Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: bigfraid on December 27, 2014, 06:35:01 PM
-
Happy holidays everyone,I am looking into putting some joe Florida led light kit on my 2012 connie for the sake of the wife.i searched on here trying to find some pics or info on what you have done and if there was any difficulty or hint to install.since my wife was t-boned in her car she insists I put lights on to better seen.
Have a safe and happy new year
-
Not familiar with it, but if you end up doing so, make sure to post pictures!
-
I think that we had some sort of discussion on this in the past and the legalities depending on what state you live in...I'll see if I can dredge it up. I don't think that you can run it while moving which would defeat it's intended purpose. I think that was the consensus. Assuming you go that route get SteveWFL to take the picture. He's our resident photo rteest.
http://www.joeflorida.com/ (http://www.joeflorida.com/)
-
I think that we had some sort of discussion on this in the past and the legalities depending on what state you live in...I'll see if I can dredge it up. I don't think that you can run it while moving which would defeat it's intended purpose. I think that was the consensus.
I think you can have running lights (low intensity and always on) of certain colors legally.... pretty much only yellow on the sides, only yellow or white on the front, and only red on the back (except the white license plate). But it might depend on vehicle type/size as to how many. The bikes you see with green or blue effects are certainly doing so illegally (and dangerously). And the ones with proper colors but running all over the vehicle are probably also not legal but the police probably don't care.
-
The PO installed leds on my bike. I just removed them the other day. He had blue led strips installed inside the mid fairings so they could be seen thru the side vents.
The leds were a flexible, self adhesive strip about 12 inches long and maybe 3/4 inch wide. He had a switch in the round plug on the left of the dash.
Certainly not my style but to each their own. I find that the really good reflective materials used in riding clothes is more of an attention grabber, at least for me. Maybe because it's bright white, maybe because of the uncommon shape, whatever it is it works for me.
-
I don't think that any low intensity accent lighting installed on a bike is going to help with your conspicuity, especially during the daytime. If folks can't see that big ole bike as it is a few LED strips aren't going to help much, if at all.
-
^+1
-
In pa you can have leds lights on when riding, http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws.aspx?stateid=38.my (http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws.aspx?stateid=38.my) wife wants these for when we are riding when the sun goes down not during the daylight.i have looked at the reflective strip to put on the bike but thought the lights could be seen further away,just looking for a better way to have the other motorists to be aware I'm on the road to.
-
Here are a couple pictures of my 2012 Arabian red with red leds I installed myself. Bought them from Advanced auto parts. I have one in each air intake, One tucked into each side fairing, One above the front fender near the horn, One on each side under rear tail section, One above the swingarm under the battery box area, And one stuck across the oil pan. The one on the oil pan I was skeptical about but it's been on there for 2 years without burning or any signs of damage. The ones in the air intakes look like a pair of evil eyes coming at you !!. Here in florida it's illegal to run them down the road but I mainly just use them when I'm parked at different bike events. I'll post some better pictures some day :chugbeer:
-
If you are serious about it, check in to Hi-Vis riding gear. There is a TON of info available.
-
it's illegal to run them down the road but I mainly just use them when I'm parked at different bike events.
Yeah, a lot of people use them for "show", which is neat. I have seen some really wild light displays before on parked bikes.
-
i have looked at the reflective strip to put on the bike
I put a pair of those reflective sticker things, custom made for the C14, on the rear of the bags and it is pretty impressive stuff. Sold by "Real Time" and it really works, yet looks black during the day. Augment with strips in other locations for a full effect. You might want to check it out...
http://www.realtimeindustries.com/products.php?product=Concours-14-{47}-GTR1400-Reflective-decals (http://www.realtimeindustries.com/products.php?product=Concours-14-{47}-GTR1400-Reflective-decals)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7888 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=7888)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=16774 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=16774)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=6218 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=6218)
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3423 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3423)
-
Thanks for the pics,links and info I will check it all out and weight the options on the best one that works the best.thanks again.
