Must admit I do like them, but find the cost very high......

lvog57 wrote:Hi

I'm Bert's brother.....

whoo whoo! He came out of the closet.

Welcome brother!

Now we just need a pic of his ride CF and he will be fully outed!

"whoo whoo! He came out of the closet."

Bert, I'm sure your brother is a good bloke...but I still may have worded that a bit differently.

Hi Ivog57.

Yep you are right.
What I just wanted to say is that it took him a long time to join our community.
He's obsessed with his bike and believe me, you can put his K in a show room and people will believe that it's a brand new motorcycle even if the odometer shows more than 100ks.

The Grey K is his. (This was at one of the NB rally. You can see that few Ks are attending this gathering).

Nice!

For the rear light I have the "run-n-lights". K2Tail light enhancer. They are not LED but are a major improvement over stock. And they are cheap. Ok let me be upfront I do work part time for the company that makes them. But I had them on my k1100 and k100 long before I started to work there. If anyone wants more info just ask.

Can you post a link?

I am not allowed to post a link yet. But the company is EPM performance. You can goggle them.

Thanks.

Ainsjac, Supercheap sell a dudad already made to add to the wiring for changing bulbs to leds. They reckon it is good for brake and indicator wiring. I think it is less than $20 and is designed to load the system so it thinks it has a bulb in it.

Thanks Dave. I will check them out in the next few days.

good to see ivog doing some posting ......couldnt help myself ....2 posts in 3 years ....woohoo!!!! welcome back



thanks for the pic bert ...some impressive "k"s there

Canberra Dave. I checked out the gizmos for the leds. They are about $18 at Repco. The trouble is that you need one for each light....too expensive.
I will keep the old technology.....thanks again.

No worries Ainsjac. The guys at work have been posting some info on our internal board about putting resistors in the line to load it up.

If I get a chance tomorrow I will try and track the info down. Instructions seemed pretty simple. The other option is a (I think) digital flasher unit. They are made specifically for LED conversions I think and are in the vicinity of around $50 (may be less). That way you only need one.

Or try this http://www.customled.com/products/flasher_relay/flasher_relay.htm

I just searched on digital flasher unit for LED. They are available in Aust.

Dave

Here is another one in Aust:

http://www.ledshoponline.com/electronic_flasher_cans.htm

Not a bad set of options here. No need to replace conectors.

http://www.ledshoponline.com/automotive_leds.htm

For the resistors go to a jaycar store and get some 7 or 8 Ohm resistors that are rated at 10watts they will be a white ceramic about 25mm long and 10mm square with a wire at each end. Put them across the two wires that the indicator hangs of and insulate with heat shrink tube and all fixed.

Thanks K Freak....so many suggestions. Will check things out in the next week. At this stage I have some ploughing to do.....going around in circles....getting nowhere.

Check out this DIY LED flasher for K1100s. Should work for K100s as well:

DIY LED flasher relay

Nice find Rob!

Excuse my ignorance, but is the idea behind this modification to be able to drive (during the day) with only the parking light illuminated? Is that possible with the electrical layout of the bike? I think on my 1985 K100RS the ignition and main light come on when the key is in the second position; when in the first position I don't think the ignition is hot.
When the bike is underway, I think both the parking and the main headlight are illuminated. If this is the case, where is the enhanced safety with this mod? Surely if the cager is so inept at driving as to let the bike's main headlight go unnoticed, the brighter parking light would be of no effect.

In USA you have had to have the headlight on for the past 3 decades or so but this is not the case in Australia where I live (the car drivers are just as blind here) and many other places at the time these bikes were made. The LEDs seem to be a brighter white light and I think they are better and anything that has the possibility of saving your ass then it is worthwhile. But I will draw the line at a red flashing light on my helmet.
I don't wish to spoil my record of 44 years without a traffic accident.

Brickrider,

You have some valid points but....
First you have to consider that the European version had the original switch where you could turn the head light on/off.
For the NA version (without this switch), you have to consider that the LEDs are as or more visible than the head light during day time (Just check the new cars coming to the market with LEDs in stead of regular bulbs) .
The third advantage is the night time driving.
If the LEDs are good enough during day time, It would be easy to install a switch to turn off the head light.
It's Canadian winter here, and I have not been able to ride and test this system. Hopefully, spring will soon come and I will have a definite answer.

Cheers

Bert

K Freak wrote: But I will draw the line at a red flashing light on my helmet.

I do have a set of brake lights to install on my helmet. They are wireless and battery operated. They flash when you brake.
All the systems are working on the same frequency and if riding in group, when the first in the line applies the brakes, everyone will have their LEDs flashing on their helmet.
It was cheap($5) and this is why I bought few sets. I never installed them but the emitter/receiver could be use for other applications.

CF

So Crazy, you will now become a redhead and a revhead.

"I do have a set of brake lights to install on my helmet. They are wireless and battery operated. They flash when you brake."

Really? People actually use them? Seriously?

If I saw that when I was riding, I'd hurt myself by falling off the bike from laughing...

I want a helmet strobe an a bell an some streamers to hang of my handgrips

Good call Brettmass.

But I'll have to say no to a piece of cardboard in the spokes to get that authentic motorcycle sound...

blakey wrote:Really? People actually use them? Seriously?

The reason why it was so cheap is that nobody use them and the store was stocked with them.
The wireless emitter/receiver can be use to remotely trigger anything working with 12V.

I like the idea of the cardboard in the spokes, but the sound would be comparable to a big single cylinder. (particularly if you have the 3 spokes wheel)

Brettmass wrote:I want a helmet strobe an a bell an some streamers to hang of my handgrips

Go to a rally and get some of a cruiser they may mob you but most of them are grandad wannabees.

