LED options for increased visibility

[rwthomas1]

Hello All,
I'd like to add some additional lighting to increase visibility on both ends of the ST1100. I'm trying to figure out if the higher end lighting options are worth the coin. I'm not really interested in converting the stock to LED, etc, I'd like additional auxiliary units. The products seem to break down into low, medium and high price. Skene and Hyperlights appear to be the top, the Admore and Denali the middle and at the bottom, generic stuff from Amazon, Ebay, etc.

Since I can't see them all side by side and compare, is there really a huge difference? If the top shelf is worth it, and simply better, so be it. I want two additional brake lights and two fork mounted up front.

Thanks,

 

[Obo]

You don't need to buy the expensive brands unless you want to. You can add lighting on the cheap that will work fine. It may take a bit more creativity and individual pieces, or may not be as slick as a out-of-the-box solution, but it's very doable. Plus you can customize it as you want.

For example you can easily convert the front and rear round reflectors to LED lights and add extra lights to the license plate, forks etc. Add in a flasher module and you're good. All they need to do it be bright. They for others to see you, not for you to use as an aux lighting to see other things better.

I have fork mounted lights (yet to go on) and 2 extra rear brake lights on a flasher. Total cost for the rear lights and flasher was about $15-25 Cdn. I had to do the wiring myself as it wasn't a package. It was 3 separate bits.

 

[paulcb]

I know you said you didn't want to convert your stock to LEDs, but you should. It's the most bang for the buck and effort and it makes a big difference. I installed these. You'll also need the shim adapters for the ST1100. There's a good thread on LEDs bulbs here. I'd start with that and then add LED spots if necessary.

 

[st11ray]

I converted all lights to LED and have under mirror LED driving lights and in the back I have Hyperlites and a Whelen light bar. I can't find a picture of the front.

 

[ad1993pan]

Maybe at the front some clear turninglights with led, which have switchback from white to yellow ?

Ad

 

[Larry Fine]

I can't find a picture of the front.

Do you still have the bike . . . and the camera?

 

[st11ray]

Do you still have the bike . . . and the camera?

Yep. But I'm not at home

 

[ST Gui]

I want two additional brake lights and two fork mounted up front.

There are a lot of options depending on whether you want visibility or conspicuity. Few lights do both well. If you ride at night you should consider not blinding traffic in front of you. Sure the same holds for daytime but it's much less problematic.

I'll also mention replacing the headlight bulbs with LED bulbs because it is the biggest bang for the buck. There are too many auxiliary lighting options to list but there's high end and cheap and inexpensive. I'd avoid cheap especially if you want to see farther down the road. But there are very functional alternatives to top drawer for less money.

As you have an 1100 replacing the amber lenses with clear and using switchback LEDs really freshens the look of it and I'd posit the clear running lights can be seen better at distances that matter.

You might do a search here for a tail light mod for an extra brake light for the 1100. I believe the tail/brake light assembly has three 'compartments' – left and right for the bulbs and the center empty. Some have put a bulb inside the center compartment to turn it into a dedicated brake light. Instead of two tail lights just getting brighter when braking there's now a third light that takes the middle of the assembly from dark to bright just like a CHMSL on a car. That is a very slick mod. You could also add a flasher so it flashes just the third brake light momentarily then goes steady on. Also trick but adding a lot of conspicuity.

Another popular mod is replacing the rear reflector with an EMS (police/fire/ambo) strobe. They're usually programable to a number of flash patterns or steady on. VERY bright and you may risk drawing unwanted police attention but I don't think any of us have every been stopped for that.

I'll include the very obvious and apparently obligatory just because you add extra lights don't believe you'll be safe... blah blah blah. You get the idea.

If you add extra lights - or any mod of any kind for that matter - pics of your creation are always appreciated especially if you used a less common tweak.

 

[ad.hom]

I'll echo the sentiment by the others about swapping the stock bulbs for LED. All mine (granted, I ride the 1300) bar the headlights are LED, and I went with a pair of Phillips Extreme (non-LED) H4's for the headlights.

Before the bulb upgrade I was looking at ways to throw the light further down the road. I've not bothered looking ad extra lights since.

If you want them to be seen, rather than to see with them, any old LEDs will help, but make sure you check local laws for colour & direction/spacing. For example, not many places are happy with red at the front & white at the back, or blue & flashing anywhere. If you're half way decent with a soldering iron & a calculator, you could probably cover your entire bike in LEDs for less than the cost of many commercial setups.

 

[st11ray]

I'll echo the sentiment by the others about swapping the stock bulbs for LED. All mine (granted, I ride the 1300) bar the headlights are LED, and I went with a pair of Phillips Extreme (non-LED) H4's for the headlights.

Before the bulb upgrade I was looking at ways to throw the light further down the road. I've not bothered looking ad extra lights since.

