I've seen a few bikes with the rear turn signals re-wired as running lights.  Bassman29 mentioned that in Illinois he would need red lenses to be legal.  While posting pictures I noticed that Riso has such red lenses in Rome:

I don't quite understand how he would be legal in one sense but yet not be illegal in another. DOT requires turns to be Yellow with a specific surface area of that in reflective. So if he changes to red to comply with the running lights rear legality he would by default then also be out of complaince with the turn signal yellow requirement. All states, at least at minumum, default to DOT regulations....  Because they have too... So I cannot comprehend why if they are running lights as well as the turns he would end up legal by changing them to red. Unless he plans on using something else as the turns. Now note that the front turns are indeed yellow and are running lights already. So the only reason for red rear is to indicate that its the back of the bike. But the tail lamp and its red reflective surface already takes care of that. So it makes no sense to me why any state would require that if the rear turns were "always lighted" they need to be red. It would by default make the turns out of compliance by not being yellow while blinking.

Rome? well thats a whole nudder country so I got no idea what they want in the rear.... but Illinois should not be so different from DOT I would think. Confuses me that he said they were.

Yes DOT reuirements are for RED stop and Amber or RED for turn. In the USA for years we made the wiring simplier by using a double filament bulb behind a RED lense to get low wattage running and high wattage or bright turn/stop. Voltage supply was switched in the turn signal curcuit so only one wire was needed for brake or turn light.   Europe has traditionally used separate lamps for turn amber and they require a wire for each lamp. My new Colorado PU has separate amber turn signals ala Europe, but I think Buick and Cadillac used them in the late 70's early 80's in the first version of the X-bodied car. Chev and Pontiac built on the same platform used traditional lenses.  Next time you are in a large parking lot look to see how they vary from vehicle to vehicle. Want more RED on the back of your Savage, use RED LED strips that attach under license plate screws. Most are wired off the tail/stop lamp circuit so will glow not so bright until the stop lamp it energized, then the will go bright. Also expect to see more LED options in the future, the technology there is really moving forward fast. There is a remarkable difference between the first LED flashlights and the current ones, lots brighter and less $. One article I read thought by end of this decade we will see LED headlamps on high end vehciles.  

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:


Yeah, I think I'd like to do that too.

Rear can def be amber or red.  Look at cars, many American cars/trucks are all red in back, many foriegn are amber....

....what about the LED kits out there?  THey're around $50 but I think they use green LEDs (comes out red through the amber?) and act as running AND brake lights with the turn signal overriding both....in amber.

 http://beta.cruisercustomizing.com/list.cfm?manufacturer_ID=223&model_ID=0

here in washington state no signals are required  yipee.
the only requirement is that "you signal".

my 30 plus years of riding experience has shown me cages don't see the machine let alone the signals.  

so dont be surprised when you almost get runover making a turn.  just be prepared to not make the turn and keep going straight untill it's safe to do so.

after i bobbed thumper i added a couple of red running lights attached to the wheel alingment bolts to serve as addition brake lights. note the license plate covers up the shock offset for belt drive. as you can see i'm in need of a new rear tire.  i'm on santa's nice list and hopefully he bring me my new dunlop k555
the only unlawful mod has been the removal of the right side mirror.  i did that on one of my sliding it on down the road incidents. ok there have been several. but hey i'm ok. poor ole thumper has gotten beat up though.

Paladin. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:


Ok I finaly see what your up to. You want a triple use for them and the important part is you want them also to really brighten up as extra brake lights. So thats the part that really makes you want to use Red lenses. Got it! Interesting. So you want triple elements? How do you plan to solve that? Is there such a beast?

Well.... I do know a guy out in your area in California that makes such things as this from an OEM part. He does mostly Scooter reproductions and such. I buy some things from him from time to time and he does great work.... not certain it would be cost effective for just a few but it might be doable... it might be something you could consider. He needs one to cast it. Clauss Studio's is the name. Greg Clauss. He should have a web site if you search that out.

Ah...here it is. And this is just up his alley too..

http://www.claussstudios.com/index.html