Champion Bags Reflector to light conversion

[sailed2japan]

I just bought my Valk and it has Champion bags on it. I was wondering if anyone has swapped in lights for the reflectors on the sides. I'd also like to add light to any other place where it will still look good.

[X Ring]

Iirc, there's an article in Shoptalk about converting the reflectors on the oem bags to leds.  I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to apply the same instructions to Champions.

Marty

[Black Dog]

Sailed2japan,

I've got the Champion Bags, and did just what you are talking about...

In the pic below, you can see the 'wedge' lights (from J&P Cycle), installed where the reflectors were, now used as turn signals.  I also got rid of the whole mess that held the turns and license bracket, and fabbed a 'lay down' plate bracket.



Side view...



The nice thing is that all the wires run within the stainless tube, that connects the rear bottom of both bags.  The lights were too dim, at first (7 watt wedge bulb).  I used my Dremmel tool, and carved out the inside of the housings, and put in 35 watt bulbs, from the auto parts store.  Now they are bright, and because they only flash, they don't melt the lenses  

Let me know if you want more info.

Black Dog

[Robert]

Yup that be me, and they work great and provide visability for the night.
http://www.hondadirectlineusa.com/stores/product.asp?pid=1155&str=2&ID=141737667
These are what I used and also replaced the lights on the side of the radiator with the amber lights. Off they look almost exactly like the original reflectors,when on they are bright enough to be seen from the back and easily from the side.

[Jess from VA]

If you use the HDL led reflectors for bag side-lights, I was told if you run the ground to a particular location (cannot remember where), they will also flash when signals are activated (thus run/turn). 

Now the HDL led reflectors are nearly identical to the size of the OE bag reflectors; the question is, are the Champion bag reflectors the same size/shape as OE?  (1 inch by 3.75 inch, or something like that).

[Kaiser]

Black Dog,

What are the chrome circles just above your trunk lights?

[1FAST6]

I installed the same type as HDL (red in back and yellow on front fender) and spliced them in with the turn signals.  I use a Signal Minder and have them on all the time as running lights and they flash with turn sigmals.  Nice look and improved visability day and night.

[Black Dog]

Black Dog,

What are the chrome circles just above your trunk lights?

Kaiser,

Those are also turn signals (amber LED's)...  Mounted higher up, they work very well at night, but not so much in the bright sunlight.

Black Dog

[sailed2japan]

 
Wow, some really good ideas here. I like the idea of removing the turn signal mess and adding J&P lights. I'm curious as to how well they'll stand out, though. They seem a little small for turn signals.

[Robert]

The HDL lights are a direct replacement for the oem reflectors and the Champion reflectors
both in size and looks thats why I was able to replace the radiator reflectors with them and the bag reflectors and not have a problem. The Lights can be made to flash by hooking them to the turn signals and the running lights. When the turn signals flash they will be on and off opposite of the turn signals.

[sailed2japan]

That would be accomplished by hooking them to the power wire for the front running lights that share a bulb w/ the turn signals, right?

[bentwrench]

The easy way to make them flash is to ground them through the rear turn power wires,org.-left lt. blue right. A  small bulb or led will ground right through the filament w/out lighting it ,each time the turn signal flashes the led loses it's ground.the effect is alternating lamps on that side when using the turns.
bw

[alph]

i added a few LED's to mine.  they're not too noticable during day lite, but they shine at night.  one of these days i'll take some decent pictures. (but i am pretty lazy according to my boss.)