Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Tree on July 26, 2018, 01:25:30 PM
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I want to make the rear of the bike more noticeable at night. I was considering placing some red LED's on the saddlebags as running lights. In the meantime I ordered a reflective sticker from Motoreflective.com for the saddlebags. I haven't given up on the lights but I was curious if anyone out there has used the reflectors and then placed lights on top of that. Something about placing a light in the middle of another reflective surface gives me pause to wonder if that would be an effective solution. Or would the reflector wash-out or the light wouldn't make an improvement. Something like that.
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I've got something similar to these and it reflects pretty darn well. I haven't put any extra lights on the bike for night time running.
http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/ (http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/)
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I've got something similar to these and it reflects pretty darn well. I haven't put any extra lights on the bike for night time running.
http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/ (http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/)
Yep, that’s what I had on my C 10. You be amazed how much light comes back at you when the headlights hit it.
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Heads Up Braking. Wirelessly controlled by a decelerometer mounted in my top case
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I added reflective panels to the rear of the bags http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20440 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20440) and an Admore http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2505.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=2505.0)
(This topic should be in Accessories)
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Heads Up Braking. Wirelessly controlled by a decelerometer mounted in my top case
WoW... you put lights in a lemon? ;D
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Heads Up Braking. Wirelessly controlled by a decelerometer mounted in my top case
Great. Now I totally want one. The lights, not the lemon. :)
I've got something similar to these and it reflects pretty darn well. I haven't put any extra lights on the bike for night time running.
http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/ (http://www.realtimeindustries.com/concours-14-gtr1400-reflective-decals/)
They look similar to what Motoreflective.com offers. I will hold off on lights for now. I want to see how I feel about the reflectors.
...(This topic should be in Accessories)
I agree. I figured it was generic enough of a question but it refers to accessories.
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You making fun of my lemon or my light? Or both? 😄
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You making fun of my lemon or my light? Or both? 😄
:)
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Added the Realtime reflectors to the bike, and double Admore light bars. I was disappointed that the Givi case deluxe edition didn't have reflective red and only wimpie brake lights. I disassembled it and replaced the silver paper inside with silver reflective tape from wally-world and replaced the wimpie lights with the Admore LED so now it has some good brake lights and turn signals on the top case and the top case reflects where the red is. Later I added the Realtime reflectors to the top case as well.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-TBD7D4B/0/bcff0a39/M/i-TBD7D4B-M.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-TBD7D4B/0/bcff0a39/O/i-TBD7D4B.jpg)(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-kDnfDjG/0/b1ad283f/M/i-kDnfDjG-M.jpg) (https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-kDnfDjG/0/b1ad283f/O/i-kDnfDjG.jpg)
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I like the DIY result with the tape! I will look into getting my top box lit up too. It could use it.
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I like the DIY result with the tape! I will look into getting my top box lit up too. It could use it.
Are you still using the oem plastic rack?
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On the Multistrada 950 forum one of the guys was boasting about how good his home made slip on looks and the fact that flames shoot out of it. If we could get flames to shoot out of the potatoe launcher no one would come within a hundred yards ;D
:cannon:
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Hey Tree, I converted my taillights to running lights and it lit up the back of the bike nicely while keeping the stock look. Not too tough to do, but there were some challenges.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22821.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22821.0)
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Are you still using the oem plastic rack?
I think the OEM plastic rack is what the box is anchored to. So, yes.
Hey Tree, I converted my taillights to running lights and it lit up the back of the bike nicely while keeping the stock look. Not too tough to do, but there were some challenges.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22821.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22821.0)
I'll check it out. Thx.
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I think the OEM plastic rack is what the box is anchored to. So, yes.
I'll check it out. Thx.
The reason I ask is that in the picture the box looks like it is leaning to the left. The plastic racks proved to be somewhat flexible.
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The reason I ask is that in the picture the box looks like it is leaning to the left. The plastic racks proved to be somewhat flexible.
I see now. I am amazed that I was able to even post a pic. I suck with a camera. I will be removing the box and I'll give the mounts a good check. :P
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The reason I ask is that in the picture the box looks like it is leaning to the left.
Interesting.... good eye. I went back and looked, and you are right, it does appear to be leaning a bit. But I don't see anything obviously strange with the rack; in the small photo, it almost appears the entire metal assembly on the right is a bit higher than on the left, not the rack. Hmm.
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There is a little optical challenge as the bike is on the side stand and leaning to the left. I took the box off and everything looks OK.
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My bike can be seen day/night. The turn signals are on and negative flash when turning. I added LED strips on the sides and front of the mirrors as well as replaced all the lights with LEDs. The headlights are eBay LEDs that have been bulletproof. Not only can the bike be seen day or night from any angle, but i'm drawing 2 volts less. I have 3M reflective tape that matches the frame all over so you don't notice it during the day, but you can't miss it at night. I put the same color-matched 3M tape on the helmet too.
Custom Dynamics knows what they are doing and has great stuff:
www.customdynamics.com (http://www.customdynamics.com)
- LED Flasher replaces stock flasher because the LEDs have a lower load and the ECU needs to be tricked. The description doesn't list the C14, but it's a straight swap - T2DC
- Eclipze2 module (need 4) to get turn signals to be always on and negative flash - EPZ2
- Truflex amber LEDs. I put 40 LED stripts on the leading edge of the front of the mirror housing and 50 LED strips around the outer edge of the housing.
