Rear LED setup

Again, very new to the bike and the community - but I've done considerable research, and can't seem to find an answer.

It looks like the default setup for rear lights is center red running\brake light - with two amber turn lights on each side (yes, stating the obvious here....)

In my mind, the best light setup would be full bar (all 3 rear lights) of running lights \ brake lights \ with amber turning lights. That is to say, all three lights are set to red running, all three lights brighten up on braking, and the two outside turn signals can swap to amber on a turn.

Is this even possible? Seems like you'd need a single LED bulb that could do red running \ red brake \ amber turn..... I haven't been able to find that. Again, pleading a bit of ignorance here. Looks like you only get two way bulbs, not three.

I'm tracking the Vicki P setup, but her outside lights (the turn signal lights) don't intensify on braking.... She only has the center brake light.

While amber turn signals are best - I think red running\braking across the full back is most important. Red flashing turn signal is a bit of a drawback, but... I think, for me, this is the way I'll go (unless I can find the ideal setup as described above).....

Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/GbTvn3vZ2I8

-SapperWing

I believe there a few ways to do this. If you check the history there are a bunch of threads covering it. For me, I did the mod where I added new sockets/bulbs to each side of the rear light. Changed all bulbs to LED with the exception of the turn signal bulbs which are used as a ground in the Honda wiring circuitry. That gave me the full running lights. Then I added a Whelen TIR3 strobe wired into the brake light wiring, mounted it in place of the reflector and moved the reflector down towards the bottom of the fender. Thats been working great for over a year now without issue and folks riding behind me remark how much better they can see me.

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Originally Posted by SapperWing

Again, very new to the bike and the community - but I've done considerable research, and can't seem to find an answer.

It looks like the default setup for rear lights is center red running\brake light - with two amber turn lights on each side (yes, stating the obvious here....)

In my mind, the best light setup would be full bar (all 3 rear lights) of running lights \ brake lights \ with amber turning lights. That is to say, all three lights are set to red running, all three lights brighten up on braking, and the two outside turn signals can swap to amber on a turn.

Is this even possible? Seems like you'd need a single LED bulb that could do red running \ red brake \ amber turn..... I haven't been able to find that. Again, pleading a bit of ignorance here. Looks like you only get two way bulbs, not three.

I'm tracking the Vicki P setup, but her outside lights (the turn signal lights) don't intensify on braking.... She only has the center brake light.

While amber turn signals are best - I think red running\braking across the full back is most important. Red flashing turn signal is a bit of a drawback, but... I think, for me, this is the way I'll go (unless I can find the ideal setup as described above).....

Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/GbTvn3vZ2I8

-SapperWing

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I have the alternate setup plus the Whelen TIR3 that I did 3 years back. I like the idea of full width brake lights. Also would like the rear lights to be brighter in full sunlight.
Got ass ended by a car back in April while sitting at a stoplight in broad daylight even with my brakes on and the Whelen flashing.
Sounds like a three way bulb would be required? Let us know if you find out anything.

This might be what you are asking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhumqeAgYSY I did it and it is much more light. It does present a problem as you add more running light the difference between run and stop is reduced. Additionally the turns get washed out a bit. So I added another red strip and another shorter yellow so that they are all alone and easy to see. Of course now the back of my bike looks like a Christmas tree all lite up.

Run Attachment 7141
brake Attachment 7142
run with turn Attachment 7143
brake with turn Attachment 7144

I followed the Vicki P method as well along with the center wigwag. I do however agree that while the outboard lights do intensify, the level needs to be more significant. I have had them in for several years and will likely look at swapping out different bulbs to see if I can achieve better results.

Kury sells a system diodes that will allow you to use bothrun and brake from a single light.
Two in one out.

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Originally Posted by billsim

I have the alternate setup plus the Whelen TIR3 that I did 3 years back. I like the idea of full width brake lights. Also would like the rear lights to be brighter in full sunlight.
Got ass ended by a car back in April while sitting at a stoplight in broad daylight even with my brakes on and the Whelen flashing.
Sounds like a three way bulb would be required? Let us know if you find out anything.

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Distracted driver's (texting, eating, etc.) run into Police cars with all their lights flashing... :mad:

So true. People tend to steer toward where they are looking without even realizing it.

I bought a setup off ebay. plug and play. outers stay lighted{yellow}. once you hit the brake the whole bar lights red

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Originally Posted by Nomibagger

I bought a setup off ebay. plug and play. outers stay lighted{yellow}. once you hit the brake the whole bar lights red

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Can you share details about what you bought?

So, first a disclaimer - I don't really know what I'm doing, and can't vouch for the parts I've purchased - no idea if it will work, but seems to make sense to me. I'll try and see if it works this weekend (18JAN).

I've tried to attach a basic wiring \ conceptual diagram of what I'm thinking.

Essentially, I have an amber\red bright bulb. Supposedly, both colors are exceptionally bright (per the ST1300 forum post that I found).

The problem with LED bulbs, is, #1) Apparently, there is a high intensity\low intensity concept to these bulbs. Finding a bright red AND bright amber has been difficult. Again, we'll see what happens when it gets here. #2) Finding a quality 7443 LED socket - is a shot in the dark. I did the best I could on the socket, but it's likely 50/50 on the quality.

