A Motorcycle Thread About Absolutely Nothing!

TinCanSailor said:
This afternoon I installed a 6-color LED light kit in the bike. It has 10 different settings and a remote key chain. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! :P

Removed the gas tank, seat and side covers. The 8" strips are waterproof and held on with double-stick tape. All 6 leads plug into a central box which I attached to the underside of the air cleaner box with Velcro. Two wires to the battery. The positive wire has an inline fuse.

Location is important: Two under the rear wheel well, One under where the seat/gas tank meet, One under the right side and one under the left side covers, and one on the underside of the front fork which flashes down on the chrome fender hanger and reflects back up twice on the chrome radiator cover. Used the same wiring run as the brake lines.

It took 2 hours. Saved $140 labor that the dealer would have charged. :D

I have hear of many bikers being charged about $200 labor!
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Where you get the LED from? Share us a picture? :) I love LEDs thing!
 
TinCanSailor said:
This afternoon I installed a 6-color LED light kit in the bike. It has 10 different settings and a remote key chain. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! :P

Removed the gas tank, seat and side covers. The 8" strips are waterproof and held on with double-stick tape. All 6 leads plug into a central box which I attached to the underside of the air cleaner box with Velcro. Two wires to the battery. The positive wire has an inline fuse.

Location is important: Two under the rear wheel well, One under where the seat/gas tank meet, One under the right side and one under the left side covers, and one on the underside of the front fork which flashes down on the chrome fender hanger and reflects back up twice on the chrome radiator cover. Used the same wiring run as the brake lines.

It took 2 hours. Saved $140 labor that the dealer would have charged. :D

I have hear of many bikers being charged about $200 labor!
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hey you should post a video of it! :rockon:
 
The Highlander said:
Where you get the LED from? Share us a picture? :) I love LEDs thing!
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I found them online at LedGlow.com

The best thing was the price: $49.95 + $4.99 shipping. Arrived in about 4 days. There is a large markup in the cycle shops.

I will try to get my photographer (Reba) to take a few pics in the next couple of days.
 
TinCanSailor said:
I found them online at LedGlow.com

The best thing was the price: $49.95 + $4.99 shipping. Arrived in about 4 days. There is a large markup in the cycle shops.

I will try to get my photographer (Reba) to take a few pics in the next couple of days.
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Nice. I just checked at ledglow.com and I just wonder. Is it illegal for motorcycle?

Here IL, Any led or neon under the any vehicles are illegal.
 
The Highlander said:
Nice. I just checked at ledglow.com and I just wonder. Is it illegal for motorcycle?

Here IL, Any led or neon under the any vehicles are illegal.
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In SC illegal to ride down the highway fully lit, however I understand police will not ticket you unless your bike lights up like a police bike (blue flashing). You know what impersonating a police officer will get you - :tears:

Our Patriot Guard group has them for hanging out in parking lots, etc.
 
The Highlander said:
Nice. I just checked at ledglow.com and I just wonder. Is it illegal for motorcycle?

Here IL, Any led or neon under the any vehicles are illegal.
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yes and no. Not illegal if bike's not moving. Illegal if it's moving. and it depends on state laws for color of light, type of light (strobe, flashing, etc.), etc.

TinCanSailor said:
In SC illegal to ride down the highway fully lit, however I understand police will not ticket you unless your bike lights up like a police bike (blue flashing). You know what impersonating a police officer will get you - :tears:

Our Patriot Guard group has them for hanging out in parking lots, etc.
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it's really debatable. It's entirely up to officer's discretion but officers do not really bother "old school" bikers. ie - the police is more likely to ticket "ricer bike" than old school Harley guys :lol:

in my case - we've had bunch of riders w/ police-like strobes for "Patriot rally run" and police doesn't really bother them.
 
