SuzukiSavage.com - Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not?

AlphaBarney

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Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not?
10/06/11 at 05:09:16

Hey all, I'm looking to get rid of the bulky stoplight on my bike and have a couple of questions with a couple of options. I'm looking to take off the tag light mount, and mount a cat-eye in its place under the rear fender.
I'm looking at an incandescent type and an LED type.
Question #1: Is LED worth it?
Question #2: Will the incandescent work with the stock battery? It says it uses an 1157 bulb which seems to be 27W @12.8V. I know my stock is a 21/5W@12V(according to Clymers and the bulb I pulled).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CATEYE-TAILLIGHT-ASSEMBLY-CAT-EYE-TAILLIGHT-HA...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Custom-LED-Cat-eye-Tail-Light-Lamp-Chrome-Red-...

Anyone

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Demin

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Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not
Reply #1 - 10/06/11 at 05:31:37

Those will both work fine.I run two incandescent lights on my bike.Use the original bracket under the fender,but you'll have to drop it down about half an inch or so.For the taillight to fit under the fender.I like LED's,but the problem is they are a focused beam of light.If you get too much out of that beam they're not as bright.Hard to explain.If you see one walk towards it,then around it,you'll understand.You almost have to aim it for a car behind you.

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Built2Last Serious Thumper Offline Tempt Fate Posts: 1447 FTF Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #2 - 10/06/11 at 07:18:30 Did you happen to find any tail brake lights that will mount in place of the stock tail brake light? I like the location of it, I just don't like the square look of it..
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AlphaBarney Full Member Offline Were you born to resist, or be abused? Posts: 121 Raleigh, NC Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #3 - 10/06/11 at 10:22:40 Built, I didn't see anything I liked to replace the stock in that location, plus I'm looking to sleek out the tail a bit. There are probably some lights that would work in the stock location, but I don't have any specifics. I just hunted EBay, Motoshop.net, and the likes for a while.
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Built2Last Serious Thumper Offline Tempt Fate Posts: 1447 FTF Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #4 - 10/06/11 at 10:32:25 I've been looking for quite awhile for a cats eye that would fit there... I don't like the back of the bike to look like its dragging since it's so low already
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babyhog

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Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not
Reply #5 - 10/06/11 at 10:45:05

I always liked the Sparto style, but never got around to trying to figure out if it would be difficult to mount.

And I love the West Eagle Drilled, but don't know how to cover up the wiring.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Wemp-Drilled-Aluminum-Taillight-Lighting-56854...

Keep us posted and put up some pics if you do it... please...

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Built2Last

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Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not
Reply #6 - 10/06/11 at 10:51:42

Babyhog, I might try the Sparto, I'll let ya know how it goes. The second one's great too but I'm not sinking $200 into that right now..

AlphaBarney, sorry to hijack your thread. I'm suprised no one has answered your question yet, it seems A LOT of Savage riders have an under the fender catseye tail light....

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JohnBoy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 825 Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #7 - 10/06/11 at 11:01:23 What ever you go with, make sure it is bright enough to "Scream" I'm Here! Getting run down from behind is not fun...trust me on this one.
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AlphaBarney Full Member Offline Were you born to resist, or be abused? Posts: 121 Raleigh, NC Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #8 - 10/06/11 at 11:47:20 No worries Built, and yes, JB, I'm pairing the new taillight with a BackOff modulator. Not that cagers would even notice if I put a cinema marquee on the back, but it should grab a little extra attention.
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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #9 - 10/06/11 at 13:17:14 A Sparto covered thed holes in the stock fender.I think I used the two rear holes and just had to drill a hole for the front mount bolt for it.
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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #10 - 10/06/11 at 13:18:04 I also used the turn signals as brake lights.
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JohnBoy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 825 Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #11 - 10/06/11 at 13:42:01 Hey Demin can you show us a side view of that setup? What I see looks really sharp!
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Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #12 - 10/06/11 at 18:00:07 Pre-bobbed
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babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not Reply #13 - 10/07/11 at 08:18:40 Yep! I think Demin's were the ones that made me like the Sparto so well. Of course his paint job just totally sets it off too!
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Built2Last

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Re: Replacing taillight/brakelight...to LED or not
Reply #14 - 10/07/11 at 08:27:34

Since we're off the subject of the catseye and on the subject of the sparto, should I go with a flat black sparto on my shiny black fender or just go with chrome? I have the anodized black superbrace coming that would probably go well with the black one..

(not the savage one but the same anodized black)

Alphabarny I think it doesn't matter what voltage catseye you get as long as it's around the same stock voltage... just buy one from someone that lists it for a Savage, and I personally don't think the LED's are that bright in the daytime, but I don't go around looking for them either...

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