I have not been an advocate of switching out the stock 1157 tail/brake light bulb for an LED - as the cheap LED's are not as bright, and are hard to see in the daylight.  You are safer with the stock bulb than a cheap LED.  When you replace your brake light or turn signal bulbs with LED ones - put the bike in the sunlight and get back 200 feet....and then see how visible it is.  The folks that are going to run you over aren't likely to be 20 feet behind you when you put on the brakes or turn signals, they are most likely to be back a bit and gaining on you fast.

I have found an LED replacement for the stock 1157 bulb that I believe is better than the stock bulb, and I have ordered them for use in the ST1100 and my car.  The bulb is sold by Superbright, and at $ 18.95 each they are not cheap - but they have a built in brake light flasher and it is not any more expensive than installing a brake light flasher....plus it is brighter, lasts longer and uses less energy.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/car-strobe-modules/1157-led-bulb-dua...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQh-0bRqx3c


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjuCIUk9E4o

This may be helpful in getting folks to look up from their cell phones!

This light flashes 3 times - then goes solid for about a minute.  After a minute it flashes 3 times again....and goes solid.

It is illegal to have a continual flashing red light - but one that pulses a few times when activated is legal.

Thanks, Dave!  I perused these a while back and was not sure if they were a gimmick but now that you bring them up I value your professional opinion and may grab one.

My only question is whether or not it requires anything to function properly or if it just snaps in and it's ready.  Reason I ask is per this comment on the sellers website:

Your vehicle may require an LED compatible Flasher or Load Resistor. LED brake/tail lamps will not flash with most stock flasher units due to their extremely low current draw ...Please See More LED Car Bulb Notes

Thanks!

Sweet.  Another example of why being all high-tech is not always the bestest.  

I placed my order  

Thanks Dave!

ezornes239 wrote on 10/24/14 at 20:41:44:


No spinning.  It is a steady light until you apply the brake, then 3 bright flashes and then steady bright for a full minute....then 3 more flashes every minute until you let go of the brake.

I'm waiting on mine to come in for the stock S40 brake light. Not sure if you (Dave) still have the stock tail light for comparison?  If not, I'll report back in a few days with a stock comparison as soon as mine gets here.

Agreed...if it's less bright and therefore less visible it'll be worthless to me and be on a trip back home.

The LED  Break light 'bulb', from 'Superbrightled', is Well  Worth it.

They are not the 'cheep', knock offs, and if you want to go standard, or pulse, you can't go wrong. (You pay for them, but they are worth it)

However, I just 'have',  to be, different.
So I built a little bracket,  used these:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-wired-bolts/bolt-beam-12mm-led-l...

A 'Red' each side, and a, 'Blue', in the center.
These are 'tipped' up a bit, so thinking a tall SUV, or Truck, will see them easier. And, they, 'ARE', bright.

Now,  BLUE, as a rear light.    In Minn, Blue, in the rear, of a M.C. IS Legal !!!!  (perhaps other States, check your laws).  
As long as it is 1" or Less.  (These are 1/2"), and it is operated Only, when the break is applied.

Have had people riding behind me, (in the day), when I tap/flash, the break light, to warn of a bit of rough road.  They tell me, 'They can really see them, and it really catches your eye'.

So check your state laws. And perhaps check about, 'green'. would that work?  Point is, something, 'different', to, "Catch That Attention".

Thought of drilling a little hole in the factory, plastic, and adding the, 'Blue' light.

Well, I mounted the 1157 replacement bulbs in the Honda ST1100, and they work great.  They are brighter, and they make the light look less orange and more red.

I then tried the 7443 bulbs in my wife's Honda Civic car, and they work fine in her car.  The rear light housings are deeper and the lenses have the prisms in them......my Pontiac Vibe does not.  The 7443 replacement LED's evidently don't work well in lights with shallow reflectors and lenses without prisms.

So.....we will have to see how much luck Kris01 has with the Savage.  They work great in Honda's (car and bike).