crashed again

[simmsj45]

Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal light bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from the LEDs low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's worth the higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles operate on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). Thanks for reply

[dumbazz_650]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "simmsj45" wrote:

> Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal light > bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from the LEDs > low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its > brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my > headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's worth the > higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles operate > on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). > > Thanks for reply

A few folks have done that, and with some clever engineering made it work reliably. You will need to replace the blinker relay as the stocker is expecting a much larger current to trip the thermal breaker. Them LEDs use a tiny fraction of the current needed for incandescant bulbs. There was a lister who had built a solid-state relay blinker using a PIC micro controller, very accurate and would work with almost any load, LEDs to incandescant (? Mike in crestline). IMHO, for power saving objectives, it's not really worth the time -because the blinkers are only on about 0.5% of the time. Instead, I'd recommend the DualStar LED tail/brake light. And the instrument LEDs from totallywiredcycles.com. The tail and instrument lights are on whenever the bike is running, so there's much more energy savings to be had there. These mods would probably net about 20 watts of savings during everday use. On the other hand, if you're doing it for a coolness factor... MarkB

[Rob Lefebvre]

I purchased some 1157 equivalent LED bulbs on eBay for around $15.00. They worked but where not as bright as the stock bulb so I put the regular bulb back in. If someone knows of a good quality LED tail light replacement that is brighter than stock, I would like to hear about it. I tried LED bulbs in my blinkers on my DR650, but they shine straight out, or in the case of blinkers, they shine into the side of the blinker housing instead of out through the lens. I have not had the KLR blinker covers off but assume the same bulb orientation based on the thickness of the housing. Rob -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of simmsj45 Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 12:04 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] LED Signal light bulbs Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal light bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from the LEDs low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's worth the higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles operate on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). Thanks for reply Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links

[Eric L. Green]

On Tue, 10 May 2005, Rob Lefebvre wrote:

> I tried LED bulbs in my blinkers on my DR650, but they shine straight > out, or in the case of blinkers, they shine into the side of the blinker > housing instead of out through the lens. I have not had the KLR blinker > covers off but assume the same bulb orientation based on the thickness > of the housing.

Nope, the KLR blinker (at least the rear ones) shine backwards, rather than sitting sideways and relying on a reflector to get their light out the back. Given that you also have to replace the flasher if you put LED bulbs in (otherwise it won't flash) and that there's no power savings because your flashers are almost never on (unless you're a little old lady driving 35mph in the fast lane on the freeway), about the only reason I can see to do it is robustness i.e. if you crash a lot you don't have to worry about your bulb. But from a point of view of functionality, it ought to work just fine in a KLR, given the way the KLR turn signals are designed. -E

[Chaz Cooper - Hotmail]

I just replaced the incandescent license plate with the LED license plate light from TotallyWiredCycles.com. I'm sure it's not legal as a license plate light, but it sure glows bright red from the rear - adds a bunch to visibility. My guess is that I'll be OK unless some officer is *really* bored some night.... Chuck

----- Original Message ----- From: dumbazz_650 To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 10:22 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: LED Signal light bulbs --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "simmsj45" wrote: > Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal light > bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from the LEDs > low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its > brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my > headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's worth the > higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles operate > on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). > > Thanks for reply A few folks have done that, and with some clever engineering made it work reliably. You will need to replace the blinker relay as the stocker is expecting a much larger current to trip the thermal breaker. Them LEDs use a tiny fraction of the current needed for incandescant bulbs. There was a lister who had built a solid-state relay blinker using a PIC micro controller, very accurate and would work with almost any load, LEDs to incandescant (? Mike in crestline). IMHO, for power saving objectives, it's not really worth the time -because the blinkers are only on about 0.5% of the time. Instead, I'd recommend the DualStar LED tail/brake light. And the instrument LEDs from totallywiredcycles.com. The tail and instrument lights are on whenever the bike is running, so there's much more energy savings to be had there. These mods would probably net about 20 watts of savings during everday use. On the other hand, if you're doing it for a coolness factor... MarkB Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rob Lefebvre]

I agree on the power savings for blinkers. My idea would be to convert to LED, change the socket to a three wire, and use the front (and possibly the rear) blinkers as additional running lights/blinkers. I did this on my '86 BMW and it worked great using regular bulbs. Today I would use LED bulbs for the KLR. Rob -----Original Message----- From: Eric L. Green [mailto:ericnospam@...] Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 2:35 PM To: Rob Lefebvre Cc: simmsj45; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] LED Signal light bulbs

