Please think twice about switching to LED signals

I ride in a lot of crazy city traffic (Detroit.)

I was on the freeway yesterday in rush hour and was running "in formation" with a guy on a Honda 929 Racebike-looking thing. For the first few lane changes I didn't even realize he HAD turn signals; then I spotted his little ineffective cute LED signals.

Ineffective being the operative word. I could barely see them.

A LOT of those little bullet-shaped LED turn signals LOOK really nifty; but how visible are they?
Turn signals you have to LOOK FOR to see aren't going to be seen, especially by some foo' in their cage who ISN'T looking for them.
Yes, the original Yamaha units are quite often overly-large and clunky; they can be replaced with more modern units without sacrificing safety.

Just please think twice about exactly how EFFECTIVE those itty-bitty LEDs are gonna be if you have to look for them to see them. Especially to that lady in the SUV with the heavily tinted windows putting on makeup while she's talking on her cell phone (at 75 mph.)

 

Right on Fitz! I agree 100% with you.... LED's really dont do much in the daylight, most/all of the videos of replacement led lights I have seen are taken at night. People watch the video and say holy cow those things are bright when actually you cant see them during the day which happens to be when you need them most.

If they ever get around to creating a 1156/1157 bulb option based on the CREE led module I may convert then but in the meantime I am considering giving a 50 watt halogen bulb a shot on the rear signals.

 

A good example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1t_T5m-wQI

 

i agree wholeheartedly...

ive seen one of the squid bikes with the turnsignals integrated into the taillight. the light turns amber vs red when in turn signal mode. VERY imperceptible except that being a rider, i was looking for them...

ive got a set of Chacal's BigFitz turn signals but ive not installed them yet. i got them for my 900r but im trying to decide whether or not to put a set on the 750r or not. what i have wont mount to the 750 set up so id have to look for a pair that would work IF i decide to change them over...

thanks for the heads up...

 

SecaRob,
They have LED bulb replacements for 1156/1157 bulbs but imho, they are just not bright enough. I replaced by brake light on my 650 maxim with one and put the regular bulb back in it because it just wasn't bright enough.

 

Wesley, I am actually running a pair of 1157's in the tail light. Like you I just was not happy with them so I installed a set of Electropods on the rear license plate so now I am just ok with the setup. I am looking at adding a set of baby bullets to the rear wired soley as a brake light. I am hoping that in addition to the 1157's the bullets will get me where I want to be.

Regarding the rear turn signals. I am currently in the process of covering all the exposed black inside of the housing with aluminum foil tape in hopes of maximizing it's effectiveness. I also plan to test some 50 watt halogens back there but will seek feedback from this forum first.

 

led's belong on light panels to electrical components not on vehicles that are to be driven on the roads at anytime of the day or night. I, for one refuse to run them on any of my vehicles. i drive a truck around brisbane allday everyday and the amount of times i have to squint to see if there lights are working is making me look like an asian, (no offense intended). this is even moreso during dawn and dusk when the sun is in your eyes or hitting the vehicle in front on the rear. as the man said. PLEASE THINK TWICE. then just don't do it

 

I think that condemning all LED's as too dim is a rash generalization. On the ZZR600 I had last year I installed an LED tail light assembly with integrated turn signals. That unit from Clear Alternatives was/is DRAMATICALLY brighter than the OEM incandescent bulbs. I'm constantly being told by other riders how visible the tail and indication lighting is on that bike, and it's not at night. There's very little night riding in Alaska when the sun sets at midnight.

It is ignorant to say that all LEDS are too dim and shouldn't be used at indication lighting on vehicles. If you are only going to go out and spend a few dollars for some crappy replacement, drop in 1157-like LED bulbs, then they will be dim. A proper set up has a complete circuit card behind it, with all the resistors, capacitors and transformers needed to optimize the output.

I for one think that LED's are great. Just don't buy s****y ones.

Think about it, why are all new high power, high dollar flashlights going to LED's? Because the consumer wants a dimmer flashlight? No.
*** Edited by Robert, mind the language please! Thanks!***

 

Not all LEDs are created equal. I have used the cheaper LED signal lights on one of my bikes with poor results (too dim in bright sunlight)
But now I found a pair that are very bright and work very well (hense, more expensive)
I've had the same delemna with tail lights. Some just don't work as well as others. I followed a sport bike last week with an LED tail light with the intigrated signal lights in them and it did not impress me one bit. Actually it was dangerous. If I could have caught up with the rider, I would of suggested another option (driving a truck, so he as alot faster on takeoff then me)
An option to make the tail light/brake light brighter is to glue tin foil inside the tael light, around the bulb. It will reflect more light. Another good idea (I use) is to replace the 1157 tailight bulb(s) with a 2357 bulb (found at any auto store) The running light is the same wattage/brightness, but the brake light is alot brighter and being you don't use it steady, it won't hurt your charging system. Just a thought.

 

PainterD, switching over to the 2357 is indeed a cheap upgrade over the 1157. If my memory is correct the net result is a 10% increase on the brake light.

Regarding the turn signals, I am currently testing a set of 35 watt halogens on the rear. Talk about bright, will post pictures soon.

Rob

 

I live in the uk where turn signals are not compulsory. Its just better that way, if we needed them god wouldnt have given us arms

 

I have the stock taillight on my 83 650 lamped with led replacement bulbs. I find the tail light to be bright enough for daytime driving, plus the led's give a nice strobing effect of I tap the brake lever rapidly when about to apply the brakes.

 

Short_,
What is the make of the led's you are using?

 

Cheapest LED flasher unit here!

http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/VirtualV ... ZQQ_sasiZ1

 

My original point still stands. Itty-bitty 3/4" diameter bullet LED signals (I'm talking about signaling lane changes in high-speed traffic) simply aren't visible enough to be SAFE.

Yes, it's possible to replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs successfully in a lot of applications. I see way too many folks changing out effective (but admittedly less than stylish) turn signals for little tiny hard-to-see bullets.

That was my point.

 

Fitz, I still agree 100% with you on the led turn signals. However an led solution might be just around the corner. The video below is the supplemental brake light that I'll be installing this winter - they are the 2 smaller units toward the center of the car.

The lights do come in amber but a pricey


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18GVyg9Dzio