10 Attachment(s)
LED Signal & Tail light upgrades/smart triple play
One of the things I really miss about my vtwin was simply being able to be heard around town. So because of how quiet the F6B is, I decided that it was really important to upgraded the lighting when I first bought it. It came with the Back Off module which made the tail lights flash a few times which wasn't enough for me at all. Its still in great shape and a really good thing to have so if someone wants it, I would be glad to ship it to you for the cost of shipping.
My bike already came with white accent lights all over and under the bike along with the 960 driving lights and hid low beams which was a good start up front. I upgraded the front mirror lenses to the smoked lenses(I hate amber lol) and replaced the amber bulbs with some 10W 7443 led 6000k lights I bought on ebay for $15 a set. They always run and cycle off and on when the signal is activated. Looks really clean and unifies the lights up front which are all really bright. I also ordered the electronic flasher from SoCal MotoGear which corrected the fast flashing because of the leds.
http://www.socalmotogear.com/GL1800-...R-p/gl88nc.htm
In the rear, I felt there wasn't enough light from the 2 incandescent tail light bulbs so I bought a set of 4 red 7443 led lights @ 1000 lumens per bulb. The set of 4 was $35 on ebay. I replaced the 2 rear turn signal bulbs from amber to red along with the other 2 red leds going to the tail lights.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/191793203065...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I then added the universal smart triple play from custom dynamics which will allow all 4 red leds to run and brake while still allowing the 2 outside lights to retain the turn functions simultaneously. There are also about 10 different braking patterns you can choose from, some of which strobe while braking which I like, and you can even set the brightness of the turn signal lights to match the brightness of the tail lights.
http://www.customdynamics.com/tailconversion_kit.htm
I really love the look and the brightness of the whole package. When you are braking in the day time or at night, you have probably 10X more viability and the strobe really catches the attention of the cars coming up behind you which for me is really important.
They say "Loud Pipes Save Lives" which I think is true. Because I don't have that anymore, the added lights and strobe effects definitely make me feel a lot safer and much more visible in all conditions. I have attached a couple short videos of the tail lights before and after below, and some pics of the bike with the lights. I will also attach a video which shows the full range of adjustment and setting from the smart triple play(on a harley but same thing applies). Hopefully this can help someone else and for a total cost of $220 for the whole set up between the 4 led turn signals, smoked lenses up front, led tail lights, electronic flasher, and control module. I think you get alot more for your money in comparison to some other set ups I have seen online from other companies.
Video stock
http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/...pswtcchgxm.mp4
Video after mods
http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/...pstsxlzzoy.mp4
Triple Play Full function example (on harley)
https://youtu.be/vcvsKf9jj5M
pics of my ride
Attachment 3823Attachment 3824
Attachment 3825Attachment 3827
Attachment 3826
Post install "Notes to self"
Ok!
As outlined in previous posts, This is an AWESOME visibility upgrade!
("Do these flashing lights make my butt look big?")
I am also a bit um... "persnickety" when it comes to my wiring. I'm not a fan of any type of "simple quickie wire splicing thingies". "Strip, Iron, Solder, Wrap", HOWEVER... That is JUST me. :-)
With that said, I wanted to put for some of my "Points of Experience" with this install for others to laugh (Seriously... Go for it! :-), but hopefully to not make the same mistakes that I either made, or COULD have made. (Learning from others mistakes is always LESS painful... :-) )
They give a very good reference for the wire color coding, however I found on my 2015, the Brake Light was brown (I think) with an orange (or red?) stripe (I'm partially color blind). Everything else was spot on!
With that said... MAKE A DIAGRAM. Keep in mind that the Triple Play unit has an INPUT side (Red Heat Shrink tape on that bundle) and an OUTPUT side (Black Heat Shrink). NOTATE these differences on your diagram. (Yes... I soldered the wrong "Brown lead" at first... )
If you are making your connections under the seat, the connector that you are probably looking for is JUST ahead of the cross member, next to the relay box, on the RIGHT side of the bike. It is grey (or "gray").
To give yourself a little more "elbow room", disconnect it AND the black connector underneath it.
(Remove the 2-3 cable straps that are screwed to the bike.)
CAREFULLY guide the 2 bundles and their connectors rearward under the cross member.
Unwrap the tape from the grey connector to where it joins the next bundle.
IF you are soldering your connections, check your wiring diagram BEFORE you start.
Check your wiring BEFORE you solder.
Check your wiring AFTER you solder.
(By the way... You DID put Heat Shrink tubing on the wires BEFORE you soldered.... Right???)
If you have the lights out of the lenses, but plugged in and youa re ready to test them... Put something OVER THEM to dim them.... Otherwise your eyeballs may retreat in agony only to be retrieved by a proctologist... (Yes... they ARE bright and you will lose the ability to see detail for a while if you happen to be looking directly at them when they come on. Don't be an idiot... ;-) (Yes... I am... Thank you very much! :-) )
If you have hooked everything up, and you have FOLLOWED the instructions and you have your LED's in place, go for the test! :-)
Whoops! Something isn't 'right? Your center tail lights light up and BOTH turn signals flash no matter which one you select?
You flipped the bulbs around for the center lights and now THEY don't light up, but now the turn signals work?
You've gone through and identified WHICH set of contacts on the lights need to go to "ground" and which need to be powered individually and you have made sure that ALL of your bulbs have been installed correctly...
Did you check your wiring?
Did you check ALL of it?
Did you happen to connect the orange an blue wires to the SECOND "accessory Screw' in the fuse block?
Not the top one, but the one below it?
The one that happens to be CONNECTED to GROUND????
Um... Yeah....
I NEVER would have thought that someone would have put a NEGATIVE connection in a fuse block....
Moved it up to the POSITIVE connector and VIOLA!!!!! We've got CORRECT lighting! :-)
(Don't ask how much time I spent trouble shooting before I found this with a multi meter... DOH!!!! :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead: )
Good luck!