Led tail lights.....

[bigvalkriefan]

I found this in a magazine I received. Its an LED taillight that replaces the standard 1157 bulb. The mag says it lights up in a pattern and also flashes before it goes steady Would this work in the Valk? Is it worth it?

http://www.compacc.com/p.cfm/c/1615008/p/520

[bentwrench]

I've seen them in other bikes not  any brighter than a 1157
bw

[rmrc51]

I agree with bentwrench. All they do is give you a longer life expectancy due to the LED make up but they aren't any brighter. I believe Custom Dynamics makes an LED board that has the 1157 plug in. Now THATS bright!!!! I had one on my Suzuki Intruder. Very Bright!!. It was around $100.00.

[SlowRoad]

A friend of mine has one of these in his Valk. It doesn't light up the entire cover like the regular bulb does.  It just has a red spot where the  actual l.e.ds are located. Also, when you brake it flashes constantly and never comes on steady. I thought about buying one until I followed him in the day time. I changed my mind. It doesn't appear to be as visible as the 1157 bulb. JMO.

Tim

[Rattlebars]

LED bulbs must be put in light "fixtures" designed for LED bulbs.  Your tail light is designed for a bulb that glows so that the reflector catches the "wasted" light and makes it useful by reflecting it. Those LED 1157's don't point to the reflector, hence only show a small circle.

Click here for more info.

A sample:

[R J]

This link takes you to the one I have on MGM, and YES, you can see it.

(9012-11) LED Retro for VTX/Shadow/Valkyrie/Aero/Sabre/Ace
Use your existing Lens and Bucket 128 RED LEDs
Fits Shadow - 00-03 Sabre 1100, 98-02 Aero, A.C.E. 750 Deluxe, Valkyrie **Caution Does not fit VTX-R (VTX-Retro), Shadow Spirit/Spirit 750, Shadow VLX/VLX Deluxe**

Here is the link:

http://www.radiantz.com/cart/index1.html?c21.html&1

Warning:   You do have to trim the little flat plate with the LED's to make it fit the Valkyrie taillight housing.  Like maybe a 1/16" needs to be cut off.   When you place it in the housing, you will see the little tab that has to come off......   Mine has been in there for about 5 years now and I have had no problem with it.

If you look close at this picture, you can see the rows of LED's on the plate.

[Thunderbolt]

If you have a Standard or Tourer, change the 1157 to a 3496.  It IS brighter.

[Tundra]

I have the LED Board, that plugs into the socket with the clear lens. They boasted how bright this thing is. It looks great in the garage at night! It will get you killed on the road during the day. Everyone who's riden behind me (most people) except for Thunderbolt on his Rocket                               (who I couldn't get behind me) all have told me, "hey your brake lights ain't workin" I get this every time I ride. For safety reasons I would not recommend the led's with a clear lens. I guess with that being said, I'll need to change them out. 

[R J]

I'll try to get a picture of MGM with taillight, then the brake light.

There is a very distinct difference and anyone who has followed me, say damn, you got a bright running light and brake light, what is it.....

[Airetime]

I found this in a magazine I received. Its an LED taillight that replaces the standard 1157 bulb. The mag says it lights up in a pattern and also flashes before it goes steady Would this work in the Valk? Is it worth it?

http://www.compacc.com/p.cfm/c/1615008/p/520

Years ago when these were first out there, I tried one and took it out the next day. LEDs by nature are directional, meaning that IF you are directly behind them they are bright, but if viewed from one side or the other they are dim and hard to see. I ended up adding LEDs onto the 1157 bulbs with success. They are LED rings that are in addition to your standard light and work rather well! 

http://www.electricalconnection.com/other-lighting/tsk-star&sport.htm

[Tundra]

RJ, That may be a sollution for me. My problem may be the "clear" lens. Looks great at night or in the garage. You are currently using the stock red lense, correct? Are you using the red led board also, with the red lens? and It's still bright enough during the day? Thanks

[John U.]

I'm using the Radiantz LED board and a standard red tailight lens. It is bright, day or night. Any of the LEDs  should be mounted close to the lens, so you are not relying on the reflector anyway. The brightness is a matter of the strength of the LEDs and how many LEDs can be fitted on the board.
The red lens will not filter out the light output because the leds shine red as well.

