LED headlight installed and a tail-light question

[Deleted member 4372]

Yesterday I installed an LED headlight bulb. I put a pair on my Wee Strom and now have one in the NC. Purchased from ADVMonster, a vendor on ADVRider.
Light went in easily, more easily than the 'strom. It is BRIGHT and it draws a whole lot less amps, my main purpose since I wear Warm and Safe heated liners from head to toe. Plus heated grips.
Recommended.
Now I'm futzing with a Back-Off XP brake light blinker (Five blinks, then steady, on brake application) What's the hot trick for getting the plastic wire-holders to come apart? It's an awkward place to work, under the tail of the bike. I tried to see if I could get enough wiring exposed under the passenger seat, but it quickly runs under the fuel tank and I really don't want to dive into tank removal.
So those pesky clips: who knows the secret to their coming apart?
TIA-squared.

 

[misterk]

Do you have a link to the bulb you purchased


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[StratTuner]

Now I'm futzing with a Back-Off XP brake light blinker (Five blinks, then steady, on brake application) What's the hot trick for getting the plastic wire-holders to come apart? It's an awkward place to work, under the tail of the bike. I tried to see if I could get enough wiring exposed under the passenger seat, but it quickly runs under the fuel tank and I really don't want to dive into tank removal.
So those pesky clips: who knows the secret to their coming apart?
TIA-squared.

The LED headlight I used is [HERE].

There is an access panel under the rear seat just in front of the rear brake light assembly. One phillips screw opens it, and all the tail light assembly wiring is easily accessible. The clips have hook that hold them together. Compress the hooks, and the clips come undone. I didn't figure that out at first, so I just cut the wires and started splicing in to them.

I have the G-Force flasher chip installed under there....it flashes when you apply the brakes, then if it senses the rate of stop increases, it flashes again EVEN if you didn't let go of the brake. See [HERE] It's $30, and worth it...
NB: mount it flat like a coin flat on a table. Mounting it on its side causes it to fail.

I installed it "as is" with no programming..(you can actually program it!) then ran an LED light (temporary) to the front of the bike connected to the brake circuit. This allowed me to know when the brake light was "ON" and what it was doing in real time. The chip is an excellent piece of equipment. 'feel much safer with it working for me.

(no affiliation with the company!)

Here's a photo...

 

[Beemerphile]

Yesterday I installed an LED headlight bulb. I put a pair on my Wee Strom and now have one in the NC. Purchased from ADVMonster, a vendor on ADVRider.
Light went in easily, more easily than the 'strom. It is BRIGHT and it draws a whole lot less amps, my main purpose since I wear Warm and Safe heated liners from head to toe. Plus heated grips.
Recommended.
Now I'm futzing with a Back-Off XP brake light blinker (Five blinks, then steady, on brake application) What's the hot trick for getting the plastic wire-holders to come apart? It's an awkward place to work, under the tail of the bike. I tried to see if I could get enough wiring exposed under the passenger seat, but it quickly runs under the fuel tank and I really don't want to dive into tank removal.
So those pesky clips: who knows the secret to their coming apart?
TIA-squared.

Did you try accessing the wires through the flap cover above the rear tire?

 

[misterk]

Strat which bulb did you get the h4? Is it plug and play?


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[spets]

Nice Rainier, you're copying me. I also have a light from Advmonster, and the Backoff XP flasher.

I used the compartment that is above the rear tire, coming in from underneath. I simply cut the wires and added bullet connectors to connect them to the backoff flasher.

 

[Deleted member 4372]

Yes, found the compartment thanks to my NEWLY ARRIVED factory service manual. (Had the local office supply shop open it up from its binding, punch holes and give me four copies of the index. Put it in four binders, none of which are very large, with an index at the start of each. 1,2,3,4 on a shelf in the garage: perfect!)
I just never quite know how to work those clips. I ended up cutting the brake line and using two Posi-Locks to attach the two wires needed from the BackOff XP module. Then a Posi-tap to tap into the ground for the XP module. Tested it and discovered that I have no brake light from the hand-brake, only the foot-lever. Must be forward of the brake light. Wondering if I did something when I installed the Rox Risers: over tensioned the brake switch? Tomorrow I'll have to investigate and for now remember to always use the pedal, too, when braking--something I typically do anyway.
Not sure if I'm copying you, Spets, but no harm if I am! I have had the same setup on the V-Strom for quite awhile. I'll be selling it soon; hope the new owner appreciates that headlight and brake flasher as much as I do.
If someone's looking for an LED headlight, go to advrider.com and look in the vendors section. Advmonster is there along with a couple of other LED headlight vendors. All are, I believe, good, selling good stuff. Pick one.

 

[StratTuner]

Strat which bulb did you get the h4? Is it plug and play?

It is plug and play. The bulb has a cable attached to it with a small box on it...and the existing cable plugs on to that box. Not sure what the box does.

