Greetings to all, This is my first post to this site. I have been looking at the site for a while. I've been riding on and off for over 30 years. Two years ago, I purchased a 04 Yamaha V Star 1100. I'm still learning to down load pictures but, once I know how to do it. I will post a picture of the bike. I am adding passings lamps to it. This site gave me the courage to move forward and do the job myself. Many thanks to Mark Cole and Road Star Clinic. Here I go,I can put them on the crash bars or on the signal light area. I have read that having them on the signal light area. A person must replace stock with another light bar. I think that adding them on the crash bars will be less of a headace but my conern is: How to hide the wires from view. A friend of mine shared with me to put tape but my concern is with the heat. It would fall a part and not give the bike. A look which it should have-which is nice. I would appricate your input. Thank you all in advance for your kindness and wisdom.
Boriqua

Boriqua. I too am planning to add Mark Cole's lighting to my bike. I'm considering either the turn signal bar or the crash bars. If I use the crash bars I was thinking about running the wires in through a small hole in the back sides of the bar and then through another small hole at the top where it mounts to the frame (I've got the Cobra bars). Having wiring showing would be kind of tacky so that's the only idea I have right now. Best of luck with your end result.

Greyphart

Boriqua, I'm running my lights directly on the stock turn signal bar with no troubles so far. Why are you thinking of replacing the bar? I couldn't get that from your post.

M7

Hi Greyphart,
I was reading that making a hole to the crash bar could weaken it. I'm not sure, if this has some truth to it but, I won't take the risk. If some one can tell me, there is no concern for it. Then putting holes in them would be the way to go. Thanks for your input.

Greetings Mark7,
I have been reading some of the web sites that the our bikes cannot hold the weight of the passing lamps and after a while they start breaking. How long have you had yours on your bike?

Boriqua, you can drill holes in the engine guard, that's how I have my silver bullets. I try to avoid crashes . The engine guard on my bike is primarily for:

1. A place to mount my highway pegs
2. A place to mount my silver bullets
3. A place to mount engine guard chaps to keep feet/lower legs dry/warm
4. Protection from a crash.

I have the silver bullets wired through the bottom of the engine guard where the lights are and the wires meet at a single point in the top center of the bar. I don't think what I've done will weaken the integrity of the engine guard much if any. Of course I don't want to test it to find out for sure.

Regarding your last post, I think your thinking the light bar designed for passing lamps like the one on my sig pic. That has had some issues with welds breaking. My bar is fairly new, but have had it for about 5 months (about 4000 miles) and have not had any such problems so far. Mark7's mod is to add the lamps directly to the stock R* turn signal bar so you don't need to buy a new lightbar. To my knowledge there are no welds on the stock turn signal bar, so there should be no week spots. Though it depends on if you like the look of Mark7's mod.

Slyguy, I agree. There is no need to prove it. Who is correct or incorrect in dealing with the crash bars issueThere are many reasons why riders add crash bars to their bikes. Myself- A year ago, I slipped and went under my bike. I wasn't going fast but, my foot got caught with the bike too. Hence, comes the bars for me. Now with the light bar which you are stating which Mark7 added the passing lamps to are stock and your purchased your after market? If this is correct, then I'm undrestanding. I'll give a try to mount them on the signal lights tops. This will sure take care of the problem with hiding the wires. I'm expecting all the parts to be by mid - next week. I'll take some pictures and try to download them. Thanks again. Boriqua.

I've had the lights on my turn signal bar for over a year. No sign at all of stress cracks or anything to suggest that the bar isn't holding the weight. I've put about 6000 miles on it since the install and those aren't pampered ones either. It's a nice combination of highway and local street miles. And if you've ever been in/around Atlanta you know that we don't have the greatest pavement here. It's always chopped up and either patched (badly) or there are steel plates covering huge holes. So far, so good.

BTW, if anyone is thinking of doing the mod. and will be ordering from J.C. Whitney for the lamp housings I've got a discount code for 15% off. Just PM me and I'll send it to you.

M7

WOW! I just ordered my items yesterday from them. Thanks!Did you encounter any problems or would have done it in different way?

Boriqua wrote:
Slyguy, I agree. There is no need to prove it. Who is correct or incorrect in dealing with the crash bars issueThere are many reasons why riders add crash bars to their bikes. Myself- A year ago, I slipped and went under my bike. I wasn't going fast but, my foot got caught with the bike too. Hence, comes the bars for me. Now with the light bar which you are stating which Mark7 added the passing lamps to are stock and your purchased your after market? If this is correct, then I'm undrestanding. I'll give a try to mount them on the signal lights tops. This will sure take care of the problem with hiding the wires. I'm expecting all the parts to be by mid - next week. I'll take some pictures and try to download them. Thanks again. Boriqua.

Good Luck!