Skene Photon Blaster front lights

[kcpcx]

Today after an SUV started to pull out right in front of me then slammed on his brakes when he saw me...

I got to thinking about making myself more conspicuous to cagers.

Just so happened I had a set of Skene Photon Blasters sitting on my shelf that I never put on my BMW. Since I ride the scooter in city traffic a lot more, they are now going on the PCX.

Here are the lights:

http://www.lights.skenedesign.com/PB_Features.shtml

You can program them to flicker very slightly or to run steady. You also have the choice to run them as lights or lights and turn signals.

The key is mounting them on the PCX. A quick run to the local hardware store, and the required bits are on hand. The small L brackets came with the light kit. Skene does not list a specific mount kit for the PCX, but as long as you have the small L shaped brackets, $10 later you can come home with the stainless steel hardware necessary.

You can mount Skene lights to the brake calipers or elsewhere. Since the PCX only has a single disc up front, caliper mount was not possible.

I decided to remove the factory reflectors and use those brackets. I will obtain a small piece of reflective tape to put on the fork tube in lieu of the stock reflectors.

The necessary bolt is an M6. You can vary the length of this bolt to suit you, depending on how far out from the bracket you want the lights. I used a stainless M6 bolt, some stainless washers on either side of the Skene bracket, some steel spacers, and a stainless nylon lock nut on the inside of the bracket. The tiny steel spacers were fairly expensive for what they are, at $2.89 each. Alternately, you could use nylon spacers for about $.49 each if you wanted to cut the total hardware cost in half. I was concerned about the nylon cracking under stress, so I opted for the metal spacers.

You can mount the Skene lights horizontally or vertically to suit your preference. You can also customize the angle of the lights in relation to the road. Parallel to the road surface, or slightly up or down as you like.

I've not run the wiring yet, but I will update the thread when I get them wired up and operational. Just wanted to get the mounting solution posted now in case anyone is interested.












Almost forgot a crucial item for the project:

[SECoda]

Cool. Anxious for the vid. Hometown brew?

[kcpcx]

Have to work tonight, so will hopefully finish Saturday.

Yes, the Boulevard brewery is here in KC.

[pcxpower]

Cool (and safe) project! I'm eager to see it finished and I think that it's a really BRIGHT idea!

Here in Spain one could be fined with 200 euros (100 euros if one pays in less than 15 days) if he/she installed additional "not authorized" lights in a motor vehicle, or could have legal problems if another driver had an accident, stating that he/she was blinded by the "strange" light... if it was legal, I wouldn't hesitate in adding lights to my vehicles!

[Mel46]

Really?? Fined if you add lights? Scooters and motorcycles have a problem being seen, and seeing at night. Maybe there is a way to get the additional lights authorized?? LED lights are not anywhere near as obtrusive as those HID lights on sporty cars like the BMW. Those things could blind someone. On top of that, you
can adjust these additional lights so that they aim down at the road instead of in some other driver's face. I installed LED lights just like Dave did. I can adjust where the lights goes by moving the assembly slightly with my hands.

[SECoda]

I have those HID lights on my 2013 Ford Escape Titanium and they are crazy bright on dims at night. I get flashed a lot and then flick the bright's at them. I am not sure why I need to see signs half a mile ahead.

I leave my PCX on bright's and do get flashed occasionally from cars at night.

[pcxpower]

Really?? Fined if you add lights? Scooters and motorcycles have a problem being seen, and seeing at night. Maybe there is a way to get the additional lights authorized?? LED lights are not anywhere near as obtrusive as those HID lights on sporty cars like the BMW. Those things could blind someone. On top of that, you
can adjust these additional lights so that they aim down at the road instead of in some other driver's face. I installed LED lights just like Dave did. I can adjust where the lights goes by moving the assembly slightly with my hands.

Yes, it's weird that improving night driving is illegal, but here in Europe they are very strict with everything, including lights... every singlel light installed on motor vehicles must be "CE" certified (something similar to the DOT in the States) and if one exceeds the máximum output legally allowed they fine you, and if you are a danger to other motorists because you blind them, they can impound your vehicle and you have to choose between dismounting the lights, have the vehicle towed at your expense or wait until daylight to continue.

