Why are auxiliary front lamps designed to turn off with high beam headlight?
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 811
Likes: 53
From: Emmett, Idaho
Why are auxiliary front lamps designed to turn off with high beam headlight?
I was always curious about why HD designed the lights to work this way. One would think that if a person was using high beam on the headlight that conditions called for more illumination rather than less.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,331
Likes: 56
From: north of Daytona
all I can say, is the aux lamps throw out a different pattern. High beams REACH out....and the aux throw a wider beam.
I do not know why they were designed that way....but the bikes I see during the day, the aux lights are more visible than
the headlight....but at night, the aux lights do little to illuminate the road way.
I did have an ultra classic that I installed LED bulbs in.....and even though I did not have high beams on at night, other
vehicles would flash their high beams at me. There was little to do except ride with aux lights off at night to avoid pissing people off.
Chuck
I do not know why they were designed that way....but the bikes I see during the day, the aux lights are more visible than
the headlight....but at night, the aux lights do little to illuminate the road way.
I did have an ultra classic that I installed LED bulbs in.....and even though I did not have high beams on at night, other
vehicles would flash their high beams at me. There was little to do except ride with aux lights off at night to avoid pissing people off.
Chuck
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,453
Likes: 2,839
From: Oklahoma
The passing lights can be aimed, it is a fiddly operation and requires a deep well socket wrench with a slit in the side to let the wire go through. I find that they are helpful at night when properly aimed. Mine were way too low from the factory. There are many out dated vehicle equipment laws in many states that require the passing lights to off with the high beam. Guys that have chatted with the police, especially the motor officers find that they are "UN officially" in favor of as much light as you can get and won't bother anyone with passing lights on with the high beam. For the newer CANBUS bikes the change is in the computer and is changed with no wiring modification required. If I ever get a new bike I will ask that it be delivered to me with passing lights set to operate in high beam mode as a condition of sale.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 3,511
From: At home.
The auxillary lights on my new 16 Limited stay on with the high beams.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 185
From: Ft Myers FL
Yup the new '17 they are programmed from the computer, no more wiring fixes.....love mine when they are aimed correctly....in fact the high beam switch now has a 'flicker' option so that you can flicker the high beam on and off if you want to use it for passing or be noticed.....
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,064
Likes: 405
From: Cedar BC
Yup the new '17 they are programmed from the computer, no more wiring fixes.....love mine when they are aimed correctly....in fact the high beam switch now has a 'flicker' option so that you can flicker the high beam on and off if you want to use it for passing or be noticed.....
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,530
Likes: 546
From: Wayne County, PA
I know in ny it's a law thing. Can't have more than two forward facing lights turned on, on a motorcycle. I don't think they enforce it hahaha. I see so many accessory lights.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 239
From: northeast
the driving lights used to turn off with my high beams on my 97 ram SS/T so the decision to turn off with high beam has been around that long
BUT thankfully on the ram its an easy fix and all was needed was to break a pin off of the relay that operates them..
thankfully the older bikes they make a plug and play kit and the newer ones it is done with the HD scan tool
BUT thankfully on the ram its an easy fix and all was needed was to break a pin off of the relay that operates them..
thankfully the older bikes they make a plug and play kit and the newer ones it is done with the HD scan tool