Trading up!

[oldcoastie]

After riding my Grand Vista for a year now, I'm trading up to a Downtown 300i! She should be here in about a week. The Grand Vista has been magnificent - what a great riding and running bike. But now I want to go further and some of that involves more freeway riding. The GV was fine on the freeway but I would feel a bit more confident with the bigger wheels and a little more power.

I'm considering installing some LED mini Motolights to increase my visibility. They are horribly expensive but I can't find any fault with the quality. There are a variety of attachment methods and it looks like I will be limited to "fender mount" or "strap mount" - Has anyone installed these and if so, which version did you purchase?

Thanks,
Carol

[Cortez]

Can't help you, but am interested in additional driving lights too, was thinking BikeVIS bullets, tiny leds, just
for better visibility.

Would love to hear and see what people have done.. even to other bikes.

[oldcoastie]

Those look pretty good Cortez - I'll give them some thought...

The headlight on the Grand Vista is excellent - the best I've ever had on any bike - and I'm assuming the lighting on the DT will be equally excellent... I am hoping to travel on the DT and that will sometimes involve riding in the dark (not my favorite thing)...

If I'm going to intrude on the electrical system, I want to make it as worthwhile as possible... (but I must admit the price of the Motolights makes me sigh deeply)

;-)

[Cortez]

Those look pretty good Cortez - I'll give them some thought...

The headlight on the Grand Vista is excellent - the best I've ever had on any bike - and I'm assuming the lighting on the DT will be equally excellent... I am hoping to travel on the DT and that will sometimes involve riding in the dark (not my favorite thing)...

If I'm going to intrude on the electrical system, I want to make it as worthwhile as possible... (but I must admit the price of the Motolights makes me sigh deeply)

;-)

The lights on the DT are the best lights I've had on any bike until now (peugeot 50cc scoot, kymco agility 125, kawasaki er6f), and that's
even with the stock bulbs. I just wish that the low-beam didn't turn off when the high beam is engaged, but that would draw a lot of power.

[boo]

Be sure to post a review when you get it.

[TANWare]

Congrats. The stock lights arer great but the PIAA's are even better but not cheeap. Also the high end bulbs usually have a shorter life span. I am tempted to try out HID's, I love them on my Sorento............

[oldcoastie]

Not to completely change the subject, but how is the seat on the DT? the Grand Vista seat is notorious for being Very Firm and if I was going to keep her, remaking the seat was the very next mod...

If you have ridden or owned both, how do they compare?

[TANWare]

I can not comment on the other bike. I can say the DT300i is firm but that is what I prefer. I have ridden 3+ hours on a single stretch and got off without butt or leg fatigue. Everyone is different here though.............

[racewalker]

The lights on the DT are the best lights I've had on any bike until now (peugeot 50cc scoot, kymco agility 125, kawasaki er6f), and that's
even with the stock bulbs. I just wish that the low-beam didn't turn off when the high beam is engaged, but that would draw a lot of power.

It is not hard to do and the system will carry it fine. I am running HID Xenon lights on both hi and low and I have the low set to stay on all the time. I did the change on the hi low switch.

[racewalker]

Not to completely change the subject, but how is the seat on the DT? the Grand Vista seat is notorious for being Very Firm and if I was going to keep her, remaking the seat was the very next mod...

If you have ridden or owned both, how do they compare?

I like the seat for normal riding which for me is 3/4 hour to 2 hour normally. I am planning a long trip this summer and have added an air hawk air cushion for that.

[Cortez]

I like the seat for normal riding which for me is 3/4 hour to 2 hour normally. I am planning a long trip this summer and have added an air hawk air cushion for that.

Got a picture of how that fits on the DT?

[racewalker]

Got a picture of how that fits on the DT?

I don't but will try. The DT is in my shed and there isn't much room to take a picture. I won't take it out until spring.

[wheels]

Racewalker, do you have the numbers/model of the xenon bulbs ?

I thought they were h8's and they are hard to find.

I inserted tower 45 LEDs into the dead sockets as driving lights.  They double
as turn signals by adding relays to reverse the on/off function.  Also had to
replace the flasher, it is a quiet one so I had to add to orange LEDs to the instrument
pod as a turn signal reminder.  A lot of work but the front end is eye catching with the
low beams, circle white LEDS and the newly added yellow DRLs/turn combination.

[oldcoastie]

I decided to order the Glenda Clearwater Lights - the engineering on them looks outstanding:

http://clearwaterlights.com/products2_pp.html

They seem compact, they come automatically with LED lamps (an upcharge on the Motolights), they are black (an upcharge on the Motolights) and they have a dimmer switch (not available on the Motolights and which will be good for not annoying others)... they seem VERY sturdy and I expect them to last...

While the price of them is completely alarming, I expect that they will be beautiful and I'm not worried they will shake to pieces up on the front fender... I've been in contact with Glenn the owner and we are going to try the G2 kit - he thinks the bolts will work and will send out something else immediately if they do not...

hey. cheaper than a skin graft!

 

I'll let ya' all know how they work...

[racewalker]

Racewalker, do you have the numbers/model of the xenon bulbs ?

I thought they were h8's and they are hard to find.

I inserted tower 45 LEDs into the dead sockets as driving lights.  They double
as turn signals by adding relays to reverse the on/off function.  Also had to
replace the flasher, it is a quiet one so I had to add to orange LEDs to the instrument
pod as a turn signal reminder.  A lot of work but the front end is eye catching with the
low beams, circle white LEDS and the newly added yellow DRLs/turn combination.

They are H8's. I got the kit from HID country in Florida I think. I have gotten several kits from them.
I used relays to do the same but with my turn signals in the mirrors. it did not affect the flasher so didn't have to change it.