New vehicles must pass their first safety inspection after 4 years, then every 2 years until the vehicle is 10 years old, and then once a year. Motorcycles only after the 4th year, and then every 2 years for the whole life of the vehicle. They inspect everything, from suspension to brakes, lights, horn, measures, wheels, emissions, noise, etc, etc

One cannot add "highway" lights to the motorcycle, and only "fog lights" are allowed. I guess that the European Mandataries would not need to be so strict if all the citizens were more or less "normal", but I'm sure that if there weren't laws about that, some people would install MONSTER lights, would eliminate one of the brakes to save weight, remove the muffler because "loud pipes save lives", etc, etc

You can always install something illegal and try to explain the Law Enforcement Officer the reasons for that, but it would depend on him/her, and you would need to remove it for the next inspection... You have a little more freedom in the States, so if everybody did as you do, trying to be good to others, you will continue like that for a very long time!!

[kcpcx]

Lighting is highly regulated in Europe. Of course, their standards have evolved, too, where ours (US) are stuck in the 50's or 60's, especially regarding headlights. I wish our cars were available in the States with euro-spec lighting.

[kcpcx]

I haven't played around with aim on the lights yet. But wiring complete, and lights are functional. I enable the turn signals for now, we'll see if I leave them or just go with driving lights.

You can enable a slight (very obvious on digicam but only slightly perceptible to the human eye) flicker for conspicuity, or program them for steady on.

The turn signal, again due to poor capture by digicam sensor, looks to flicker oddly in the video. To the human eye, it appears like a normal turn signal with no abnormalities.



Steady on, flicker disabled:



Flicker on, not nearly as blatant in real life--see Skene Designs site for better vid:





Turn signals. Again, slight flash idiosyncracy is due to digicam not lights:

[SECoda]

I could handle the lighting regs but they need to fix those huge license plates on the front and back. Just use transponders or something and eliminate them completely. My buddy in Sweden has a beautiful Turbo A3 AWD Audi in Orange with the HP engine but the huge plates really ding it badly on looks.


I am just watching the vids! I guess you can drop kick the other signals???

[kcpcx]

I need to install LED in the front signals so they flash at the exact same rate as the LEDs.

The problem with LEDs, though, is off axis visibility. They are much brighter head on, but the old school incandescents are actually good over a wider range off dead center. I'll probably leave them for that reason.

Ideally, the Skene LED modules would be shaped in a little bit of a curve instead of a flat bar. Might make them more useful over a range off center.

[pcxpower]

They look awesome! Good job, and they'll improve your visibility a lot

[kcpcx]

Thanks. I kind of wish I had just ordered white ones back when I bought them instead of amber. They'd look better as running lights. But I guess since the controller and wiring is installed now, I could change the LED modules out pretty easily.

By the way, if anyone needs to find 12v switched power up under the front end, there is a black and red wire that's switched with the ignition that is accessible from the wheel well behind the headlight. There is a solid green coming off each turn signal that is an accessible ground. This is useful info if you need power up front but don't want to run a wire the whole way from the battery.

[pcxpower]

By the way, if anyone needs to find 12v switched power up under the front end, there is a black and red wire that's switched with the ignition that is accessible from the wheel well behind the headlight. There is a solid green coming off each turn signal that is an accessible ground. This is useful info if you need power up front but don't want to run a wire the whole way from the battery.

Very useful information. Thanks! It will be handy if we need some power up front

[Skyskovski]

I've come up with these so that I get seen when filtering traffic during rush hour. I bought the cheap ones (£1.00) just in case they are illegal here in the UK. I really hate it having to do so many emergency braking in a 25 miles journey and with winter around it only gets worse.

[pcxpower]

I haven't thought about this option, but I'm sure that it will catch motorists' attention! (the problem here in Spain is that it would also catch Law Enforcement Officer's attention... )

Perhaps if they were solid, instead of flashing, they would be more "allowed" and at the same time would also be noticed by the cagers?

[Skyskovski]

I haven't thought about this option, but I'm sure that it will catch motorists' attention! (the problem here in Spain is that it would also catch Law Enforcement Officer's attention... )

Perhaps if they were solid, instead of flashing, they would be more "allowed" and at the same time would also be noticed by the cagers?

They actually have a flash and solid state mode. So far no near misses