[Bagger John - #3785]

I just converted the taillight and turn signals on one of my I/Ses to all LEDs. A Radiantz module was used in the taiilight assembly in conjunction with a smoked lens. The turn signals received a set of WixTech 1156 red LED bulbs and a smoked lens/deep-dish bezel setup from Kuryakyn. A Kury "triple whammy" (run/turn/stop) controller and solid-state flasher will be installed on the bike, thus giving it three brakelights...the center one (taillight) being set up to pulse on brake application.

Initial tests show the combination to be bright to the point of being obnoxious, which is what we want...

[R J]

RJ, That may be a sollution for me. My problem may be the "clear" lens. Looks great at night or in the garage. You are currently using the stock red lense, correct? Are you using the red led board also, with the red lens? and It's still bright enough during the day? Thanks

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes.

As soon as the other 1/2 gets home I'll try to get a picture of it.   Kind of hard to snap a picture with the brakes on without someone to hold the lever or without a zip tie........

Also, got to move some of my Johnny Pop equipment around to get it out..   Trying to also do a solo of MGM, so I'm only 1/2 way there, I got the front seat off.........    LOL.......

[doubletee]

I'm using the Radiantz with the standard red cover. Definitely brighter than the stock light. I've had it for about 3 years with no complaints. (not affiliated, yada, yada, ...)

[Rattlebars]

These kind are the ones to avoid.  The circuit with many LEDs on a board is a different animal.

[Spirited-6]

These kind are the ones to avoid.  The circuit with many LEDs on a board is a different animal.

Why AVOID these ? Please enlighten me.

[Bagger John - #3785]

I used WixTech LED replacement lights (1156 red and 1157 amber) in my signals:



Note the dual-coverage LED arrangement, which disperses light evenly. When run in conjunction with the Kuryakyn deep-dish bevels and their integrated reflectors, these are BRIGHT!

[Bagger John - #3785]

These kind are the ones to avoid.  The circuit with many LEDs on a board is a different animal.

Why AVOID these ? Please enlighten me.

Compare to what I just posted. Chet's example puts no light whatsoever out to its sides or front, thus failing to illuminate a large portion of the signal's reflector...

[R J]

Here are 3 pictures of the board I referred ya to in an earlier post.


This is the taillight, or running light.



This is the brake light straight on.  Note the reflection on the tractor seat..



Side view of the brake light.

Yeah, before ya start hollering, it is in my garage, however, I had 8 florescent light on, and 2 spots that were almost right on the bike.......   The tractor you see setting there has a dead battery and I wasn't in the mood to mess with it.....

[Tundra]

RJ, I appreciate you taking the time to post the pics! That is noticable, unlike my setup. I will have to try a stock red lens (sold my old one like a fool) Thanks

[mmvalk]

you lookin' for bright?  check out the Whelen TIR3 Super LED Module that I purchased for ~$60 from vlsusa.com

[john]

radiantz 128 led for the tail light  ...
and the eletricalconnection convertion for your turn signals ...
this will lite up yer tailend ...
and keep it all look'in clean        

[trantony]

Buddy of mine has one on his bike and everyone that has ridden behind him has told him to ride very careful during the daylight hours. You have to pay very close attention to it to see when he is braking. IMHO, I wouldn't even think about one of these.
Ride safe and keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
Leon
"97 Tourer
Baton Rouge, La
PS: Is that you with the Rocket out there Thunderbolt? Getting ready for the "Thunder Beach Rally" at end of month. You going?

[R J]

Buddy of mine has one on his bike and everyone that has ridden behind him has told him to ride very careful during the daylight hours. You have to pay very close attention to it to see when he is braking. IMHO, I wouldn't even think about one of these.
Ride safe and keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
Leon
"97 Tourer
Baton Rouge, La
PS: Is that you with the Rocket out there Thunderbolt? Getting ready for the "Thunder Beach Rally" at end of month. You going?

Hate to say this brother, but your buddy does not have a Radiant 128 led panel in his taillight if they can't see it in the daylight.

[SlowRoad]

RJ, I believe he was referring to the 1157 replacement, as was I. I have seen some of the other setups that are very bright, but the rotating/pulsating 1157 replacement that was originally mentioned is not a good choice to be seen from behind. 

[R J]

RJ, I believe he was referring to the 1157 replacement, as was I. I have seen some of the other setups that are very bright, but the rotating/pulsating 1157 replacement that was originally mentioned is not a good choice to be seen from behind. 

I will agree with  ya on the rotating bulb.  It is worthless..  I have 3 or 4 of them in the garage in case anyone wants one.  You pay the shipping and you can have one or all of em.    That is, if I can still find em in my junk box...........