TinCanSailor said:
In SC illegal to ride down the highway fully lit, however I understand police will not ticket you unless your bike lights up like a police bike (blue flashing). You know what impersonating a police officer will get you - :tears:

Our Patriot Guard group has them for hanging out in parking lots, etc.
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Let me correct the lighting law. This is from the SC Govt Code of Laws:

A person shall not drive, move, or park any vehicle or equipment upon a highway with a lamp or device on it displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center of it. This section shall not apply to a vehicle upon which a red or blue light visible from the front is expressly authorized or required by this chapter.

So I will be staying away from Red or Blue steady or flashing lights.
 
TinCanSailor said:
Let me correct the lighting law. This is from the SC Govt Code of Laws:

A person shall not drive, move, or park any vehicle or equipment upon a highway with a lamp or device on it displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center of it. This section shall not apply to a vehicle upon which a red or blue light visible from the front is expressly authorized or required by this chapter.

So I will be staying away from Red or Blue steady or flashing lights.
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"flashing light" aka headlight modulator which can make it looks like you're a cop. the federal law (CFR49) protects motorcyclists from getting ticketed for it.

TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER V--NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC
SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION

PART 571--FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS--Table of Contents

Subpart B--Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

Sec. 571.108 Standard No. 108; Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.

S7.9.4 Motorcycle headlamp modulation system.
S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser intensity, provided that:
(a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 <plus-minus> 40 cycles per minute.
(b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.
(c) The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
(d) The modulator switch shall be wired in the power lead of the beam filament being modulated and not in the ground side of the circuit.
(e) Means shall be provided so that both the lower beam and upper beam remain operable in the event of a modulator failure.
(f) The system shall include a sensor mounted with the axis of its sensing element perpendicular to a horizontal plane. Headlamp modulation shall cease whenever the level of light emitted by a tungsten filament light operating at 3000 deg. Kelvin is either less than 270 lux (25 foot-candles) of direct light for upward pointing sensors or less than 60 lux (5.6 foot-candles) of reflected light for downward pointing sensors. The light is measured by a silicon cell type light meter that is located at the sensor and pointing in the same direction as the sensor. A Kodak Gray Card (Kodak R-27) is placed at ground level to simulate the road surface in testing downward pointing sensors.
(g) When tested in accordance with the test profile shown in Figure 9, the voltage drop across the modulator when the lamp is on at all test conditions for 12 volt systems and 6 volt systems shall not be greater than .45 volt. The modulator shall meet all the provisions of the standard after completion of the test profile shown in Figure 9.
(h) Means shall be provided so that both the lower and upper beam function at design voltage when the headlamp control switch is in either the lower or upper beam position when the modulator is off.
S7.9.4.2(a) Each motorcycle headlamp modulator not intended as original equipment, or its container, shall be labeled with the maximum wattage, and the minimum wattage appropriate for its use. Additionally, each such modulator shall comply with S7.9.4.1 (a) through (g) when connected to a headlamp of the maximum rated power and a headlamp of the minimum rated power, and shall provide means so that the modulated beam functions at design voltage when the modulator is off.
(b) Instructions, with a diagram, shall be provided for mounting the light sensor including location on the motorcycle, distance above the road surface, and orientation with respect to the light.
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As for LED strip lights, IMHO, It's a safety that protects motorcycle rider from getting "T-Boned" by cars. Because some motorcycle had no reflectors on side (some are customized or removed) and in dark, some driver can't really see ahead of them because they may be color blind or their eye don't adjust to see at night well.. With LED lights lit on engine, drivers can see it so clearly. I would recommend White, Blue, Red, Yellow, and Green LED light rather than Purple LED. Purple LED don't shine as brightly as any other color LEDs.

I was planning on putting Blue LED strip light under gas tank in the future. It's not expensive, you can find it at Cycle Gear, Advanced Auto Parts and several places that sells motorcycle/automotive parts.

I would install switch or "photoelectric" switch so when it gets dark, I just simply turn on LED or turn on itself.

I also wanted to swap out incandescent Brake lamp for LED brake lamp. I would have to find one that have Red in center and White around or upward for license plate. Or use small "pod" of White LED for license plate. Because #1, it lasts almost forever, #2, less worry about getting rear ended by cars if incandescent brake lamp burned out. (Hey!!! remmy that MOST motorcycles have only one incandescent brake/parking lamp!!!! so when it burns out, wish you luck!!)

