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Touring bike driving light questions

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brider:
This is an old topic, and I've read the search results but nothing really jumps out as the best solution for me, so I'll ask some common questions again:

Can anyone with a Tonti-vintage tourer (mine is a Cal 2 with the factory front crashbar) suggest a good-working set of nighttime driving lights that mount to the crashbar?

Since the lights will probably be LED, is there a target lumen #, or K-number (5000K? 6000K?) I should be looking for? Color? Lens type?

If I do a search anywhere there are literally a BAZILLION options for size, color, etc, but there are a lot of reviews where the user cautions to NOT use them at night, but instead as a daytime driving light because they blind oncoming drivers.

Myself, I HATE LEDs that blow out your retinas when the driver has them aimed wrong/won't dim them/is just a jerk, but I would guess something that's bright enough would just need proper aiming to prevent blinding oncoming cars, or is lens design critical?

This really shouldn't be such a science project, but seems if it's LED, it's more complicated than just bulb-type lights in the days of yore.

bmc5733946:
I have a pair of Rigids mounted to my crashbar on the Mille. I don't think they make what I have anymore. They were quite expensive but they are SAE rated and that was a requirement for me; more accurate beam control. I run them with an amber lens cover. I run them more for conspicuity than anything else.

https://www.rigidindustries.com/

Can be seen here!





Brian

Huzo:
Well I don’t know how these stack up against the competition.


They are Denali and are sensational

John A:
Look for pencil beam lights.

Wayne Orwig:
I used to use incandescent driving lights on all of my bike. I even developed a device to dim them if the charge voltage was low, to not kill the battery.
But now, I have all LED lights. I sort of hate LEDs, because of the color. 6000k gives you too blue of a light. I have yet to encounter a deer with blue fur. Maybe in Florida, driving a Buick, but not here in Georgia.   :huh:

Anyway, I adapted my device to dim the LEDs light. So I run them at about 20% power normally, and on high beam they go to 100%. The LEDs that I just put on the V85 at called 40 watt. They actually measure 30 watts on my lab supply. So they are likely around 3000 lumens. And of course they are the 'blue' color, but it is what it is. Incandescent lights are likely about 1000 lumens, but of course a more useable color IMHO.

In the end, it is hard to escape the fact that you get a lot more light from a lot less power with LEDs. But you need to deal with the mediocre specs for all ofthe 'Chinesium' lights. Once you get through that, a simple set of light for about $30 can be very helpful.

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