Any Prior Experience with Integrated LED Tail-lght?
04-09-2007, 10:05 PM
#1
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Squid
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Any Prior Experience with Integrated LED Tail-lght?
Hello Everyone. I apologize if this question has already been posted but I was wondering if anyone had prior experience with the integrated, one piece tail-light that houses both the brake light and turn signals in one casing. More specifically, I am wondering if anyone has experience with the ACE version, sold on eBay for under $100.00. My concern is if whether or not the integrated lamp is a piece of crap or actually pretty complementing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
04-09-2007, 10:38 PM
#2
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As a general rule, the integrated ones like that tend to not be very useful to drivers/riders more than 20 feet back. It just looks like a pulsing brake light. One of my buddies has one on his SV650s and he added cat eye blinkers to his bike to make it more readily apparent what he was actually signaling.
04-10-2007, 01:03 AM
#3
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Can't comment on the ACE but I have an integrated light from Clear Alternatives that people who've followed me say its quite bright from a distance even in daytime. I'd recommend it. You'll need an equalizer like this http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1...tem=MRX_FRH1_G to keep the flash rate of your incandescent bulbs and LED lights the same because LEDs draw less current and flash much faster. The Clear Alternative lights come with resistors to slow down the LEDs but I find the equalizer a bit less afro-engineered.
04-10-2007, 06:48 AM
#4
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Squid
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I got the kit that you wire into your brake light as the Hawk has a two bulb tail light. Looks clean and factory from the rear and so far all my riding buddies have told me it is plenty bright. Plus you can remove those massive turn indicators on the rear for $40.
Here is where I got mine:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...px?style=13557
Here is where I got mine:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...px?style=13557
04-10-2007, 07:09 AM
#5
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I got the kit that you wire into your brake light as the Hawk has a two bulb tail light. Looks clean and factory from the rear and so far all my riding buddies have told me it is plenty bright. Plus you can remove those massive turn indicators on the rear for $40.
Here is where I got mine:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...px?style=13557
Here is where I got mine:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...px?style=13557
04-10-2007, 10:06 AM
#6
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Re: my previous post.. Don't get me wrong, the one my buddy has on his SV is plenty bright, visible from very far away.. However you can't tell that it is a directional signal.. Not enough left-right distance to distinguish what the intention is, especially at night.
04-10-2007, 11:17 AM
#7
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yeah i read that. and it would not work good with normal lightbulbs but the led bulbs i use are one way viewable and work really well as blinkers with out giving the pulsing brake light effect. even though there isnt much space between the bulbs. another trick is to paint half the lightbulb black it will help direct light outwards instead of all directions... did that on my old F2 and it worked good with the stock red lense.
04-10-2007, 11:44 AM
#8
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I've also got the clear alternatives version. I got it cause my highmounts were obscuring my rear signals. and its way better. the yellow signal lights are brighter and the brake light is brighter than stock. I'll never attach signals again. only thing tho is the plastic that the light assembly is made of is kinda flimsy.
05-24-2007, 08:41 AM
#11
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There are some shots of my Clear Alternatives tail light in this thread
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ead.php?t=3196
Sorry, I'm on the other side of the world right now, or I would just go take a few shots of just the light.
At night, or low light, it is very easy to see the turn indicators.. In daylight with full sun. My wife tells me, not so easy (she rides also, and almost always follows, so she knows what it looks like in all kinds of light, weather conditions.)
https://www.superhawkforum.com/forum...ead.php?t=3196
Sorry, I'm on the other side of the world right now, or I would just go take a few shots of just the light.
At night, or low light, it is very easy to see the turn indicators.. In daylight with full sun. My wife tells me, not so easy (she rides also, and almost always follows, so she knows what it looks like in all kinds of light, weather conditions.)
05-30-2007, 07:58 PM
#12
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Squid
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cut wires
hey yall,
I already cut the wires and tied em to the resistor that was sent with the clear tail light. Im now installing the equalizer from cycle gear when it comes in due to the resistor "falling" out of the bike and now I have no brakes or blinkers lol.. anyone know what kinda of connector ill need to use to restore my connection... if any of that makes sense get back to me .. thanks
I already cut the wires and tied em to the resistor that was sent with the clear tail light. Im now installing the equalizer from cycle gear when it comes in due to the resistor "falling" out of the bike and now I have no brakes or blinkers lol.. anyone know what kinda of connector ill need to use to restore my connection... if any of that makes sense get back to me .. thanks
06-28-2007, 12:34 PM
#13
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Ok - Need some help on this one:
See the attached pic: The two white connectors went to the stock tail light (one at each bulb), the black connector is coming from the clear alternatives integrated tail light. The yellow wires are from the clear alternatives tail light and to be connected to "the positive wire at the turn signals" (I don't think I have a problem there, just filling in the blanks). The red clip is one of four supplied to connect to the turn signals.
My question is: How the F do I connect the white connector to the black? Or do I have the wrong clear alternatives light? Says it's 98-03 Superhawk and mine is '05....did something change? Thanks in advance!
See the attached pic: The two white connectors went to the stock tail light (one at each bulb), the black connector is coming from the clear alternatives integrated tail light. The yellow wires are from the clear alternatives tail light and to be connected to "the positive wire at the turn signals" (I don't think I have a problem there, just filling in the blanks). The red clip is one of four supplied to connect to the turn signals.
