I took the advice of another forum member and obtained LED bulbs for the front and back turn signals. Back bulbs were easy and these bulbs really light up the back. The front is another matter. How do you get access to the front bulbs to replace them? Surely, you don't have to remove the side fairings to change turn signal bulbs that that is the way it appears.
Fork
As has been mentioned in other threads, some people (including myself) are extremely interested in replacement LED bulbs for the turn signals but have been very disappointed with the light output and/or direction/coverage of what has been on the market. If you believe you have something that is at least as bright and as good a coverage as stock, PLEASE share as much info on the Forum as you can....
Source
Model
Photos before after (although this doesn't show much)
Even better- photo of ONE SIDE with LED at the same time with ONE SIDE of incandescent (use hazard)
Thanks!
Obviously the reference to 50W is the merchants opinion of a subjective comparison to the standard bulb,
but they are noticeably brighter to my eye. I'll see about a video but it will be a week or two before I can get back home to the bike. The problem with photographing the difference is that the real test(especially with LED's) is not brightness in the dark but in bright sunlight and that is really tough to show on a photograph. Typically LED's may appear dramatically brighter in the dark or with a dark background but when the sun is shining on the application they do not appear nearly as bright.
I'll see what I can do.
Exactly. But on many sites it is presented as fact. And on others they make up bogus lumen ratings. Even as a subjective comparison I have seen silly lighting claims and the observed the bulbs as being dimmer or barely even as bright as the incandescents they were meant to replace... so I am extremely skeptical about ALL such claims now.
The turn signal unit or flasher is load dependent, it needs a certain amount of current to function. Many bikes are designed to flash at a faster rate if a bulb is burned out. Since LEDs draw much less current, your flasher unit may act as if a bulb is out and flash at the faster rate. If you replace either the front or the rear turn signals with LEDs, you will typically need to add a load equalizer. If you replace both front and rear with LEDS, you will typically need 2 load equalizers. Many bikes have a 2 or 3 wire flasher that can be replaced with our non-load dependent flashers, these flashers are not self canceling but replaces the need for a load equalizer.From: http://www.customdynamics.com/led_motorcycle_lighting_faqs.htm
Hopefully someone who "gets" this stuff better than I do can chime in....
Different websites I've seen selling these say that if the LED bulb is doing the 'fast-blinky' thing (hopefully not too technical a term...), it can be resolved by adding a "load resistor" to the circuit.
Is this is in series or parallel with the bulb...? (and for bonus points - Why?)
Jamie
Don't bother with the load resistors... they can heat up and are just a pain (you have to splice it into the wiring). I got a LED flasher relay at the local Cycle Gear and it worked like a charm... stock location under the seat. http://www.cyclegear.com/SPEEDMETAL-Flash-LED-Relay...I thinkiteven saiddefinitely says "Kawasaki" on thepackagingside of the relay... and I'm sure there are other manufacturers and ways to get one. I just zip tied it to the frame where the stock one was.
Or this one from Motorcycle Superstore...http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/67453/i/dmp-led-flasher-relay?WT.ac=SLIsearch
Unfortuantely, this thread went idle. I was hoping to see comparisons of some LED replacement bulbs....
Anyway, I am now interested in this flasher you posted/mentioned:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/67453/i/dmp-led-flasher-relay?WT.ac=SLIsearch
It is the cheapest by far, and from a site I already do business with. Are you saying I can replace a single relay with no splicing and bam- it controls all turn signals AND emergency flashers? (My load resistor failed and I am having some issues again and this might be the easiest solution).