Study the bulb carefully, as you can get the bulb's fitting in entirely and then seat the bulb itself with a push and quarter turn.
Trying to put it in fully assembled... not a good idea... (I know because I did that. )

I got the "H4 / HB2 / 9003". copied that from my order.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

It is plug and play. The bulb has a cable attached to it with a small box on it...and the existing cable plugs on to that box. Not sure what the box does.

Study the bulb carefully, as you can get the bulb's fitting in entirely and then seat the bulb itself with a push and quarter turn.
Trying to put it in fully assembled... not a good idea... (I know because I did that. )

I got the "H4 / HB2 / 9003". copied that from my order.

How is the light output? Is there any scatered light? I had a LED bulb in just after I bought the bike and there was so much scattered light I could barely tell the difference between low beam and high. Price is right.

 

[Deleted member 4372]

Spets
I see you're a Wetsider, over in my home town. I'm east of the mountains now, no more drizzly days, a real tan is possible--not mere rusting.
But you Seattle folk are trendsetters, so I humbly acknowledge that your leadership re lights and brake light modulators inspired me, and I thank you!
Rainier

 

[supertux1]

I've got a GearBrake on order, they're going to try to make me a 2016 harness that'll I'll also tap for an alarm etc... 2016 brake wiring is all different, easier to access actually and there's quite a bit of space behind the LED brakelight for whatever. Are the LED lights you have waterproof? Anyone tried the "Cyclops" brand?

 

[StratTuner]

How is the light output? Is there any scatered light? I had a LED bulb in just after I bought the bike and there was so much scattered light I could barely tell the difference between low beam and high. Price is right.

There is a definite difference between high and low beam.
Low beam casts a wide circle of light DOWN on the road ahead (Scattered?).
High beam casts UP directly in front of you.

I did (finally) bite the bullet and learn how to adjust the headlight's vertical tilt.
It works backward to what the service manual said, but maybe that's peculiar to the 2012 model.

Adjusting: (just what I did ... may not be the best choice)

• Phillips screw is on the right side next to the head light assembly.
• I used my left hand and a very short phillips screw driver.
• reach in under the beak plastic and locate the adjusting screw head with your index finger tip.. Don't continue until you can do that without looking.
• seat the screwdriver in the screw head and turn to figure out what moves the beam up/down.
• go for night time ride
• ride, adjust, observe.... repeat... until happy with low/high beam positions.
  

This LED is a lot better than the original light. I've managed to burn out the LED light (different brand) before this one... not sure why. I'm hoping the "Stark" brand (Tony Stark?) will last longer.

 

[StratTuner]

I've got a GearBrake on order, they're going to try to make me a 2016 harness that'll I'll also tap for an alarm etc... 2016 brake wiring is all different, easier to access actually and there's quite a bit of space behind the LED brakelight for whatever. Are the LED lights you have waterproof? Anyone tried the "Cyclops" brand?

Wow! 2016 model (sigh)... I'm looking forward to that... 'course... the deal at home is I have to wear out the 2012's engine first... so when it finally quits, I can get the 2016 model...
I'm at 82K miles right now and have never had a major problem. This could take a while!

[HERE] are the LEDs I use. Not sure if they're water proof. This one lights up the tail light red housing better than the original, I would say.

Someone on the board here taught me to use red LEDs for red applications and yellow for yellow.
Using white and counting on the red or yellow lens to change the color, apparently, doesn't produce a solid red/yellow color.

 

[Ricochet]

It is plug and play. The bulb has a cable attached to it with a small box on it...and the existing cable plugs on to that box. Not sure what the box does.

Most likely a cooling fan or some cooling system (covered heat sink fins). LED headlights put out A LOT of heat.

 

[Ricochet]

[HERE] are the LEDs I use. Not sure if they're water proof. This one lights up the tail light red housing better than the original, I would say.

No troubles?? The prod description specifically says not for MC applications. Wondering if that just means turn signal application but is OK for running/brake light.

 

[spets]

Probably says that because they don't give out a white light to light up the license plate on motorcycles like our NC.

 

[StratTuner]

No troubles?? The prod description specifically says not for MC applications. Wondering if that just means turn signal application but is OK for running/brake light.

My guess is that it says that because the flash regulator has to be replaced. The stock flash regulator will flash the turn signals at 2X speed because it thinks something is burned out since they use so little power.

Before I started this, I replaced the flash regulator with one that will work with LED lights.

If it says "not for MC use" then.... it's wrong...

 

[2brnut2b]

I've got a GearBrake on order, they're going to try to make me a 2016 harness that'll I'll also tap for an alarm etc... 2016 brake wiring is all different, easier to access actually and there's quite a bit of space behind the LED brakelight for whatever. Are the LED lights you have waterproof? Anyone tried the "Cyclops" brand?

Hi superlux, I have a Cyclop LED headlight on the NC...easy install and it do the job more than I taught. It is just perfect...maybe a bit more than perfect...ok it is just...perfect !

 

[LM15]

+1 on the Cyclops LED headlight bulb. I am running one now. They are great and really light up the night. However, you will have to adjust the alignment as mentioned above.