BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Clearwater Erica lights = installed.  Took about 5 hours total, from start to finish.  I was taking my time though, and had to make 1 trip the hardware store for a missing nylon locking nut.  It was a fun, but challenging project.  I think the biggest hassle was trying to get the battery out, and figuring out that confounding bracket that holds it in place.

They look really good, nice job.
Silly question but are they more for show or do they actually improve your lighting ?

Duggie wrote: They look really good, nice job.
Silly question but are they more for show or do they actually improve your lighting ?

Well the BMW aux lights on my bike make a huge difference to lighting, so those monsters should  8)

Anyone know if they're available in the uk?

To see the difference the BMW aux lights make you should try them on a GS, which has much poorer lighting than the RT. They put out a pretty significant amount of light, and with a nice wide spread as well. I haven't had them fitted to my RT so far simply because I wanted to see how I got on with the standard lighting. So far I'm very impressed and happy with it so if I did go for aux lights it would be for improving the visual profile of the bike, not for improved lighting. But then I mostly ride on the motorway - if I spent a log of my time on smaller roads I might take a different view.

The more lights the safer, you want to like a train coming at the cagers! Beautiful job by the way!

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I just installed a set of Darlas on my RT yesterday. I mounted them on my crashbar. Haven't been able to try them because it is 17 dgrees F (-8 C). I hope l don't regret not spending the extra for the Ericas. I bought them mostly for conspicuity as I try to avoid driving at night. Too many deers around here. Install went smoothly. I agree the battery removal is a pain first time you do it.

Duggie wrote: They look really good, nice job.
Silly question but are they more for show or do they actually improve your lighting ?

They are mostly for safety, Duggie.  Hard to describe the amount of light these things throw out, in the picture shown, they are only at 30% power.  The other part of this system is the CANOpener, which is really the secret sauce.  It connects into the canbus via the TPMS connecter.  Allows you to control the brightness via the wonderwheel, and also reacts to other system events.  For example, flash-to-pass also flashes the clearwater lights, at 100% power.  If you use the horn, the lights strobe at 100% power.  If the other driver doesn't notice that, then they aren't going to notice anything.  :music:

Littlebriar can you post photos of your lights on you crash bars.

Littlebriar wrote: I just installed a set of Darlas on my RT yesterday. I mounted them on my crashbar. Haven't been able to try them because it is 17 dgrees F (-8 C). I hope l don't regret not spending the extra for the Ericas. I bought them mostly for conspicuity as I try to avoid driving at night. Too many deers around here. Install went smoothly. I agree the battery removal is a pain first time you do it.

Why did you remove the battery?

Who supplies the clear water lights in the uk ?
I've done the usual google search but nothing coming up in the uk

Duggie wrote: Who supplies the clear water lights in the uk ?
I've done the usual google search but nothing coming up in the uk

No one now. The only UK  Clearwater agent was the Rollcentre at St Ives, Cambridgeshire. They now no longer supply,  but I believe they will still fit the lights.


If you do order from Clearwater, bear in mind the pound/dollar exchange  rate and import duty.


Clearwater lights are relatively expensive to buy, but superb quality. I fitted Darlas (see my previous posts)

mhr43 wrote: Why did you remove the battery?

The relay connects to the battery. You must remove the battery to get to the positive post on the battery. I suppose you could connect the positive lead to the external post but I chose to go directly to the battery. It's not that big a deal to remove the battery once you do it once.

Just wondered as it is so much easier to attach to the auxiliary positive post. I used this for the Clearwater relay and a Nautilus horn relay, in addition to a separate 12v power source for an air-compressor etc.

mhr43 wrote: Just wondered as it is so much easier to attach to the auxiliary positive post. I used this for the Clearwater relay and a Nautilus horn relay, in addition to a separate 12v power source for an air-compressor etc.

I just recently added a FirstGear heater controller and both the instructions and my dealer recommended to go directly to the battery for that. I'm not sure if that auxiliary post limits current, so I just thought what the heck, let go direct. I would appreciate it if any of you knowledgeable ones can tell us if the auxiliary post goes through the CanBus and if there is any downside to using that post for other items.