led

[5twins]

I don't have a colored one in my tail light, and it seems fine. So far, that's the only place I've put one. I do have some for the instruments but haven't tried any yet as I still have a small supply of originals left.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I ordered a pack of 10 for my instruments. I’ll see how that works out.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I don't have a colored one in my tail light, and it seems fine

I’m sure it is fine. When the LED matches the lens, none of the light is blocked. They’re brighter. How much? We need a side by side comparison.

 

[5twins]

Well, on my '78, the single tail light also illuminates the license plate. How would a red light work for that? That's the bike that currently has the white LED in it.

 

[jetmechmarty]

How would a red light work for that?

Of course, it would illuminate red. I assume your ? is does the law approve? I expect the law has not addressed that. I'm familiar with the Georgia law that says "Must be illuminated." So, rather than test that, I would probably choose to do as you and go with white.

My Eleven Special is LED equipped. Honestly, the taillight looks like the brakes are on, until I apply brakes. It is very bright.

 

[Wingedwheel]

find a 7" headlight reflector for an H4 bulb then pick up a QUALITY H4 LED keeps the vintage look, but WOW you can see the road at night.
The XS1100 and a few other Yamahas used an H4 headlight so used is possible, otherwise automotive 7" H4 shells work too.
I've run 3 or 4 XS650's with LEDs
I had a 70 converted to all LED lighting, Madness is all LED also.
Online for gauge and turn signal will save a bunch. Walmart has some of the bulbs but they are a bit spendy too. Some of the cheap bulbs are crappy, caveat emptor.

I have an H-4 reflector shell that came with my Ultra. The PO put a daymaker in and at that time it was a total replacement so I was given the reflector and frame when I bought the bike. I’ve looked at the LED replacements and replacing them correctly seems pretty straight forward however with the way they’re made how much further into the headlight bucket does it extend? Plenty of room?

 

[gggGary]

I have an H-4 reflector shell that came with my Ultra. The PO put a daymaker in and at that time it was a total replacement so I was given the reflector and frame when I bought the bike. I’ve looked at the LED replacements and replacing them correctly seems pretty straight forward however with the way they’re made how much further into the headlight bucket does it extend? Plenty of room?

The good ones used to be pretty deep but they're smaller now and don't have a separate power supply. I have one in an early headlight bucket with room to spare. GOOD LED's will give nearly the same light as a conventional H4 with a sharper cut off line, cuz there's less light scatter than a filament gives off.

 

[gggGary]

I ordered a pack of 10 for my instruments. I’ll see how that works out.

I'm ordering 10 each of these in white, green, yellow, and red. for instrument and indicator lighting.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256...BL&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US
I like that one cuz it's a narrow package and really for these uses not overly bright prolly better.
I have another LED experiment for turn signals brewing, I'll show it "fairly soon".

 

[650Skull]

If the taillight is also the number plate light then a white one is needed

 

[Wingedwheel]

I thought about ordering an assortment pack but I wanted to see what a white would look like under the gems. Easy enough to change them out if I don’t like it.

 

[gggGary]

I thought about ordering an assortment pack but I wanted to see what a white would look like under the gems. Easy enough to change them out if I don’t like it.

Some of the jewels in my early gauges are badly faded. Especially the amber.

 

[gggGary]

If the taillight is also the number plate light then a white one is needed

There's ways to "fix" that if you're creative.
I've had good and bad LEDs RE brightness difference tail, to brake light. you REALLY want the cage jockey behind you to notice the difference.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I took the plunge today and I’ll have to say it was relatively painless. I replaced the headlight, instrument lights, blinkers and tail light. About the hardest part was fitting the H-4 shell to the Yamaha retainers. The shell’s lip was about 1.5 mm thicker so of course the rubber ring wouldn’t work. I ended up making a gasket from a strip of old inner tube. I cut it 5/8” wide and cut it just smaller then the circumference of the shell and super glued the ends together making myself a big rubber band lol. Stretched that around the shell and it fit in nice and snug. I also had to use a little longer screws putting the rings back together but that really didn’t change anything. this also gave me a chance(really a reason) to clean up inside the bucket because the shell and the new bulb were very snug… The blinkers worked fine due to a swap of the original flasher can when I did the build so I got lucky there and there were already several bulbs burned out in the instruments so that took care of that.

 

[gggGary]

Got those LED's here. lashed up a test rig.
4 LED colors and a factory incandescent.
40 leds delivered here, total $16
All powered by the new lithium going in the beemer (or madness mebby)

These LEDs intensity is strongly "up" oriented.
You'll know an indicator is on.
this speedo has one backlight bulb. In basement with some light from covered back door window.

incandescent

white LED

amber LED

green LED

red LED


Think any of these colors would work. They all seemed brighter than the incandescent.
all for now.

 

[jetmechmarty]

What year did the clock lights change from bayonet bulbs to whatever it is we call the newer ones? (I was going to say new)

 

[gggGary]

What year did the clock lights change from bayonet bulbs to whatever it is we call the newer ones? (I was going to say new)

According to the (often fallible) partzilla fiches, 81 to 82 was the changeover to the T10 wedge base in the US of A

it seems there's some confusion in bulb designations.

 

[jetmechmarty]

According to the (often fallible) partzilla fiches, 81 to 82 was the changeover to the T10 base in the US of A

Thank you. I need to swap all of those to LED. They constantly fail.

 

[gggGary]

LEDs aren't bullet proof I just had an aftermarket, walmart?, LED front running light fail (glows dimly) on the Prius. Mebby three years. That car simple ATE halogen headlights I changed it to LED headlights last fall. They're projector style and aren't much if any brighter. I have some "warmer" white LED headlight bulbs I want to try in it next. That cold blue light isn't my favorite.

 

[Mikey]

Red for the brake/taillight- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY4T4BU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Amber for turn signals- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D579C9K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

If you put LEDs in the turn signals, you will need a no-load flasher to go with them and your self-cancel feature is negated.

Retro vintage headlight in LED- https://revivalcycles.com/collections/motorcycle-headlights

something like one of these https://www.google.com/search?q=mot...57j33i160.10780j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Red for the brake/taillight- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY4T4BU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Amber for turn signals- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D579C9K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1

If you put LEDs in the turn signals, you will need a no-load flasher to go with them and your self-cancel feature is negated.

Retro vintage headlight in LED- https://revivalcycles.com/collections/motorcycle-headlights

 

[gggGary]

I'm starting to see occasional led house bulb failures too.