Rear light's for safety

3846 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Tom Schmitz, Jun 15, 2010

freetroy

Discussion Starter · Jun 13, 2010

I have this small problem with my rear light - photo below. I have also ordered the HT Teton pannier - which I will have to do some rewiring for the back break lights during the installation process. So I thought this would be a good time to redo my back lighting system.

Apparently it fell off during a ride and I didn't notice until I got home:

After riding behind my BMW friends on a recent outing I came to the conclusion that the LED lighting system was far and above the stock KLR system for getting the attention of people behind you (which if anyone has ever driven in Utah know this can be the difference between life and death.)

My goal here is to:
1 - Make me more visible to people driving behind me
2 - replace rear light break light and signals with brighter LED
3 - install a self flashing relay
4 - Do it on the cheap - like any good KLR owner should
5 - And have it work!!

I have ordered some lights off ebay that look good and are cheap - around $25. Currently trying to find a DOT approved LED break light for a fair price - then I can find a relay to work with it.

Here is a link to another thread that talks about this:

http://www.klrforum.com/showthread.php?t=8791

How to mount the lights has already been solved so I don't have to sweat that - thanks to the forum here:

http://www.klrforum.com/showthread.php?t=3329

Any input or suggestions during the process are more than welcome.
If you have done any break light Mods already, I would love to see photo's!

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Tom Schmitz

· #6 · Jun 15, 2010 (Edited)

freetroy-

When I relocated my license plate I also installed a pair of 180 degree corner market lights that are meant to be used on the corners of big rig trailers.

These things are bright LEDs and are fairly cheap and can be found lots of places on-line and probably at any decent truck supply store.

There are pictures somewhere on the forum, but I'll add a photo later.

My goal with these was to have brighter brake lights and also better visibility for drivers that sit up higher than a normal passenger car.

I think that even one of the mounted on your fender below the tail light would be good.

They can be wired in parallel with the stock brake light with no relay being necessary.

Tom

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Tom Schmitz

· #8 · Jun 15, 2010 (Edited)

Lockjaw said:
...He rides the blue 08, but we still like him.

It will be featured on page 1163 of the 2011 edition of the 'Manly Man Manual'...

Here's what the LED corner marker lights look like.

Kinda fuzzy, sorry.

And where they are on my bike - I think one would fit on most any rear fender. Better yet, perhaps. would be two in a "T" formation.

Tom

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Tom Schmitz

· #10 · Jun 15, 2010 (Edited)

freetroy said:
When is that manual coming out? Can I pre order?

I don't have any association with the publisher - the Very Interesting And Gentlemanly Riding Association (VIAGRA) but I suspect it may be out in a half-year or so. These guys have some trouble keeping things up, so you shouldn't hold your breath...

By the way, the current president of the organization is Jonathan Goldsmith (The Most Interesting Man In the World).

freetroy said:
so you run both signal light?

The two lights on either side of the license plate are used to augment the stock brake light, yes.

freetroy said:
...I like the blue

Thanks!

Tom

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Tom Schmitz

· #12 · Jun 15, 2010 (Edited)

CBT-

The blue grips got covered up with Grip Buddies. No more cramps.

The bags went away in favor of Cortech Sports.

The seat went away.. Oh, you get the idea.

Tom

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