-
If you are serious about it, check in to Hi-Vis riding gear.
Yep, that helps. But even with all the lights in the world and high-viz gear, there's ONE thing much more effective than all of that combined: Pretend nobody can see you, and that everybody wants to kill you ;D. That's it. And if somebody cuts you off, you're not going to get mad, because you already have the proper frame of mind that everybody wants to kill you. So whoever don't succeed, you should be happy, instead of mad. I learned that lesson the hard way, so now I ride super defensively. Anybody that could pull in front of me, I slow down enough that I can stop if they do (or get covered by a car). Always watching my 6, obviously, but it's been well over a decade since that last accident. I also don't commute at all; only use the bike for trips to the twisties a few times a year... and on weekdays (no traffic in the mountains, so more fun). I'm fully conscious that in heavy traffic, no matter how defensive you ride you could still get T-boned, or run over a crate or something (I've seen washing machines and couches, folks :o). Tons of ultra-stupid drivers with crappy (and uninsured) vehicles here, so I don't push the envelope. If I have to drive in heavy traffic, I take a car instead. Good luck.
-
Pretend nobody can see you, and that everybody wants to kill you
Yep
Tons of ultra-stupid drivers with crappy (and uninsured) vehicles here
It is pretty much that way everywhere
-
I agree on being defensive on riding I do and never assume the other person knows you are there, I have been almost side swiped,pulled in front of.there is no day dreaming when I ride my eyes are always scanning in front and on my mirrors.my wife is the one that is wary I almost went into a center lane where there was a car sitting when my wife decided to make sure the car coming from the other direction was going to stop while I was trying to turn the opposite way and the bike didn't want to turn that was scary.she is better I have her leaning the way the bike is turning.she just needs to relax a bit and throw some bright colors on.
-
Get her to take a basic riding course. Even if she doesn't continue to her own bike it'll make a better passenger out of her.
-
When I first started riding with my wife as passenger, she decided to help me by putting her feet down at stops. Took me awhile to figure out that one, thankfully before I dumped the both of us.
Some rules of the road with a passenger..
- Don't put your feet down on stops
- Lean with me
- Wait until I tell you to get on or off the bike
- No sudden movements while stopped and riding
-
fortunately Teressa is an awesome passenger, both on the road and the race track!
-
When I first started riding with my wife as passenger, she decided to help me by putting her feet down at stops. Took me awhile to figure out that one, thankfully before I dumped the both of us.
Some rules of the road with a passenger..
- Don't put your feet down on stops
- Lean with me
- Wait until I tell you to get on or off the bike
- No sudden movements while stopped and riding
you could not of said it any better.
-
Typically red and blue are a no go. AR, like many states, have a blue light law restricting blue lights for LEO only. Red is allowed for Fire and EMS and oranges reserved for utility. However each state varies. OK allows all the above on every vehicle (blue lights on a tow truck, orange on OK highway patrol)
As a LEO I enforce it when it becomes a distraction. Strobes are a no go. Underbody lights that can be viewed directly are also no bueno. If you see only the glow, youre okay.
Red to the front and white to the rear violates DOT and present a safety hazard to other drivers.
Every state, county/parish and city varies. Know the laws and know the aggressiveness of your area law enforcement.
As for visibilty I have a simple motto. It doesnt matter what you wear when a driver's head is in a certain place all they see is brown.
-
:rotflmao: Yeah, I expect that everyone is out to kill me when I'm on the bike.
-
As for visibilty I have a simple motto. It doesnt matter what you wear when a driver's head is in a certain place all they see is brown.
A very nice way to put it ;D. And more and more drivers have their heads in that 'certain place' than we think, even with texting illegal in most states. That's why I just don't use the bike in the city, and even less in rush-hour traffic. Happy new year folks.
-
This must be the spot !!
:rotflmao: :rotflmao: