Rear Running Lights

The information presented here applies to most all motorcycles in general.
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scootermcq
Joined a 250cc Club
Posts: 590
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 6:15 am
My Bike: VS1400 + VL1500
Location: Ontario, Canada

Rear Running Lights

Post by scootermcq »

Have you noticed how cars run right up on your :moon: while riding on dark roads? I figured it out a while ago that they can not judge the distance from the bike with one silly little light in the middle of a dark night. On my last few bikes I bought a set of front turn signals and wired them into the rear so that I could have running lights on the back as well. Problem with that is I was spending around $50 to buy a used set of front turn signals and you were stuck with OEM lights. There are very few aftermarket 3 wire lights out there.

This time I used a trailer light converter box. I got mine at Canadian Tire for around $15.00 and there are several choices out there. Now the rear turn signals are always on and flash off when you hit the button. It has the same effect, but a whole lot cheaper and now you can buy any lights you want. I know there are adapters you can buy for bikes, but they all seem to be very expensive to do the same thing.

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On the car side of the box, I spiced in ground to ground, left turn signal to left turn signal hot, same with the right, and the stop wire to a constantly hot wire (in this case the rear running light for the brake / running light). On the trailer side, I wired the ground to the 2 turn signals ground or negative wires and left to left & right to right. I cut off the tail light wires on the box and capped them off.

In order to make sure I was legal I bought clear lenses and red bulbs so the running lights are red and compliant with most provinces / states.

Works really well and saved me $40 bucks over the way I used to do it and I can change out my signals to any 2 wire signals I want if the fancy strikes me.
Scott

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WintrSol
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My Bike: CB450 GL1500CT
Location: Near St. Louis, MO

Re: Rear Running Lights

Post by WintrSol »

Great idea! I have the 3-into-2 adapter on order for my Valkyrie.

My VS800 has LED rings in the lamps, that light with the running lights, and brighter with the brake lights, and are grounded through the signal bulbs, so they turn off when the signal comes on. Not very bright in daylight, but OK at night. I just can't find them again, so your idea is a good solution for me.
Florissant, MO
CB450K3, GL1500CTValkyrie

Leckbass
Got My M1 License!
Posts: 433
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:54 pm
My Bike: 1992 Intruder 1400

Re: Rear Running Lights

Post by Leckbass »

love the idea, where did you find the clear lens covers?

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scootermcq
Joined a 250cc Club
Posts: 590
Joined: Mon Jun 01, 2015 6:15 am
My Bike: VS1400 + VL1500
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Rear Running Lights

Post by scootermcq »

Leckbass wrote:love the idea, where did you find the clear lens covers?
I bought them here: http://www.kapscomoto.com/product_p/mt274-007.htm and they were actually smoke...

I have seen both clear & smoke on Ebay....
Scott

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Leckbass
Got My M1 License!
Posts: 433
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2016 2:54 pm
My Bike: 1992 Intruder 1400

Re: Rear Running Lights

Post by Leckbass »

Question, do the taillights need to be red to be on? What if I got red covers and white bulbs?

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Night_Wolf
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My Bike: 2006 1400 Intruder
Location: Calgary Alberta
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Re: Rear Running Lights

Post by Night_Wolf »

Here is a link to a page on my site for a different take on this mod

Running Lights / Red Signals

I used a set of front signals from an 800 Intruder to do this modification. FYI the signals are the same on both the VS800 & VS1400. First we need to find the wiring.The wiring is under the passenger seat. Good place to start eh? Now that you know where the wires are you'll need a test light. Connect the clip on the tester to a ground and turn on your lights. Probe the different connections until you find the main power. This would be your running lights, next turn on a signal and probe the other wires until you find the one that makes the prope blink like the signal. Mark it left or right and then find the other. Now that you know all the connections and marked them with tape, (you did that right?) comes the time to make your new connections. You'll notice that all the connections are butt connected (you can pull them apart) What I did was take two small pieces of 18 guage wire and join one end. Then I crimped a butt connector that would mate one end of the now open circuit. On the other end I crimped a connector that will mate on the other end of the old connection. You now have one open end of wire. Use the same type of crimp connector you just installed on the other half. Now on the wire of the new rear signals match it to the open circuit you have left. Repeat this procedure for running/left signal & right signal . If you are unsure drop me a line and I'll try to help as best as possible. BTW make sure the 2 wires you join are not too long as all the new connections still have to fit under the seat. This is true for both the VS 800 & VS1400

People who want running lights with the rear signals have a problem.
The problem is it's illegal to have Amber Running lights on the rear of your
motorcycle. I have an inexpensive and easy fix that you can accomplish
in a couple of hrs.

First of all head down to your local automotive type store.
Wally Mart or Canadaian Tire should do depending on whether you live in
Canada or the USA. Head to the paint section and look for
Krylon Stained Glass Red ( see note below ) in an Aerosol Can. One can is
more than enough unless you plan to make a living from this tip If you
don't have a masking tape of some type at home pick up a roll while you
are at the store. Check out your purchase and head home to finish this job.

The rest of the mod can be found @ the following link

http://www.intruderalert.ca/signals.htm
Type @ Ya'll Later
Night_Wolf


Intruder Alert Canada/Night_Wolf's Lair

Alberta Adventure Riders


2006 VS1400 Image 2020 V85TT Image

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