Well, I finally finished my installation of the PIAA 1100x dichroic driving lights on the Stelvio. I used the on-board foglight switch and circuitry to control and feed the lamps. I ended up cutting off the stock plugs on the *short* wires up inside the right and left front fairing and using red Posii-locks to make 6 inch extensions for the wires. I had purchased the posi-locks and some very nice waterproof two-pole connectors from Eastern Beaver. I removed the stock PIAA plugs from the lights (unnecessary as I found out later as Eastern Beaver also sells the PIAA compatible connectors, so that step would NOT be necessary. They might even have a small plug that fits up to the stock foglight wire plugs, so stock connector could remain in place, though you would still have to make a short extension pigtail)
I had wrestled with the decision of where/how to mount the lights. Originally I was going to use a nice mounting bracket machined and black anodized from aluminum that PIAA offers for 1" bars. Bought a set, tried several possible mount configurations, but was dissatisfied with the various options. It seemed that lights would either be exposed to damage in the event of a tipover (not that THAT could happen), or else wires or lamps would be a bit closer than comfortable to exhaust header heat. I also would have needed to custom make some machined aluminum blocks to mount as I had purchased the auto set instead of the powersports set (half the price, same lights and harness, ABS mounting brackets instead of stamped steel) I elected to mount on the underside front of the fairing.
Result: lights are up high for visibility, don't stick out to the sides in case of mischief/operator error, short wire run to power source, no heat issues, and no bracket fabrication. They obviously look "added-on", but then so do lights dangling off the crash bars, and utility-over-beauty seems to be the custom with adventure tourers anyhow. They mount with one 3/8" buttonhead stainless bolt 1" long, neoprene 1.5" washer inside and out for increased friction to resist turning. Stainless 1.5" fenderwasher and a nylock nut on the inside of the fairing, and a standard stainless washer on the outside between bolt head and light bracket.
Here are a couple pics of the finished product. I haven't tried them at night, but had the same lights on the Quota, and now on a Can-Am Spyder, and they really turn night into day!! Big even flood of light over 2-3 lanes wide, and about 300 yards up the road.
Amazon has a good price on the lights, around $150 if I recall.
I had wrestled with the decision of where/how to mount the lights. Originally I was going to use a nice mounting bracket machined and black anodized from aluminum that PIAA offers for 1" bars. Bought a set, tried several possible mount configurations, but was dissatisfied with the various options. It seemed that lights would either be exposed to damage in the event of a tipover (not that THAT could happen), or else wires or lamps would be a bit closer than comfortable to exhaust header heat. I also would have needed to custom make some machined aluminum blocks to mount as I had purchased the auto set instead of the powersports set (half the price, same lights and harness, ABS mounting brackets instead of stamped steel) I elected to mount on the underside front of the fairing.
Result: lights are up high for visibility, don't stick out to the sides in case of mischief/operator error, short wire run to power source, no heat issues, and no bracket fabrication. They obviously look "added-on", but then so do lights dangling off the crash bars, and utility-over-beauty seems to be the custom with adventure tourers anyhow. They mount with one 3/8" buttonhead stainless bolt 1" long, neoprene 1.5" washer inside and out for increased friction to resist turning. Stainless 1.5" fenderwasher and a nylock nut on the inside of the fairing, and a standard stainless washer on the outside between bolt head and light bracket.
Here are a couple pics of the finished product. I haven't tried them at night, but had the same lights on the Quota, and now on a Can-Am Spyder, and they really turn night into day!! Big even flood of light over 2-3 lanes wide, and about 300 yards up the road.
Amazon has a good price on the lights, around $150 if I recall.