I want a running light, a brake light, and an amber turn signal out of one bulb. Again - as far as I know, this doesn't exist (Just finding red \ amber was hard enough). The amber portion is wired directly to the turn signal wires - that's fixed. That leaves a single wire into the LED bulb for the running and brake light(s). Apparently if you throw a resistor into line, it lowers the intensity of the LED power. AKA - running light. You can make this yourself, or several folks make them (DAGS - dual intensity circuit for LED).

So in normal operation, the tail light circuit goes through the resistor side of the line for lower intensity. When you hit the brake, the brake wire goes hot and pumps electrons through the non-resistor side for full intensity.

Assuming this all works - there's still two things I'll have to figure out. Can I use one of the dual intensity jumpers for both outside rear lights or do I need two? Secondly, I'll have to throw in that LED fast blinker thingie somewhere.... Not sure where that'd go.


Stuff should be here by Wed\Thurs.... I'll let you know. Wish me luck.


Attachment 7159

Edit: For what it's worth, I would have just bought a whole kit \ solution, but I couldn't find one. Or even find an example of some Joe doing it this way. This stuff doesn't really excite me, I just wanna ride. But having a full bar running light + full bar brake lights + Amber turn signals is pretty important to me.

I also ordered the SoCalMotoGear rear middle running\brake light LED replacements............. and front foglight setup............. and front turn signal switchbacks. Yea - I'm $500 in right now.

Oh, and the PC-8 from Japan.

Oh - and sent Russell Day Long $80 to reserve 23MAR for me. (CO-CA in MAR?) But, that's a different story.... ;)

Thanks for the details. This makes my head hurt.
Like you, I just want to buy an existing solution install it and ride.
Thanks!

OK, Here's my two cents on lights getting other peoples attention...Sure a brighter light will get more attention than a dim light but I think "flashing" gets the MOST attention.

I took the US Navy, 1 week long, motorcycle safety course back in the mid-80's. It was given by a retired CHIPs officer with lots of experience. He told us about about a company that tested an early Headlight Modulator/Flasher device. They settled on 4 flashes per second by testing in a hospital. They figured hospital rooms, to give patients and family more privacy, are a place that people try not to look in when walking by. So they set a light in a private room so it faced out the door, then changed the rate of flashes per second over several days. The rate that caused the highest number of people walking by to stop, turn around, and look again was about 4 per second.

The rear of the F6B has more lit "area" than most motorcycles in history. Hell, most bikes have ONE little center brake/running light bulb with a dull crappy cover. I just don't think MORE solid BRIGHT light will get someone's attention any better so I'M betting on flashing. I just added one of the emergency vehicle 4 LED flashers to a license plate extender and set it to the closest thing to...4 flashes per second then solid. When I need to I simply grab and release the brake to allow the flasher to do it's thing over and over.

Briefly, I mounting a Swift 3.0 TIR 3 Watt 4 LED unit (EBay, $20) to a homemade metal plate added behind the license, I drilled a hole on the rear just below the the license plate bracket and pushed the wires through a grommet to the inside. From there I wired the appropriate wires to the brake wire connectors on the harness of a Kuryakyn Rear Accessory Adapter (3234, $30).

SeaSteve,

Firstly, "Haze Gray and Underway...."

Secondly, I absolutely agree regarding flashing stop lights. I've always been in the habit of doing it manually (few squeezes of the brake).

When I get the full back end running \ brake setup, I full intend on splicing a flashing circuit into the mix.

Regards,

MM2 (Nuke) SapperWing
(A few lifetimes ago....)

It works!!

Wired/taped up the prototype, and it works brilliantly!

One bulb, red running light, bright brake light, and bright amber turn flashers.

I'll break out the solder kit, get the harness done tonight and maybe get a video on YouTube...

Edit: So, I've got it built, but the running lights are a bit dim, and flicker a bit. It's usable, but I'm going to put a 75 ohm resistor in. That will replace the 150 ohm that's in now. I'm hoping with. A weaker resistor, I'll get a bit brighter running light (to match the socal rear bulbs I put in) and eliminate the flicker while on the low power line.....

Dunno. We'll see....

So - just a real quick video.
Shows a few things -
#1 - The outside lights now have running light capability.
#2 - The outside lights have "switchback" turn capability.
#3 - The outside lights have brake light capability (while maintaining the turn signal).

#4 - The outside lights have a bit of flicker while used as running lights. (They also weren't fully seated in the housing. The fit of the socket is a bit loose....)
#5 - I'll have to install an LED flasher relay (that came with my SoCal foglight \ turn signal setup that I'm doing tomorrow

I'm hoping the 75 ohm resistor brightens up the outside light and gives enough power in the running light mode in order to minimize \ eliminate flashing.

#6 - I'm no video expert...

https://youtu.be/NF5C8cbG_dQ

Kury sells the same setup, but that is the way to do it
That is the only way to use one ckt to do 2 things.

I used a module from SignalDynamics called Tri-Star XP that works really well. Installed it last year and so far so good. Installation wasn't too difficult just being mindful of good connections....soldered mine and covered with shrink tubing connectors. The only downside is that for the hazard lights when the switch is in ACC mode. Only the front turn signals with flash. When the key is in the ON position, all is well because the module receives it power from the tail light power wire.