Replacing front turn signal bulb

[mikeb2411]

Add an LED light bar to the back of the bike and you have LED blinkers/running/stop lights. Makes you much more visible from behind too! I add 2 light bars to my bike...both flash 3 times when I apply the brakes before going solid.

[maxtog]

Add an LED light bar to the back of the bike and you have LED blinkers/running/stop lights. Makes you much more visible from behind too! I add 2 light bars to my bike...both flash 3 times when I apply the brakes before going solid.

Yep, I have a blinking admore bar on the plate just like that (I think you followed my posting about it and copied?) and use the reflective squares on the back of the panniers.  But my need is to perfect FRONT visibility, which is why I turned my turn signals in to full-time running lights which blink OFF for turning instead of blinking on.  Works great, except that they are freaking hot (which is why I want LED, but nobody makes a replacement bulb that is as good as incandescent) and I have to use load resistors to make the blinker work (and one is not working).  So the concept of a replacement blinker relay that doesn't use wattage to make it blink is still very attractive.

[SVonhof]

Add an LED light bar to the back of the bike and you have LED blinkers/running/stop lights. Makes you much more visible from behind too! I add 2 light bars to my bike...both flash 3 times when I apply the brakes before going solid.

Which one is the top one? That's long and slim and looks cool.

[maxtog]

Which one is the top one? That's long and slim and looks cool.

Although it does look cool, my recommendation would be that the much lower plate one is far better, because it is much further away from the stock light....  Just sayin'

[SVonhof]

I have a Vololight frame around the license plate already, so adding that around the plate would be too much.

I could not remember the name "Vololight" so when I was going through my posts to figure that out, I saw I made this post which I think answers my own question about the long and slim LED's:
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=16644.msg204399#msg204399
(AST C14 LED taillight and blinkers)

[mikeb2411]

Which one is the top one? That's long and slim and looks cool.

The top one is from AST...his "LED Bar Version 2". It was one of the orders I was able to get from him. I'm trying to buy the 2" pullback risers but can't get ahold of him right now. Too nervous to buy from AST without contact first!

[SVonhof]

The top one is from AST...his "LED Bar Version 2". It was one of the orders I was able to get from him. I'm trying to buy the 2" pullback risers but can't get ahold of him right now. Too nervous to buy from AST without contact first!

Agreed. I have heard too many stories on here.

[RBX QB]

Interesting article... http://www.webbikeworld.com/lights/bmw-led-load-resistor/

Couple things to note in the article:
1. Clean option for standard load resistors. Much better than the bare ceramic ones, but not as convenient as the relay.
2. Some side-by-side photos of a couple different designs of LED tower lamps, compared to incandescent.

[Gigantor]

Do we have Can Bus or Non Can Bus Led bulbs?

[B.D.F.]

Non- CAN bus. They are just plain old 1156- type incandescent lamps, nothing fancy. Check that part number first though as I am not 100% sure it is an 1156 (that is the right base but the actual lamp number may be different, different wattage, etc.).

By the way, the originals are not LED but incandescent. Stock, only the taillight and the instrument lights are LED on a C-14.

Brian

Do we have Can Bus or Non Can Bus Led bulbs?

[Gigantor]

Brian,

You are an asset to this forum

Thank you

Joe

[B.D.F.]

Thanks for the kind words but.... Joe? Aren't you Alex? I am confused.... do we have two people using the forum with the handle Gigantor? Are you both truly Gigantic (Alex absolutely IS gigantic)?

Brian

Brian,

You are an asset to this forum

Thank you

Joe

[RBX QB]

Non- CAN bus. They are just plain old 1156- type incandescent lamps, nothing fancy. Check that part number first though as I am not 100% sure it is an 1156 (that is the right base but the actual lamp number may be different, different wattage, etc.).

By the way, the originals are not LED but incandescent. Stock, only the taillight and the instrument lights are LED on a C-14.

Brian

What he said...