I don't find the idea of a light on the helmet crazy at all. In fact, I have wondered, with all the miniaturization (is that a word?) in electronics about, why helmet makers don't offer them with a light on the rear as standard fare.
As you may have guessed, in the past I've been rear-ended by a cager while I waited at a signal.

sorry to hear of it brickrider, the idea is a sound one. like car roofs should be solar panel, never a flat battery . there was a young fella that came up with the idea of a vest with large signal lighting that hooked into (somehow) the bikes signal lights, great idea. have never seen one on the road though.

Ok guys we forgot some accessories The little white plastic basket over the handle bars ( a few fairing mods need doing) The orange flag on a pole fitted to rear and the all important squeeze fog horn ( may be bit hard to use with gloves on )

Spokey Dokes, How I wish I had spoked rims an not solids

Toto_jp wrote:Ok guys we forgot some accessories The little white plastic basket over the handle bars ( a few fairing mods need doing) The orange flag on a pole fitted to rear and the all important squeeze fog horn ( may be bit hard to use with gloves on )

How bout some dingleberries to put along the top of the windshield?

Can you get white wall tyres for a K.

Blakey would need redwalls for his. Found out about double sided tape that HELD my front leds on......won't hold on in hot and humid conditions. These were attached under the headlight. Two nuts and bolts were needed to hold the light upright, rather than dangling by the wires. Don't forge tmy bike is the round eyed K100.

I think that the stand-out points of Crazy Frog's modification is it makes a MAJOR (yes I am shouting) improvement in the visibility of the bike from the front at an unbelievably low cost in money and effort AND gives enough light to navigate by if the headlight went out until you are able to switch to the other filament.

Those are HUGE improvements in safety for bike riders. The other point CF makes is that the mod does not involve modifying the fairing, drilling holes or any changes that affect the basic stock appearance of the bike. For me it's a must do.

The comment from Bert's brother who has used the Skene Design lights is invaluable I had looked at them but with nobody I knew and trusted having tested them they were an expensive unknown. Now with the information above they are a definite thing to do especially as the NZ Dollar is high against the US at the moment.
Regards,
K-BIKE

K-BIKE wrote:I think that the stand-out points of Crazy Frog's modification is it makes a MAJOR (yes I am shouting) improvement in the visibility of the bike from the front at an unbelievably low cost in money and effort AND gives enough light to navigate by if the headlight went out until you are able to switch to the other filament.

Yes K-Bike, you are right. The post is sliding toward a joke, but if anybody want to install this system, I proved the efficiency without degrading the appearance of the bike or emptying your wallet.
Fluo jacket, Skeene or Hyperlights, LEDs in the front fairing are there to improve our visibility. I saw too many accidents where the driver of the car said "I didn't see him".
As riders, when driving our cars, we make our best effort to spot the bikes and give them plenty of space and security to maneuver.
A car driver without any experience in motorcycle riding may not react the same way. This is not incivility, but lack of experience. Please be polite and accept that everybody make mistakes. However, my best advice when riding is to check the mirrors of the driver in front of you. If you don't see his eyes, he certainly cannot see you.

CF

That is a huge point to bear in mind, so few people have their mirrors adjusted properly so they can see from their normal position.
Regards,
K-BIKE

The idea about lighting upgrades ( leds,hid, running lights etc) always has it's benefits IF other road users are vigilant, yes we have all heard the story about "oh I did not see him". So how advanced do we go ? One thing I have noted was when my K was in it's former livery of ex police LT and painted white road users had no problems seeing me and slowing down either from behind or in front and I did not always have my lights on, so drivers are aware of bikes if they want to be. Driver awareness of motorcycle riders needs to be a priority, but also newer riders need to be more alert to drivers thru ideas much like CF scripted earlier. With this said I'm about to start a LED/HID upgrade on my RS. Cheers All

You are right on there Brett it is amazimg just how visible a black harley is compared to a red BMW. It's called the fear factor, the Harley rider may just go to your home and and demonstrate how to use a hand gun whereas the BMW rider is fal less likely to do it.

Despite the levity, or maybe because of it, this has been an excellent topic. Extra safety features at little cost and an easy mod. That's what makes this forum so great! Just placed my order so I can have it done in time for spring riding.

good one brickee ...yay

Amazing trip we have had. All I did was to ask about some led lights that were no longer needed on a dead car and the scope and depth of information that resulted was fantastic. The debates over issues show that we are all willing to learn, discuss, joke and respect each other. This is what the forum is all about.

Two years ago I made a set of LED lights to replace the pilot bulbs on the solo and sidecar and a matching set for the front of the sidecar body. As a basis I used a Rolson 72 LED worklight, the cheapest way to buy 72 LEDs. I've scanned a 'how to do it' drawing that I made and as soon as I am able to post pictures I'll put it on the forum (assuming that I can figure out how - yes I have looked at CF's instructions)

The current cost of the parts from Maplin's is £13.13, and you end up with a left over strip of 24 LED's to play with.

Paul.

K Freak wrote:You are right on there Brett it is amazimg just how visible a black harley is compared to a red BMW. It's called the fear factor, the Harley rider may just go to your home and and demonstrate how to use a hand gun whereas the BMW rider is fal less likely to do it.

That's only if his bike is not one of the 97% of harleys still on the road!!!

ainsjac wrote:The debates over issues show that we are all willing to learn, discuss, joke and respect each other. This is what the forum is all about.

You are right ainsjac. This is why we are addicted to this forum.
A forum definition is: A medium for open discussion or voicing of ideas.
We also added to be respectful, and it works.

CF

I just ordered These.
They are cheap and may solve the condensation problem in my pod.
It was only $13 with shipping