I've read about DOT issue with LED brake lamp couple years ago. They said that it's not safe to use it because under direct sunlight, sun outshines LED lamps cuz it uses ordinary high brightness LED lamps, not Luxeon.. But in fact are that many vehicles and trucks are using LED brake lamps. IMHO, its safe now cuz it use Luxeon LED probably 2 or 5 watts LED and are very bright which can be seen under direct sunlight.

LED brake lamp consist two parts of electrical wiring, It uses two resistors, for example 100 ohm for brake light, 200 or 300 ohm for parking light.. All wired to same group of LEDs, parking light would shine low but when brake being used, 100 ohm overrides parking light.

BUT, there are other LED brake lamp that have Luxeon group and High brightness group, Luxeon LED used for braking, High brightness used for parking. Make sense?

I ever wonder will they be using 5 or 8 watts modular Luxeon LED for motorcycle headlight? It's so damn bright and powerful, equivalent or more than Halogen lamp. . It is usually for high powered tactile flashlight which cost $200 and up. (If you use full power mode on flashlight, it'll use up battery in 15 min, just FYI)

For flashlight :topic:

TrustFire SST-90 Luminus LED Flashlight Searchlight Set - eBay (item 150521388917 end time Nov-23-10 23:01:34 PST)

This is how powerful are LED flashlight...


Currently, Audi is using Phillip Luxeon Altilon lamp So It would be used for motorcycle too!!

http://www.philipslumileds.com/newsandevents/releases/PR121.pdf


Catty
 
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Jiro. what's about LED rims?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIWxgpTAyrI]YouTube - Raw Design LED Rims[/ame]
 
I was in garage checking Suzuki Volusia out of blue (just being bored cuz it's cold out), I found something very interesting. It's a exhaust pipe. I thought I had 2 or 3 inches diameter chrome pipes, it turned out that it's just purely cosmetic. It's really 1 1/2 inches pipe hidden behind the chrome pipe from engine to muffler. It doesn't bother me tho. I can swap out to Vance and Hines pipe which are a full sized pipe.

I checked through website for 1400cc Suzuki Boulevard as and also 1800cc Boulevard as well. Both motorcycles look very much like mine except for 1800 cc version which have 250 inches rear tire and 150 inches front tire (very nice!!) and its exhaust pipe are different. Volusia model no longer there, it had been merged to Boulevard model. I like C90 (1400cc) and C109R (1800cc). Both are Fuel Injected.

Suzuki Cycles - Product Lines - Cycles - Products - Boulevard C109 - 2009 - C109R


Catty
 
It all depends state by state. In Kansas, it's illegal to have neon license plate light on car. I got pulled over by cop and was told that it's illegal. I never knew it and I told him that why store is selling it even if it's illegal. He said the only legal thing is to park your car and turn on neon. That's it. Neon blinds anyone from reading license plate that's why.

LEDs, it all depends which location you put it on. I would put it under gas tank to shine on V-Twin engine that's simple.. It's just a Indirect lighting, not Direct lighting and does not blind anyone. It's just for displaying beautiful V-Twin engine and Safety to prevent anyone T-Bone your motorcycle... Considering as a marker light for motorcycle.

I've seen Sport motorcycle with LED light lit the engine up. Nice to look.


Catty
 
Wirelessly posted

What happened to souggy

Edited: wrong thread about nothing. Didn't realize this is a motorcycle thread.
 
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[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjWCcJ-sY4E]YouTube - Awesome Motorcycle Burnout[/ame]
that is pretty is very reason! that is why! cool
 
Son was just just telling me that I should go to our local Harley dealer and see the newest and 4th color choice of trike which they produce from the ground up in Milwaukee. This latest color is the HD Orange---son said it looked awesome and he doesn't even care for the big bikes. So I guess we gotta go see it real soon....
 
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