Increase brake light output.

[OriginalRocket]

I am looking for a simple easy to do brake light modification. I'd like to just drop a brighter bulb into the socket. That would make things easier.

I find the brake light of this bike weak. My PCX 125cc scooter is brighter and much larger visible area. (more of the bike is actually lit up!) I don't want to replace the brake light assembly.

I searched into LED replacement bulbs, but my research supports the factory OEM bulb to be the brightest.

I searched here on the forums and found the sophisticated LED light bar that Beemerphile (sp) did to his bike, I think that kind of work is out of my league money, skill and time wise.

I thought I saw a month ago about a simple LED bar that would replace the rear reflector. Trying to find that thread.

Any other ideas or replacement bulbs that would be brighter in the on position and brighter in a braking situation?

I do a substantial amount of night riding. And a new job position working nights I want to be visible! I have reflectors in my jacket, on my head, on the bike. I want to increase the actual light output of my bike.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Beemerphile]

I was the one who mentioned an LED the same size as the reflector. It was this one...

Strobes N' More

They are quite bright.

 

[FrankQC]

Quite interesting. I have a Whelen TIR3 on my bike, and it really looks like the Strobes N' More you described

Whelen Engineering - Lightheads - Lightheads, Directional Strobe, Super-LED®, LED, Halogen & Combination

Who copied who ?!

 

[dduelin]

I haven't done this yet but it is on my list. I will replace the reflector above the tail light with a Whelen TIR3 led lighthead like the one I mounted on my ST1300. It is a perfect fit in place of the OEM reflector and all the mounting necessary is to drill two small holes. The wiring splices into the brake light harness. Sometimes you can find them used on fleaBay for about $25 to $50 or $90 new.

 

[Beemerphile]

Quite interesting. I have a Whelen TIR3 on my bike, and it really looks like the Strobes N' More you described

Whelen Engineering - Lightheads - Lightheads, Directional Strobe, Super-LED®, LED, Halogen & Combination

Who copied who ?!

Strobes copied Whelen. I have used both and find Strobes to be as good for less money. I am a Whelen fanboy, but these are nice. I am using the amber version of this as front lights on my NC

Strobes n more has a comparison to the TIR3 on their web site. You cannot tell the difference.

There are some hot 1157 bulbs that you can use if you are careful not to run the stop filament more than 10 seconds or so at a time. There are some 30 watt H1157 bulbs and some non- halogen 1157A bulbs like these...

http://store.candlepower.com/11subrhi2bu.html

Or you can use a 2357 bulb but it will only last 400 hours instead of 1200

 

[dduelin]

Strobes copied Whelen. I have used both and find Strobes to be as good for less money. I am a Whelen fanboy, but these are nice. I am using the amber version of this as front lights on my NC

If they are as good what the heck for $40 vs $90 for the Whelen.

 

[OriginalRocket]

Wow thanks guys! lots of options. I'm not afraid to pull the brake light assembly.... I've actually already have it off the bike in preparation for some sort of modification.

I think I'll give the 2357 bulb a try. Orsam/Sylvania has a Long Life edition. 650 rated hours instead of 400. With a pack of 2 for $4 bucks at my local store I'll just pop a new bulb in once a year, maybe around spring time when I pull the bike out of storage.

 

[FrankQC]

If they are as good what the heck for $40 vs $90 for the Whelen.

I paid my Whelen $50 locally. (GyroTech ¤ Équipements pour véhicules de sécurité et d'urgence)

and found them a lot cheaper than $90 online:

http://www.strobesnmore.com/Whelen-TIR3-Super-LEDs.html $52.99

http://www.sirennet.com/newwhtisuled.html $53.82

http://www.fleetsafety.com/TIR3-Whelen-LED-Lighthead-28 $49.94

Just tried Google, first 3 results...

 

[goodrick]

I had my tail assembly apart for a different reason, and it appears The Hulk put on the main screw to the tail light. I twisted that thing as hard as I could with my biggest screwdriver and only managed to bugger up the bolt.

Anybody else have this trouble?

 

[draco_1967]

Were you using a standard Phillips driver, or the JIS driver that came with the bike?
Standard Phillips are almost guaranteed to ruin fasteners on Japanese bikes.
I found my tail light assembly was also screwed on very tight, but with the JIS driver, it came off without damage to the screw.

 

[dduelin]

Were you using a standard Phillips driver, or the JIS driver that came with the bike?
Standard Phillips are almost guaranteed to ruin fasteners on Japanese bikes.
I found my tail light assembly was also screwed on very tight, but with the JIS driver, it came off without damage to the screw.

+ 1. JIS tool is required.

 

[Beemerphile]

I had my tail assembly apart for a different reason, and it appears The Hulk put on the main screw to the tail light. I twisted that thing as hard as I could with my biggest screwdriver and only managed to bugger up the bolt.

Anybody else have this trouble?

A set of these...

RJRCOOLTOOLS

And one of these...

Amazon.com: bosch ps41-2a

and you will never have one of these...



So you will never need one of these...

 

[goodrick]

I was using a regular Phillips. I will give the JIS driver a try. Thanks!

 

[goodrick]

I went to use that POS JIS screwdriver that came with the bike. It just spun inside itself the moment I twisted on it. Guess I will see about a JIS bit, as suggested, for use with a more robust driver.

 

[L.B.S.]

I went to use that POS JIS screwdriver that came with the bike. It just spun inside itself the moment I twisted on it. Guess I will see about a JIS bit, as suggested, for use with a more robust driver.

I haven't looked at the one in my toolkit yet.

Is it a phillips on one end and a flat blade on the other, with a "crimp" or "flange" in the center?

Does this slide into a hollow metal tube handle?

It's possible to push the driver section a bit too far into the handle, and that flange or crimp doesn't line up with the mating slots in the handle. This would cause the driver to spin if it wasn't properly engaged in the handle slots.

 

[goodrick]

That's the tool. Looked like it was lined up. But I will double check it. Still would be nice to have a molded unit, something to attack the back tail light, which King Kong screwed on. My 1157 LED bulb is "en route."