A Poor Man's PIAAs

RatBoy

Turbocharged
Joined
Dec 5, 2006
Messages
757
Location
Durham, NC
Since most of us have to get creative when it comes to aftermarket goodies for the R3, I thought that I'd share my 'poor man's' alternative to paying the $300-400 bills for a set of PIAA driving lights.

All totaled, I have less than $50 bucks in parts and about an hour of set up time. They may not be as fancy as PIAA, but they work just fine for 1/6 of the cost.

If you want better pictures than the attached, they are in my photo album

Parts list:
1) Driving Lights from JC Whitney $25.00

()

2) Wire from any auto parts store

3) a 40 amp relay
 

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Financially affordable

Ratboy: Those look good to me. Let us know how they work while running at night....distance...etc. The really sweet thing is that if you get a rock through the lense or something like that, you are not out a lot of money replacing the entire light.
I already have the PIAA lights but am not real fond of the location due to the risk of damage. We have a lot of loose rock on asphalt roads around here. I like where you put yours better. Can you post a part number from J.C. Whitney? Good Job...Thanks SB...
 
SB,
The link in the original post takes you directly to JCW order page (part # there). I had to drill out the mounting hoop a little to get the strut bolt through...but that was it for fitment.


Snuff,
I mounted it on the top of the left side cover... just forward of the frame down tube.
It's out of the weather and hidden, and I slide my hand under the lip of the seat pan and turn them on. I can turn them on/off as I'm riding. I had to clearance the top of the paddle switch because it was rubbing on the seat pan.
 

Nice Flipmeisters Stainless Brake Line Clamps..........

Just a suggestion, if it was me, I'd put the feed wire for the lights in black convoluted plastic wire loom (available at Radio Shack) along with the brake line..........
 
I bought the same lights at the local Walmart for a about $17.00 and mounted them on the sides of the Radiator shroud, mine don't turn with the headlights but the have a wide enough beam not to matter. They are bright little bastards. Here's some pics of them mounted and a little video of them and the headlight modulator and Steble horn.
 
Both are excellent applications.
Though Cadfather's application is quite appealing.
I already have the Triumph OEM fog light set installed but I'm peculiar. More light means greater likelihood of being seen and less likely to T-bone a nit-wit.

What did you use for clamps, Rat, to affix the wires to the brake lines?
 
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Do you have a picture from the rear with a view on how you installed your bracket/clamp to the radiator shroud? If not, how did you mount them to the shroud?
 
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