If you want them to be seen, rather than to see with them, any old LEDs will help, but make sure you check local laws for colour & direction/spacing. For example, not many places are happy with red at the front & white at the back, or blue & flashing anywhere. If you're half way decent with a soldering iron & a calculator, you could probably cover your entire bike in LEDs for less than the cost of many commercial setups.

I've used the Phillips Xtreme bulbs before and they don't hold a candle to the F2 LED bulbs.

 

[ad.hom]

I've used the Phillips Xtreme bulbs before and they don't hold a candle to the F2 LED bulbs.

Oh I agree with you, but sadly, the F2's are also illegal here. To be honest, so are most of the LED bulbs that I do use, but the heat exchanger on the back of the F2's are an obvious giveaway.

 

[Lowndes]

To increase my visibility to others coming from behind, I've added brake light modulators and extra LED brake lights to several of my bikes. I've also changed all possible bulbs to LED's to increase brightness.

Super Bright LEDs has an LED modulator that is programmable and sells for $6.95 USD (plus postage) each. It is very small and simple to install in the brake light circuit. This is the link to it that also has a short vid that shows the various modes and brightness levels available on it.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/single-color-dimmer-switches/single-color-led-controller-with-dynamic-modes/1082/2573/

This is a link to a very short vid of my K1200RS brake light modulating at night. https://photos.app.goo.gl/B1xLJzuysfYPdzf56

With all the people driving with their noses in a cellphone now I'm doing everything I can to get their attention and be seen. I don't know the legality of these type modulators but in 5 years I've never been stopped or questioned about the front or rear modulators. They would be very easy to disable (the modulation) if necessary.

Super Bright also has a very similar modulator with remote control for $9.95 USD.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/single-color-dimmer-switches/single-color-led-controller-with-dynamic-modes-rf-remote/1370/3140/

 

[larryg]

You should reconsider an upgrade to LED headlight bulbs. They are cheap and MUCH brighter than stock, and greatly increases your visibility.
I ride with my high beams on, in the daytime (adjusted down slightly), and they are so effective that I seldom ever turn on the aux lights under my mirrors.

 

[rwthomas1]

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[SMSW]

You mentioned 'top shelf'. Then there are Whelen's offerings. Some of their lights are found on emergency vehicles. I added an M7 to my VStrom, an idea inspired by one of the other denizens of this website whose name is withheld to protect his innocence*. Even though this is an emergency flasher, it has around 150 programmed variations in the flashing pattern, including 4 flashes followed by a steady light. I used this pattern as an additional brake light and received complaints from my riding buddies that it was too bright. I checked it out in the privacy of my garage and agreed this thing can cook hot dogs at 18" so I used the bezel to hold a piece of darkening film (reduces light transmission by about 4 stops for you photographers) over the light and now it's just about perfect.

Bought this gem on ebay - they had quite a selection of Whelen's other LED's.
*I should have said guilt, but that sounds too harsh.

 

[tonythecarguy]

a piece of darkening film (reduces light transmission by about 4 stops for you photographers) over the light and now it's just about perfect.

Turnabout is fair play, I think this just inspired me.

 

[spiderman302]

Bigger is better than brighter. If the guy behind you sees a single small light at night he can not tell how far he is from you.
If you have multiple lights and reflectors spread out that is better. I have red reflectors on my saddle bags as well as extra red marker lights on my rear crash bars. I have wide red reflective tape on the bottom edge of the back mud guard.

I use the lin6 light bar as extra brake light, looks like the M7 would be better because it is bigger. Here is my flashback mod.

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/rear-turn-signal-red-amber-switchback-led-mod-st1300.151950/

I am still very happy with the F2 leds, best upgrade ever! The extra lights up front that I had added are now just ornaments....

 

[Sveinhaakon]

I converted all lights to LED and have under mirror LED driving lights and in the back I have Hyperlites and a Whelen light bar. I can't find a picture of the front.

Hello, do you have a supplier for the led lights on the pictures? Brgds Svein Haakon Syversen, Oslo, Norway

 

[st11ray]

Hello, do you have a supplier for the led lights on the pictures? Brgds Svein Haakon Syversen, Oslo, Norway

I'm in the US so there are several suppliers. Google Whelen brake, turn and tail led strip lights.

Whelen Strip-Lite Series LED Brake/Tail with Amber Turn [PSRASXCR] - $215.99 : QualityEmergencyLights.com - Vehicle Emergency Lights, Whelen, Federal Signal and More

QualityEmergencyLights.com - Vehicle Emergency Lights Whelen Strip-Lite Series LED Brake/Tail with Amber Turn [PSRASXCR] - The Whelen Strip-Lite Series LED Brake/Tail with Amber Turn is super-compact, slim and fit for places where other lighting devices are inapplicable. It is a sturdy warning...

www.qualityemergencylights.com

These are the two small ones I have on the back.

U32 Kit | Hyperlites, flashing LED motorcycle brake lights

hyperlites.com