You're going to be committed to this because I had to use clamps to hold the LED strips to the mirror and crazy glue them down. The standard adhesive isn't strong enough to hold them down. I drilled tiny holes in the mirror housing and routed the tiny LED strip wires inside the mirror housing and then into the fairing. I spray painted the leads black before running them and then put electrical tape over to keep them in place. It could be prettier, but I'd rather be alive;)
I wired the stock turn signals (front and rear) into the Eclipsze modules so all lights are always on.
I'll post some pictures.
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I got some different colors of reflective tape from: http://www.streetglo.net/reflective.tape/ (http://www.streetglo.net/reflective.tape/)
I posted pictures on here before, but I think Photobucket now blocks the image linking.
I liked the fact that they have black tape that reflects as well as the different colors so it blends in well with the lines of the bike.
I don't use the saddlebags very often (only on trips), so the only thing I have done to them is add some tape along the transition line where it changes from black to the main color of the motorcycle. It looks good and reflects very well. I have added extra strips of tape to various locations (rear and sides) to add to the reflective profile including adding the tape to my helmet as well.
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I posted pictures on here before, but I think Photobucket now blocks the image linking.
Well I can see them, but then I loaded the work around in my browsers (firefox and chrome) so long a go that forgot where they came from.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20440.msg252888#msg252888 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=20440.msg252888#msg252888)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3423.msg40095#msg40095 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3423.msg40095#msg40095)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=6218.msg72836#msg72836 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=6218.msg72836#msg72836)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7888.msg95678#msg95678 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7888.msg95678#msg95678)
oh, here they are...
Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-fixer/ogipgokcopooepeipngiikdkpmcpkaon (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-fixer/ogipgokcopooepeipngiikdkpmcpkaon)
Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/photobucket-fixer/ (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/photobucket-fixer/)
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My bike can be seen day/night. The turn signals are on and negative flash when turning.
Yep, that is what I did on the front- hugely effective. Converting to two-level turn signals (always dim, bright when turning) is just not effective or bright enough. And "switchback" is interesting, but I wanted yellow full time, which is far more visible.
Not only can the bike be seen day or night from any angle, but i'm drawing 2 volts less.
Do you mean "Amps"? The voltage shouldn't change unless something was dreadfully wrong.
I have 3M reflective tape that matches the frame all over so you don't notice it during the day, but you can't miss it at night. I put the same color-matched 3M tape on the helmet too.
I like that stuff too, although I only used it on the rear. Thought about adding some on my helmet...
LED Flasher replaces stock flasher because the LEDs have a lower load and the ECU needs to be tricked.
You are not tricking the ECU- the ECU doesn't have anything to do with flashing the turn signals, it is just a load sensitive flasher unit. If the load is too low, the stock flasher won't work correctly and will hyper-flash or not flash at all.
Eclipze2 module (need 4) to get turn signals to be always on and negative flash - EPZ2
That is a neat part! Damn! I wish that was available before I had to make my sucky home-made negative flasher unit with relays :)
Truflex amber LEDs. I put 40 LED stripts on the leading edge of the front of the mirror housing and 50 LED strips around the outer edge of the housing.
Need to be shooting us some photos, yo!
I'll post some pictures.
Indeed :)
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I posted pictures on here before, but I think Photobucket now blocks the image linking.
That is why it is much better to just resize them and then upload them to your post (not link) so they will always work and will never disappear. Many old threads have been ruined due to photo linking, unfortunately. And yes, many of those photo linking sites are now restricted in one way or another...
Well I can see them, but then I loaded the work around in my browsers (firefox and chrome) so long a go that forgot where they came from.
Interestingly, I can see all his photobucket images in just plain Firefox under Linux with no workaround or anything special (from the links you listed on our site). Still, the results CAN be unpredictable.... one of the limitations now floating around is how MANY times per month ALL your linked images appear on sites, so one day they might be there and the next not and then a few days later they are back again.
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Tree, if you cannot see the images in the first link that fartymarty posted, let me know and I will get them loaded up as maxtog suggests.
It may not be the solution you are looking for, but it can be part of it!
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You're going to be committed...
No kidding. Straight to the Loonie Bin for me. :o
I have to remind myself that I have been tweaking this motorcycle for only a few short years. There are riders on this forum who have been at it for decades. If you do some creative estimating then there are literally hundreds of years of experience on this forum alone. That's freaking awesome!
Anyhow, I digress again. I appreciate the links to the other pics of the various farkling (that's a real word in my head). The lighting is on the list of visibility improvements but I will work with the reflective tape for meow (Super Trooper reference).
I have a set of reflective tape from MotoReflective.com for the saddlebags. I have a question about the installation. The instructions clearly state that the Wet method is superior and most forgiving vs. the Dry method. However, the Wet method can take several days to complete, perhaps up to a week. The Dry method can be applied in an hour. I can opt for the Wet method if I want to leave the saddlebags off for a week, and I can do without them for that time.
So, what I want to hear from you guys is what methods you used to apply these stickers. Good vs. bad and potential improvements to the methods that resulted in a good fit. I'm leaning towards the Dry fit because I'm naturally impulsive and impatient. I'll dial those characteristics down while I wait for y'all to chime in. Thanks.
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The wet method probably should be used for your installation as it allows some time to re-position the stickers before the adhesive fully sets. If you do dry and start it out crooked, it's really difficult if not impossible to fix. Many of the reflective tapes are fairly soft and can rip easily if you pull on it to try and remove it half-way installed.