-case model.



" I don't know what the alternator is rated at... "

____ It should be the same as all other w-c.models, which is 'rated' (by Ducati) at "70 watts".
It should have 2-yellow & 1-red alt.wire-leads !



" or indeed at 40 years old what it will really supply. "

____ Unless it's alt.mag-rotor has been in a fire, the alternator should pretty-much produce the same as new.
__ However, the stock w-c.type regulator-units are known to go-bad rather easily (if there's ever any problem with the battery not being all properly connected-up, etc.) !



" In sympathy with it's output I thought it best to avoid using the lights where possible. "

____ Why do you say THAT ?
The w-c.type electrical-system should-not experience any such lighting-concerns at-ALL ! _ (Unless you have a stronger than stock headlight AND/or ride at TOO-low of eng.RPMs [averaged-revs].)



" You couldn't have the indicators and lights on at the same time "

____ That could possibly be due-to either a low state of charge within the battery, OR, by tapping-into the headlight's (already overloaded) power-supply wire-lead, for powering the turn-signal lights-circuit.



" bad earths were probably a contributing factor. "

____ Poor grounding-paths for the turn-sig.lights, (while not beneficial for THEM), would only HELP the headlight from dimming-out (whenever the turn-flasher is activated) !
Whereas on-the-other-hand, a poor earthing-circuit for the headlight should allow the turn-signal lights to work better !
(However of-course,, a poor earth-ground for the battery, would naturally negatively*effect EVERYTHING ! - [*pun intended].)



" I replaced the wiring loom and it seems to have brightened things up no end. "

____ What often happens is that some of the strands within the (rather UNDERsized) headlight-circuit wiring that connects AT the ign.key-switch, get busted-apart (away-from the bullet-terminal), thus-then making the somewhat poor stock current-flow situation, even WORSE ! _ So-therefore the lights then can't draw enough power-juice from the battery to light-up as brightly as they're normally capable of.



" I contacted Paul Goff who seems to be a lighting expert and he says there's no such thing as an LED headlamp bulb, "

____ Then it seems he's out-of-date ...
Have you not yet noticed that we recently had a fellow-member check-into & obtain such a LED.type HEADlight for his Duke ?



" he can fix me up with a suitable Halogen bulb. "

____ Sylvania makes such a 65/45watt-bulb especially for motorcycles !
Ducati 60 & 70 watt alt.systems will have no trouble handling the 45w.low-beam ! _ However I don't know for sure how well they can handle the 65w.high-beam, but I'm pretty-sure that if eng.revs are kept high enough, that the battery & charging-system will then keep-up with the extra-added power-draw.



" I would like some kind of LED light."

____ Hopefully our other-member who has already taken a LED.option/path, will soon chime-in with his latest LED.bulb evaluation-report, for you !
__ If you search-for & can't find his (rather recent) LED.bulb-thread,, then ask for help, and I'll then try to post a link for you.


Hopeful-Cheers,
-Bob

[graeme]

Hello Derek,

Look here " LED Headlight Bulb " on this forum, sorry I don't know how to add the link so you can just click on it.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1320 There you go,,,,, ta Bob

I have an RT with a Scrambler alternator and 12v reg.
The headlight is an aftermarket which takes a standard H4 type bulb.
I used a LED H4 which is very good for others to see the bright light, but only OK for you to see the road ahead as it doesn't pin point the beam as well as a standard H4 bulb does.
I no longer have to worry about the alternator keeping up with the power used by the lights etc.

I'm sure I've seen LED bulbs of various shapes and fittings, but only 12 volt from memory.

Hope this helps

Graeme

[DewCatTea-Bob]

[quote="graeme"]Hello Derek,
" Look here " LED Headlight Bulb " on this forum, "

____ I had thought that YOU were indeed the one who had started the LED.thread (which I recalled from a couple-months back), Graeme,, but since you-yourself had not brought-up the fact, I thus suspected it may've been posted by someone-else and-so figured I better-not state YOUR-name as being the particular 'fellow-member' who had done-so.



" sorry I don't know how to add the link so you can just click on it. "

____ For anyone wishing to add such convenience to their posts, here's how it can be done...
__ Like many 'titles' seen in web-pages, (or anything-else which causes your normal mouse-arrow to turn-into a 'pointed-finger' icon),, ya can click-down&hold your mouse over such, then either 'drag it' directly over-to your posting-page & then 'drop it' where-ever you prefer it to be placed within your post,, or (if ya don't have both browser-pages separately opened on-screen), ya could instead drop the carried-title/(link) onto an opened WordPad-page, and then-next highlight-it and-then 'drag & drop' it (from THERE) over-to & within your posting-page. _ Either-way, the 'title' will become converted into a 'link' !
__ So Graeme, you may now wish to give it a try yourself, by going over-to page-3 (of this forum's thread-list), and try dragging-over your thread-title: "LED Headlight Bulb" (currently-found within the bottom-half of that thread-list page), to within your chosen post -(past or next). _ (Also, always keep the link's outer-digits isolated by at-least one space, or-else the link will-not be kept 'live' !)



" The headlight is an aftermarket which takes a standard H4 type bulb. "

____ Another member (some time back) had somehow found a H4-type bulb-holder which fit within a stock headlamp... So it would be nice if he'd soon chime-in & remind us of where he had obtained such a convenient part from !



" I used a LED H4 which is very good for others to see the bright light, but only OK for you to see the road ahead as it doesn't pin point the beam as well as a standard H4 bulb does. "

____ Sorry but, I really can't help but wish to convert your chosen-wording into that which would read as DCT-Bob would have it worded ! ...
I've employed a LED.type H4-bulb/tower which is very-good for oncoming-traffic to readily see my bright-headlight,, however, it's merely-just okay-enough for ya-yourself to see the road ahead with, cuz the LED's radiated-light isn't a projected light-beam like that of a std.H4-bulb.



" I no longer have to worry about the alternator keeping up with the power used by the lights etc. "

____ So long as the stock charging-system has not gone-bad in any way, ya should never have to worry or be concerned with any overall power-loss (UNLESS your [non-stock] headlight consumes over 45-watts and/or ya over-maintain an average-RPM that's below the breakeven-RPM.)



" I'm sure I've seen LED bulbs of various shapes and fittings, but only 12 volt from memory. "

____ Specific-voltage shouldn't matter too much, they still ought to light-up near the same, (unlike heated-filament type bulbs).
__ Here's a link to another post with related links. ... viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1320&start=10#p9007


Contented-Cheers,
-Bob