SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> adding a second tail light
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1348447192

Message started by misterbbq on 09/23/12 at 17:39:52

Title: adding a second tail light
Post by misterbbq on 09/23/12 at 17:39:52

after a tailgating experience today whereby a jacked up pick up truck was so close to me i could only make out the side of his truck in my right side view mirror. flashing my brakes did no good so i eventually just moved over even though i was doing the speed limit. he went blasting past me only to slam on his brakes a little later when he noticed the georgia state patrol car on the side of the road lol.

in any case....got me to thinking. could a second brake light be mounted somewhere higher (like say mounted to the top of a sissy bar)? will the existing electrical system handle that?

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Greg on 09/23/12 at 17:48:58

They sell brake lights that are wireless and mount to your helmet.

http://atlantispowersports.com/wirelesshelmetlight.htm

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by rfw2003 on 09/23/12 at 18:01:15

If I was to do that, I would definitely do it as a LED light. They can be brighter and use alot less power then regular incandescent bulbs. Just make sure you get one that is designed as a LED and not one that uses one of those replacement LED bulbs that fit in the regular incandescent sockets.

Myself when I changed out my signals to LED units I got 3 wire ones, and also installed a trailer wire converter so that the lights work as run/turn/brake lights, so in effect I now have 3 brake lights on the rear of mine.

R.F.

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by misterbbq on 09/23/12 at 18:02:03

very interesting....thank you for the link.

being that i don't use my pillion.....i'm now thinking of adding some sort of a trunk with integrated tail light.

bozo today probably didn't care that i was flashing my taillight....but he was so close to me that i wonder if he even saw my taillight at all.

i like the idea of the helmet light quite a bit....

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Serowbot on 09/23/12 at 18:04:32

If that's all you've added,.. then, yeah, it'll handle it... tungsten or LED...

LED's pull next to nuthin' but most aren't very bright...

I have dual tungsten tail/brake lights... but I've disconnected my front running lights...

Yes,.. what he said...

6B7F6E2B29292A190 wrote:

Just make sure you get one that is designed as a LED and not one that uses one of those replacement LED bulbs that fit in the regular incandescent sockets.R.F.

... but, the a-holes will still be a-holes... :-?...

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Charon on 09/23/12 at 18:12:15

A brake light of almost any type wouldn't be a problem, because they are used for short periods of time. The alternator has plenty of time to recharge the battery between applications. Only problem might arise if you used a light of such high wattage that the switches couldn't handle the current.

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by misterbbq on 09/23/12 at 18:12:33

5A4E5F1A18181B280 wrote:

have any photos of what you have done?

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by rfw2003 on 09/23/12 at 19:34:01

5A5E44435245555546370 wrote:

[quote author=5A4E5F1A18181B280 link=1348447192/0#2 date=1348448475]If I was to do that, I would definitely do it as a LED light. They can be brighter and use alot less power then regular incandescent bulbs. Just make sure you get one that is designed as a LED and not one that uses one of those replacement LED bulbs that fit in the regular incandescent sockets.

Myself when I changed out my signals to LED units I got 3 wire ones, and also installed a trailer wire converter so that the lights work as run/turn/brake lights, so in effect I now have 3 brake lights on the rear of mine.

R.F.

have any photos of what you have done?
[/quote]
This what you wanted the pic of?
http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p618/rfw2003/96%20Savage/IMG_20120827_162958.jpg

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by misterbbq on 09/24/12 at 02:46:17

yep. very cool....and i see you've made a mod or 2 to your bike!! lol.

still trying to figure out what i want to do....but i might just get a helmet light to start with. don't know how one of those trunks with a tail light will work on the pillion itself as they all seem to be designed to attach to a 'shelf'.

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by rfw2003 on 09/24/12 at 03:18:56

It's changed abit more since that pic as well. I'm constantly doing something new to the little ole' savage ;)

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Digger on 09/26/12 at 19:28:30

I put brake lights on my trunk a while back:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/Digger109/LS650/Hyper-Lites-LitE.jpg

I've had several people tell me that the lights are quite attention-getting.

FWIW, here is the build thread:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1278562220/6#6

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Cavie on 09/26/12 at 20:12:44

here's what I put on my Vol.

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by misterbbq on 09/27/12 at 09:16:03

i like both of those ideas quite a bit! i'm slowly researching what i want and will post some pics of what i decide to do. i like the trunk idea and i like the idea of mounting it IN PLACE of the rear seat. i have a single seat but found a cheap 2 piece set on ebay for $25 (they need recovered).

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by teabowl13 on 09/27/12 at 11:28:44

On my Nighthawk, I installed four small flush-fitting LED turn signals above the taillight and wired them all together into the brake light wiring.
That bike has a tail section where the Savage doesn't; so the mounting couldn't be the same, but the idea worked really well. I don't have pictures, but they are small and unobtrusive until they come on; they were cheap, only one LED bulb per signal, so they aren't as noticeable in the daylight, but they are VERY noticeable at night, and that's what I wanted...

Mine were this style, but any flush LED turn signal would work....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-LED-MOTORCYCLE-FLUSH-MOUNT-TURN-SIGNAL-CHROME-/130523028718?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e63c75cee&vxp=mtr

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by tomw on 10/05/12 at 17:20:04

BE carefull when buying Led some are less bright then stock especaily blinkers I bought a break/running led bulb choice clear or red I bought the clear thinking that it would be brighter then the red led it was brighter all right, it was so bright running light looked like break light was on, that's ok but when the break was applied light looked bright pink color. Well order a red led and couldent be happyer I well keep the clear for a extra???

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by arteacher on 10/05/12 at 17:40:12

I put a running light brake light modulator ( Adds running lights and flashes when brakes are applied) on mine. Plus a couple of reflectors on the saddle bags.
BTW, no amount of brake lights will protect you from a$$holes. >:(
I have heard of some guys who carry bbs in their pockets, and toss some over their shoulder if someone is tailgating too close, but I think that would spark road rage.

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Demin on 10/06/12 at 06:25:26

I run dual taillights on alot of my builds.
This one I have the same thing on the other side with a vertical tag mount.
http://p1.bikepics.com/2011/08/16/bikepics-2257982-800.jpg

These are dual element.I wired the lower wattage side to the brake light and the higher to the turn signals.All 3 come on as brake lights.

http://p1.bikepics.com/2007/09/09/bikepics-1018369-800.jpg

Title: Re: adding a second tail light
Post by Demin on 10/06/12 at 06:27:02

And in Ohio and Texas the running/brake lights are required to be red.Amber is for turn only.

And I agree with arteacher.If somebody can hit a police car with red and blues going,there's no amount of light for cerrtain people.