On Tue, 10 May 2005, Rob Lefebvre wrote: > I tried LED bulbs in my blinkers on my DR650, but they shine straight > out, or in the case of blinkers, they shine into the side of the blinker > housing instead of out through the lens. I have not had the KLR blinker > covers off but assume the same bulb orientation based on the thickness > of the housing. Nope, the KLR blinker (at least the rear ones) shine backwards, rather than sitting sideways and relying on a reflector to get their light out the back. Given that you also have to replace the flasher if you put LED bulbs in (otherwise it won't flash) and that there's no power savings because your flashers are almost never on (unless you're a little old lady driving 35mph in the fast lane on the freeway), about the only reason I can see to do it is robustness i.e. if you crash a lot you don't have to worry about your bulb. But from a point of view of functionality, it ought to work just fine in a KLR, given the way the KLR turn signals are designed. -E

[hobbhavnklr650]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "simmsj45" wrote:

> Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal light > bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from the

LEDs

> low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its > brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my > headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's worth

the

> higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles

operate

> on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). > > Thanks for reply

Last month, I found myself doing someting I don't much like, driving in city traffic (Boise) in the dark. At an intersection, a driver one lane over was good enough to clue me in to the fact that I was running with no taillight. I had just crossed railroad track and the vibration probably broke the filament in the 1157 bulb. Without a spare, I was dead in the water. I decided then to try a LED bulb, hoping for improved brightness and durability. After I received it, I was happy with the light for the taillight, but when the brake was applied, I was disappointed. I would expect better if I replaced the entire assembly with the unit Dual Star offers, but for now its back to the universal 1157. Shortly I will be installing a Back Off Brake Light Modulator and call it good for the time being.

[jeff]

-I installed an LED brakelight/taillight...is comprised of 10 LEDs that have a rotating effect, and all flash when brake applied. Brighter at night, but my girlfriend says its still hard to see in the daylight. But she wears glasses, so who knows. Check this link for the item...half way down...http://www.cfrlights.com/sdc.html -- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "hobbhavnklr650" wrote:

> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "simmsj45" wrote: > > Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal

light

> > bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from

the

> LEDs > > low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its > > brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my > > headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's

worth

> the > > higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles > operate > > on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). > > > > Thanks for reply > > Last month, I found myself doing someting I don't much like,

driving in

> city traffic (Boise) in the dark. At an intersection, a driver one

lane

> over was good enough to clue me in to the fact that I was running

with

> no taillight. I had just crossed railroad track and the vibration > probably broke the filament in the 1157 bulb. Without a spare, I

was

> dead in the water. I decided then to try a LED bulb, hoping for > improved brightness and durability. After I received it, I was

happy

> with the light for the taillight, but when the brake was applied, I

was

> disappointed. I would expect better if I replaced the entire

assembly

> with the unit Dual Star offers, but for now its back to the

universal

> 1157. Shortly I will be installing a Back Off Brake Light Modulator

and

> call it good for the time being.

[don cain]

Not legal for use in California......... -d

On 5/10/05, Jeff wrote: > -I installed an LED brakelight/taillight...is comprised of 10 LEDs > that have a rotating effect, and all flash when brake applied. > Brighter at night, but my girlfriend says its still hard to see in > the daylight. But she wears glasses, so who knows. > Check this link for the item...half way > down...http://www.cfrlights.com/sdc.html > > -- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "hobbhavnklr650" > wrote: > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "simmsj45" wrote: > > > Has anyone had any experience with replacing their stock signal > light > > > bulbs with the LED signal light bulbs. I want to benefit from > the > > LEDs > > > low power consumption, longer life span, low heat output, and its > > > brighter visiblity. I really want to increase the power of my > > > headlight for night time driving. Can anyone tell me if it's > worth > > the > > > higher price? Also, can the LED bulbs designed for automobiles > > operate > > > on a motorcycle like the KLR (ie. plug-in-play). > > > > > > Thanks for reply > > > > Last month, I found myself doing someting I don't much like, > driving in > > city traffic (Boise) in the dark. At an intersection, a driver one > lane > > over was good enough to clue me in to the fact that I was running > with > > no taillight. I had just crossed railroad track and the vibration > > probably broke the filament in the 1157 bulb. Without a spare, I > was > > dead in the water. I decided then to try a LED bulb, hoping for > > improved brightness and durability. After I received it, I was > happy > > with the light for the taillight, but when the brake was applied, I > was > > disappointed. I would expect better if I replaced the entire > assembly > > with the unit Dual Star offers, but for now its back to the > universal > > 1157. Shortly I will be installing a Back Off Brake Light Modulator > and > > call it good for the time being. > > Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > -- --My greatest fear in life is not death, but waking up one morning ordinary and predictable.

[Arden Kysely]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "CA Stu" wrote:

> Good thing you were wearing all that gear, 10 out of 10 for that. > > Glad you're OK. > > Maybe you should attend a riding school. > > Thanks > CA Stu > > PS I enjoyed the article, should have rode your KLR, I would have > enjoyed it more...

But I would have been even more exhausted from picking up all those extra pounds! The riding schools are great and can teach you lots of skills you may not learn on your own, but it's always up to you to do the thinking. I was having too much fun and paid the price. It was the first time I've been down on the pavement since about 1984, I'm just happy it turned out OK. __Arden