Tilt/Bend lighting.

barbagris

Mad Scientist
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Aug 1, 2010
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1979 Guzzi V1000G5 - 2018 KTM 790 Duke
OK guys - this has been one of my pet projects for a while - but I've never really taken it VERY seriously. The worm has turned.

The aim here is NOT to blind anybody and is also to remain within the law. ECE Reg 053 Paragraph 6 outlines the concept.

The idea is to get a light to point where you'll be in a bend and thus (on a bike) tilted over. As we know - normal lights do not (unless you have one specific BMW).


Taken from a university paper.

So - Lights. I've used JW-Speaker 6150 Fog lights. They're smallish at 4" and not too heavy. They are however DECENT LED lights. There's no reason why you cant use halogens - except the switching currents later on will be higher.

(Edited to add - oh and yes the 6150's are seriously bright)
 
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Mounting
View from front - as if they were Fog lights

Here canted by 20º
Link Removed

Note canting l/r also results in outwards cant.



Bracketry
I have home made air deflectors made from 3/8" (10mm) Kevlar/nomex sandwich - I made a triangulating bracket out of 4mm thick steel.
The curve is NOT optimal but I had to clear the Oz-Claw on teh left - so the right one matches. (sorry - it's not a great photo)
 
Stage 2 - Wiring - may take me a while. Patience all.

I will be using an HUMMINGBIRD ELECTRONICS (Australian) USB configurable tilt sensor to activate.
The final idea is that Left will operate on LEFT tuns - Right on RIGHT turns
Activate at about 7-10º bank - Off when the bikes comes vertical past 3º (this is a legal thing)
I'll use the existing Fog switch so it can be deactivated during the day.

MAYBE - Both on with MAIN BEAM irrespective of bank angle - I'll see.
Main issue right now - is where to mount the sensor and Solid State power relays.
 
How did you arrive at the 20°?
Since fork mounted, is this enough to compensate for counter steer?
VERY interesting issue you have tackled!
Good fortune!
 
1olbull said:
How did you arrive at the 20°?
Click to expand...
I used a tilt sensor to measure my common bank angles.
Plus I have the experience of some lights fixed to frame (not forks) tests - where 15-20º seemed to work best.
But this is a work in progress thing - 20º is a starting point.

Much more than 20º and you blind oncoming traffic a bit or you have to delay switch-on.
Much less than 15º and you're sort of killing off the idea.

One could of course have a 5º set, 10º set ..... 35ºset. Past 35º and I'd be more worried about traction riding on road tyres than predictive lighting.



Counter steer - as I say - work in progress - but will adapt FAR better than frame mounting.

Have some (not so light) reading.
 
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Keep us posted. I know how effective this system is on my car. You don't realise how good it is till you drive a car without it and you are constantly wondering what is wrong with the lights.

I have ridden one of those certain BMW and really is just as good if not better on a bike than in a car.
 
Countersteer happens when you drop the bike into the corner, not during all of it, so I don't think that's a major factor? We're talking about a split-second input at the start of the curve.
 
@barbagris
Your project is interesting. When I first read your posts about adaptive lighting for curves I thought you would be using the drive mechanisms and ball sockets from automotive power rear view mirrors, adapt them to mount lights and activate them using a bank angle sensor, an accelerometer, and a simple X-Y controller to drive them real time. However, it appears you are turning pre-set angled lights on and off.

Nothing is ever so simple as it first appears. Enjoy the project and keep us posted on your progress.
 
Christ no - I have (despite all indications) a life.
 
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