Mounting aux lights using LumaLink brackets

[ItinerantProfessor]

The LumaLink fork tube brackets look like a very cool method for mounting aux driving lights on the R1200R. As a number of people have pointed out, there is not much real estate on the roadster for attaching lighting or other farkles. See http://lumalink.com/index.html

I bought a pair of Denali D1 LED lights for the R1200R from Twisted Throttle.

So I placed an order with the company but no response after 4 days. So I call and leave a voice message. No response. Has the company gone under? Any other good ideas for mountig LED aux lights on the forks?

[roadfool]

Today is a US holiday, perhaps that has been a factor. Also, itappears the owner has recently passed, that to could also be a factor.

I suggest a little more patience.

Regards, Paul

[deilenberger]

I'd agree with Paul. This is a small operation. The original design was made by a chap and BMW rider/enthusiast who suddenly passed away about 2 years ago (James Gordy) - great guy, I worked rather closely with him on the R1200R bracket design. James owned a precision machine shop and made the brackets originally for his own use. He then decided they would be a good thing for other motorcyclists so he started a very small scale production of them. I believe they are made in small batches using CNC machining. After James passed away, his son made a decision to keep the business going, despite having another full time job. I expect that may be why you didn't get instant gratification and would suggest a bit of patience.

They are good people, and I'd have no qualms about recommending them or the brackets they make. They've been on my bike for 5 years and 63,000 miles, and they still work just as well as they did the day I installed them.

[ItinerantProfessor]

Patience sounds like good advice. I didn't realize that the owner had died. BTW Don, the brackets look great on your bike. I hope LumaLink can keep the business going.

I have already received the Denali D1 lights from Twisted Throttle, so I am keen to get them installed on the R12R. BTW, I found Twisted Throttle to be great to work with. Very good service.

[Neuro Rider]

I recently (a week ago) received Luma Link brackets for a 2012 R1200R. Because the forks are different on the 2011-2012 camhead, I had several back and forth emails with Brian Gordy to specify the diameter and taper of the fork slider, which is round in cross section compared to the earlier oval cross section on the oil head model. The process with Brian was slow (about a week for an email reply on each iteration) but ultimately worked out quite well. The brackets I ordered are the twisted link model, powder coated in "chrome", which matches pretty well the machined aluminum of the fork sliders.

Here are some pictures with PIAA 1100X lights mounted.

[AncientMariner]

Very nice looking installation.

Bruce

[Neuro Rider]

Here is some info if someone else wants to order a similar Lumalink bracket for a camhead model: On a 2012 R1200R Classic, the diameter of the fork slider at the very bottom of the upper section (near the fork brace) is 54.90mm; the diameter 100mm further up the tube is 52.35mm; those two dimensions define the tube taper that Lumalink needs to machine the right size bracket mount. You then also have to specify the diameter to use, which depends how far up or down the tube you want the bracket to be located. If you are ordering the Lumalink bracket that encircles the tube completely (called Conrod on their website) then you have to mount it so that the bottom of the bracket is at least 90mm above the fork brace. At this point, the tube diameter is 52.61mm. If you mount it lower, the bracket will hit the telever arm or steering damper when the fork is turned fully to the left (as in the locked position). FYI, the thickness of the bracket is 1”=25.4mm. You also need to specify how you want the lights mounted. I ordered mine for “top mounting” of the 1100X lamps, which means that a 10mm threaded hole for the lamp goes all the way through the mounting arm. You can then mount the lights either on top (as shown in my previous post), or underneath the bracket (as shown below). The screw on top of the bracket in the photo is just to cover exposed threads. If you order the underneath mounting, you would get a blind hole from the bottom, which not have the exposed threads on top, but it would only allow bottom mounting. Note that in the underneath configuration, the yellow side reflectors on the tubes are partially blocked. These are only held on with foam tape, so they can be moved above the bracket if desired (but this would partially cover the VIN number on the right tube). I also ordered without engraving, which means without the Lumalink name engraved on the front of the bracket.

[deilenberger]

One or two other comments (having been the R12R beta-tester)..

I'd suggest mounting your lights under the bracket. When I was playing with suspension - I had a shock with no spring on it installed on the front (to measure travel and look for conflicts - ie - hard parts hitting) and I found that lights above the bracket could hit the tank at full compression and fully left or right.

Make sure the steering damper clears - and again, this changes a bit with compressing the forks (not as much as the lights though.)

[ItinerantProfessor]

Thanks Neuro Rider

Your photos look amazing. Very nice installation.

I did finally communicate with Brian Gordy and ordered the brackets. He was very accomodating over the phone. I ordered the "conrod" top-mount in powder chrome without twist. But otherwise, I envisage the mounting looking the same as your photos show. My Denali LED lights will mount below the brackets.

As you point out, the profile of the fork tubes has changed. My 2007 R12R has elliptical tubes with a major diameter (front-to-back) which changes significantly along the length of the tubes. I plan to mount the brackets about 11cm above the fork brace (just slightly higher than your installation). Here the major diameter is 50.5mm and the minor diameter 46.5mm. I gave these numbers to Brian Gordy and hopefully they will fit. Now I am waiting patiently for their arrival by post.