My question is: How the F do I connect the white connector to the black? Or do I have the wrong clear alternatives light? Says it's 98-03 Superhawk and mine is '05....did something change? Thanks in advance!
06-28-2007, 01:05 PM
#14
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the black connector hooks up to the light bulb housing. not the electrics on the bike. there should be 2 of those black ones. they both plug into the light. not the bike. the white connector is the only part that plugs into the electrical connection on your wire harness. and of course the yellows go to your possitive blinker leds on your wire harness. but again, the black one plugs into the back of the tail light itself or more specifically into the back of the bulb assembly which you may or may not have unhooked from the tail light.
06-28-2007, 02:34 PM
#15
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Thanks a TON! Guess my electrical skills are showing....
There was only 1 black connector coming from the new tail light. Got that part of things working, the running and brake light is functioning correctly.
Last Question: turn signals each have a green wire and a colored wire (blue on right signal, orange on left). Are the greens the positives or the blue and orange wires are positive? Don't want to short something....
There was only 1 black connector coming from the new tail light. Got that part of things working, the running and brake light is functioning correctly.
Last Question: turn signals each have a green wire and a colored wire (blue on right signal, orange on left). Are the greens the positives or the blue and orange wires are positive? Don't want to short something....
06-28-2007, 04:17 PM
#16
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Nevermind....took a guess. The blue and the orange get connected to the yellow wires from the new tail light....everythings working and back together, didn't use the resistors so it's at the faster blink rate which is fine w/ me. I'm going to leave it that way.....now to trim the mud flap and move the license plate up.
VERY BRIGHT LEDs and seems to be a good quality build, would recommend if anyone's thinking of doing this.
Thanks again for the help Swordfish.
VERY BRIGHT LEDs and seems to be a good quality build, would recommend if anyone's thinking of doing this.
Thanks again for the help Swordfish.
07-27-2007, 04:33 PM
#20
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the black connector hooks up to the light bulb housing. not the electrics on the bike. there should be 2 of those black ones. they both plug into the light. not the bike. the white connector is the only part that plugs into the electrical connection on your wire harness. and of course the yellows go to your possitive blinker leds on your wire harness. but again, the black one plugs into the back of the tail light itself or more specifically into the back of the bulb assembly which you may or may not have unhooked from the tail light.
OK, I will admit it now. I am electrically retarded, because none of that makes any sense. I'm attempting to install the clear alternatives integrated tailight now on my bike. If the black part coming from the tailight installs into the tailight itself, how does it ground? I'm going to go back and stare at it, and hopefully I can figure out. Every now and then... I tell myself that I am going to study electrical stuff hard so I can have somewhat of a grasp. Then, every now and then, some stupidly easy project (Such as this) stumps me, puts me on the verge of wanting to kill anything in site, and I say fawk it! I give up! And go and listen to loud, heavy metal/death metal music to make me feel better.
07-27-2007, 05:17 PM
#21
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It's probably easier to get it if I tell you that the black connector thingie simulates the normal lightbulb in the original setup...
That makes it easy for the guys making this to get all the hookups for tail ligth and brakeligth correct with a setup then can be removed and restored to original... instead of cutting and splicing wires...
That means you don't have to worry about the grounding there...
Also the connectors (white in pic above)connects to the back of the lamp holder... the green/black wire is ground... so its connected...
That makes it easy for the guys making this to get all the hookups for tail ligth and brakeligth correct with a setup then can be removed and restored to original... instead of cutting and splicing wires...
That means you don't have to worry about the grounding there...
Also the connectors (white in pic above)connects to the back of the lamp holder... the green/black wire is ground... so its connected...
07-27-2007, 05:18 PM
#22
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OK... I am quite possibly the biggest idiot on superhawkforum.com. Never thought taking the fawking bulb out of the old socket! Back to putting the hawk back together, then the front fairing after my dad patched it up for me. I still hate electronics. LOL
07-27-2007, 05:20 PM
#23
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It's probably easier to get it if I tell you that the black connector thingie simulates the normal lightbulb in the original setup...
That makes it easy for the guys making this to get all the hookups for tail ligth and brakeligth correct with a setup then can be removed and restored to original... instead of cutting and splicing wires...
That means you don't have to worry about the grounding there...
That makes it easy for the guys making this to get all the hookups for tail ligth and brakeligth correct with a setup then can be removed and restored to original... instead of cutting and splicing wires...
That means you don't have to worry about the grounding there...
I read this thread a thousand times...and noone said anything about splicing wires. i left this window up while I was working on the bike, so I could reply as soon as I got it. Thanks for your help anyways! One more reason to love this site.
07-27-2007, 05:23 PM
#25
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07-27-2007, 06:10 PM
#26
v-twin4tmfw
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I bought one from ebay which was the clear alternatives version (fake ??). I really like the brake light but after about 9 months the white leds for the license plate illumination started blinking and sometimes shut off. I'm still trying to get an exchange or refund. The ebay seller is motorblvd. I will only by from a well know vendor now.
07-27-2007, 11:02 PM
#27
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996: I saw that one and I assume it's an Clear Alternative's rip off. I bought mine directly off the website and it has no White LED part for the license plate (Which I like, actually). The tail light is AWESOME! It looks so much better now!
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