So, the benefit to our bikes would simply be to control the fast blink rates with aftermarket LED signal bulbs... nothing with the rest of the electronics, yes? In reading that particular product, it seems they HAVE to use them with the BMW's CAN-BUS system because of the lower resistance of the LEDs... creates other electronic "fun" without them.

[Gigantor]

Thanks for the kind words but.... Joe? Aren't you Alex? I am confused.... do we have two people using the forum with the handle Gigantor? Are you both truly Gigantic (Alex absolutely IS gigantic)?

Brian

My name is Joe and there is only one Gigantor on this forum.

Peace

[B.D.F.]

Interesting coincidence- I know a Gigantor from another forum and just assumed that you were him....   Now that there are two of you around we should race you guys (what is the first thing you do when you find a second turtle.... Race Them!).

I will assume that you really are gigantic. 'Other Gigantor' certainly is- he must be 6'5" or 6'6", and he is very tall as well. 

Brian

My name is Joe and there is only one Gigantor on this forum.

Peace

[B.D.F.]

I cannot speak about any product but I can say that while C-14's do indeed have CAN bus, it is not used in any system that the owner would or could tinker with or alter by mistake. In other words, there are external systems on the C-14 that are operated by CAN bus, such as lighting systems, dimmer systems, etc. CAN bus on a C-14 is used only between sealed electronic systems to transfer data and none of those systems are available nor should they be interfered with after manufacture.

All the lighting systems on a C-14 are simple, 'old school' systems that can be tinkered with with no chance of having any effect on any of the bike's internal (Easy Boys!) electronics.

Brian

What he said...

So, the benefit to our bikes would simply be to control the fast blink rates with aftermarket LED signal bulbs... nothing with the rest of the electronics, yes? In reading that particular product, it seems they HAVE to use them with the BMW's CAN-BUS system because of the lower resistance of the LEDs... creates other electronic "fun" without them.

[elp_jc]

They are just plain old 1156- type incandescent lamps

Indeed. But since the bulbs are amber, remember they have the pins offset, so you need a special European-style bulb to fit properly. Clear 1156 bulbs have the pins at 180º. Those offset bulbs are hard to get, but you can definitely find LED ones that fit properly.

I'd NEVER mess with the wiring on any vehicle, and that's the reason I have left alone the turn-signals. But I'd LOVE to replace them with LED bulbs (properly functioning, not hyperflashing), but that'd mean a special relay. Is there such a thing for the C14 that somebody has PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with? If yes, please post details of which relay solved your hyperflashing LED turn-signal problem. Many thanks.

[RBX QB]

... Is there such a thing for the C14 that somebody has PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with? If yes, please post details of which relay solved your hyperflashing LED turn-signal problem. Many thanks.

Re-read my post on page 2, I gave links and pictures.

[elp_jc]

Re-read my post on page 2, I gave links and pictures.

Missed it man; thanks a milliion. But have a few more questions; hope you don't mind :
1. Which LED bulbs did you install? A link would help. I usually use superbrightleds.com. Problem with amber LEDs is they're dim compared to white. But I don't like the 'coated' ones sold by VLEDS and others. I'd only install true amber LEDs, that have comparable intensity to the 1156 incandescent bulbs front and side.
2. Which plastic panels did you need to remove to install the relay? And did you figure out what the 3rd wire was for? It's definitely not for a burned-out dash warning for the turn-signals you mentioned, since the warning for those is the hyperflashing itself. I'll try to figure it out when I get it, since I should have the service manual by then. But glad to hear it doesn't seem to have any effect on anything important. Which color is the unused wire, by the way? Thx.

[maxtog]

Which LED bulbs did you install? A link would help. I usually use superbrightleds.com. Problem with amber LEDs is they're dim compared to white.

That is exactly the problem, and why I am still waiting to find something at LEAST as bright as incandescent before making the jump.  The two different ones I purchased and returned in the past were too dim (despite all the "ultra" and "super" and "mega" claims next to the word "bright").

The moment someone can identify such a bulb (one that is as bright or brighter), fits, and has a reasonable light throw in all needed directions, I will buy... my wallet is open and waiting.