Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Dan Forker on April 24, 2014, 09:03:03 AM
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Just returned from a week in Eureka Springs, Arkansas with 6 other riders, all on other brands. Without exception everyone complained that my rear turn signals were difficult to see in daylight. I started thinking about changing to LED bulbs on the rear but can't find a good bulb with so many out there and it looks as if all will require the addition of a resistor to make them work. Then I read a Bike WebWorld article and they seem to indicate that a change to LED's is for the owners benefit only and doesn't really improve light output. Have any of you done anything to improve rear turn signal visibility, and if so what seems to work the best?
Fork
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Just returned from a week in Eureka Springs, Arkansas with 6 other riders, all on other brands. Without exception everyone complained that my rear turn signals were difficult to see in daylight. I started thinking about changing to LED bulbs on the rear but can't find a good bulb with so many out there and it looks as if all will require the addition of a resistor to make them work. Then I read a Bike WebWorld article and they seem to indicate that a change to LED's is for the owners benefit only and doesn't really improve light output. Have any of you done anything to improve rear turn signal visibility, and if so what seems to work the best?
Fork
Dan,
Got this LED tag frame from Cycle Gear- $40.
Has turn sigs/running/brake/tag lights.
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt20/XJOK2PLAY/75c9c082-71d5-4c3d-b5ca-11fcffa3b162.jpg) (http://s593.photobucket.com/user/XJOK2PLAY/media/75c9c082-71d5-4c3d-b5ca-11fcffa3b162.jpg.html)
Also, bought a set of LED strip lights at O'Reilly's.$20
Cut them into the trunk, behind the red band. Looks factory!
Has running and brake lights. The upper red strip is LED brake light.
Bob
(http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt20/XJOK2PLAY/imagejpg1-3.jpg) (http://s593.photobucket.com/user/XJOK2PLAY/media/imagejpg1-3.jpg.html)
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I need to find a video of what I used to use on my old 650... They were strobing and LED's that were stupid bright... I got them from SuperbrightLED's.com. It'll cost about $100 to do LED's for all 4 turn signals, but well worth it IMO. I plan on doing that this coming winter when I do my projector retrofit.
EDIT: And it looks better, because the turn signal lenses don't have this weird orange thing in it because the bulbs themselves are white. (still light up amber obviously)
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I put these in. They don't show up well in bright sunlight, but at night or even on a darker cloudy day they are excellent.
(http://projektd.com/images/products/bodywork/gtr1400/106_70a_pm.gif)
http://projektd.com/product_info.php?products_id=195&osCsid=8c6f0cc5efbc9a86e0c644873bb4bdf8 (http://projektd.com/product_info.php?products_id=195&osCsid=8c6f0cc5efbc9a86e0c644873bb4bdf8)
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I started thinking about changing to LED bulbs on the rear but can't find a good bulb with so many out there and it looks as if all will require the addition of a resistor to make them work
I did an exhaustive search a few years ago and my conclusion was that there is *NO* replacement bulb on the market that has a reasonable light pattern and is at LEAST as bright as the stock incandescent bulb... much less brighter than stock. It was very disappointing and I sent everything back. Most of their claims are bogus, including lumen ratings. I am still waiting because I want something much brighter for my front signals which I also use as driving lamps (and I have a setup that makes the LED-ready at this point). The technology is there for MUCH better bulbs, but still no decent product yet that I have seen. I certainly would jump if someone can find something and share the info....
Then I read a Bike WebWorld article and they seem to indicate that a change to LED's is for the owners benefit only and doesn't really improve light output.
And they are correct. It almost always makes the light output much worse. I ended up adding an Admore lightbar for an additional brake light PLUS additional turn signals.
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Just returned from a week in Eureka Springs, Arkansas with 6 other riders, all on other brands. Without exception everyone complained that my rear turn signals were difficult to see in daylight. I started thinking about changing to LED bulbs on the rear but can't find a good bulb with so many out there and it looks as if all will require the addition of a resistor to make them work. Then I read a Bike WebWorld article and they seem to indicate that a change to LED's is for the owners benefit only and doesn't really improve light output. Have any of you done anything to improve rear turn signal visibility, and if so what seems to work the best?
Fork
Hehehe... Dan, I think you may be looking from the wrong angle. Way I read it everyone else was so far behind you they couldn't see your tail light and you weren't using your brake much. 8)
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I did an exhaustive search a few years ago and my conclusion was that there is *NO* replacement bulb on the market that has a reasonable light pattern and is at LEAST as bright as the stock incandescent bulb... much less brighter than stock. It was very disappointing and I sent everything back. Most of their claims are bogus, including lumen ratings. I am still waiting because I want something much brighter for my front signals which I also use as driving lamps (and I have a setup that makes the LED-ready at this point). The technology is there for MUCH better bulbs, but still no decent product yet that I have seen. I certainly would jump if someone can find something and share the info....
And they are correct. It almost always makes the light output much worse. I ended up adding an Admore lightbar for an additional brake light PLUS additional turn signals.
I encourage you to look at superbrightleds.com. If you cant find something youre happy with thee, look for Cree.
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Hehehe... Dan, I think you may be looking from the wrong angle. Way I read it everyone else was so far behind you they couldn't see your tail light and you weren't using your brake much. 8)
Well, I was in the lead for the entire trip, they were a way back, and I try not to brake going into a corner unless I'm in to trail braking on a particular day which I've largely quit doing since the C14 came along. Gotta say that bike sure is happy in the 4000 rpm and up category. Love it.
Fork
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quick hand signal ;)
i use this too http://www.vizi-tec.com/supabrake-2/ (http://www.vizi-tec.com/supabrake-2/) have a discount code also