Quote:
Originally Posted by fjmartin
CSC says the bike at stock uses 160W at normal operation
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That is correct. However, tossing the stock headlight allows deduction of 35 watts for the headlight, plus the daisy chain necklace, plus the blue whatever-it-is. Everything but the H4 is already unplugged on my bike because the rest just looks stupid. Swap the stock 35 watt H4 for a DOT acceptable 55W version and the headlight works very well--nicely patterned, and surprisingly bright, but the LEDs are a lot brighter at the stock 35 watts. So, since the bike requires 160 watts, and tossing the stock headlight bulb is minus 35 watts, plus minus the daisy chain and whatever, actual available watts probably run about 180 or 190, but I like to err on the safe side on purpose.
The reasons I'm investing about the original cost of the bike, which has already been totaled once, in the lights and horn, is loud horns save lives, and headlights that hurt others' eyes get noticed. Also, I can shift good lights to another bike when the time comes to max the return on investment due to LEDs' awesome durability. I live slap in the middle of the densest whitetail deer population in the U. S. of A. in a small university town, it is almost rut season (always rut season at the university, just another species of whitetails), and riding all winter is more fun than driving, even at night. On ice. I've seen the 4-legged kind run through traffic down the main drag through town in the middle of the day, literally jumping on, into, and over vehicles, and the 2-legged kind too busy with their phones swapping snot with their bucks to dodge those telephone poles that jump right out in front of them.
I don't like electric heat systems--something goes down and you're dead, if you go anywhere interesting. Insulation behind wind protection is safer if you go out in the wilderness. I don't have a GPS on the bike because GPS is kindergarten adventuring, just doing what the "teacher" says. A compass and maybe, just maybe, a route list and/or a map is real adventure. I've tried several corded tools and work lights, but everything these days costs too much and seems built with the minimum material possible so things break way to soon. Good stuff costs, and is generally old school or adapted from old school, like my 5-cell LED Mag Lite, which is even more dependable with the LEDs than the old incandescent when you need to get a buck's attention, or something like that. Applications of many new technologies sucks. I prefer doing my own thinking. Also, if I want tunes, I sing patriotic hymns out loud. Unless Christmas is coming. Then I sing carols trying to get a little Christmas spirit, but it never works. Therefore, accessory electrics are not a consideration on my bike. However, consideration is good advice for most folks. I'm just not "most folks".
Hope you had a good laugh.
