LED replacement bulbs

[newOldUser]

Anyone using LED replacement lights for their brakes or turn signals?

I'm interested in anyones experience with 1156/1157 replacement bulbs.

Here's a sight with some examples: http://www.ledshoppe.com/

but I've seen them on ebay and other places.

Prices seem to be all over the place from $5 to $50 for a brake light.

I'm looking for something that will give me a more visible running/brake light. I also like them becuase they're easy to install and I don't have to cut into the wiring. A couple of 36 LED red ones look good for my vulcan 750, just wondering if anyone has had a problem.

I've heard that if you use them for the turn signals they might fool your blinker-box into thinking the bulb is burned out because they draw so little juice.

[f4isvt]

never used the replacment bulbs but i did switch my honda over to led turn signals. I fabbed them into the brake light and they shine over the standard bulb for the running light

[Cheech]

I've used the stuff from superbrightleds.com. You are correct about having to fool the relay, there are resistors available for that. If you are going to do this, I HIGHLY advise using the SMD LED's or anything with 1 watt or better. The bulbs with 8-10 or so conventional LED's will be nowhere near as bright as the SMD's. It may cost you a little more, but these things will never burn out.

Also, double check the socket wiring before you put them on. When I did this on my Katana, I found out the hard way that the pos/neg was reversed on the socket from the factory. Incandescent bulbs don't care, but you will fry your shiny new LED bulb in a hurry if that's the case.

[Lamar Vannoy]

The only incandescent bulb I have is my high beam, undertail helped for the tail lights though.

I actually bought a pair of 1157 bulbs to find I really needed 7443's if you want to see if they'd work for you.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F115x-x3X1W.htm

[Meanie]

Try this site and see if they have the LED board for your bike. I currently have the LED bulb on my Mean Streak, and I've been told by alot of people it's hard to see. I have a clear lens on it, which I figured would make it easier to see. If you want to order the clear lens and the LED board they have a brake light section too. I wouldn't recommend the bulbs in my experience they aren't that bright. I haven't tried the SMD LEDs as Cheech mentioned.

Here's the link.

http://clearalternatives.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CA&Category_Code=LED

[Cheech]

Try this site and see if they have the LED board for your bike. I currently have the LED bulb on my Mean Streak, and I've been told by alot of people it's hard to see. I have a clear lens on it, which I figured would make it easier to see. If you want to order the clear lens and the LED board they have a brake light section too. I wouldn't recommend the bulbs in my experience they aren't that bright. I haven't tried the SMD LEDs as Cheech mentioned.

Here's the link.

http://clearalternatives.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CA&Category_Code=LED

The bulbs I used from superbright aren't there anymore, it looks like they have some better stuff now.

[vw151]

I put an LED tail on my monster.

Here's a video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B-oyV7PRgg

[Twisty]

I am so buying led lights for my bike. I like to be seen by others more so less of a possibility of them not seeing me.. Hurray.

[Titanium Cranium]

I used those LED replacement bulbs on my Gixxer 600 a few years ago. I just picked them up from Auto Zone to try them. They worked good for my application but primarilly just to separate the left side of the tail light from the right because I had an integrated tail light. So it made it easier to see if the left or right blinker was on but it really didn't seem to make my bike's tail light or brake light any brighter or stand out any more. If you can find a full LED board for your bike that would probably be better and make it stand out much more to the cage drivers behind you.

[Cheech]

I used those LED replacement bulbs on my Gixxer 600 a few years ago. I just picked them up from Auto Zone to try them. They worked good for my application but primarilly just to separate the left side of the tail light from the right because I had an integrated tail light. So it made it easier to see if the left or right blinker was on but it really didn't seem to make my bike's tail light or brake light any brighter or stand out any more. If you can find a full LED board for your bike that would probably be better and make it stand out much more to the cage drivers behind you.

This is why I recommend the >1W SMD's. They are bright enough that you don't need a cheese board filled with conventional cheap LED bulbs to get the brightness you want.

[JBWalker]

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Edited February 19, 2010 by JBWalker

[hue jass]

not bright enough. I dont recommend.

He's right. Unless you can build projectors specific to LED. If you're going to put an LED into a stock housing, they won't be nearly as bright as incandescent. My bike came with an undertail and the lights that came in it were terrible. Here's what I had to do to get great tails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLauFopIj7E

[newOldUser]

Great advice and videos everyone. Thanks.

I've been looking at ebay and have found several vendors selling the 36 LED bulbs. I like the 36 LED becuase it seems to give more light (though maybe not as much as the SMD versions). I'm hoping that the bulb will sit in the current reflector well enough that I don't need to do any modifications. I don't like the LED configurations that have all the lights facing in one direction. I know from experience that LED light drops off greatly at an angle to straight on. My bike has a red lens cover so I'll probably stick to getting white bulbs. I'm not replacing the turn signals (yet) so I don't need to worry about the relays.

I've also seen these "spinning" type bulbs. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2x-36-LED-SPINNING-BRAKE-TURN-TAIL-LIGHT-PART-1157-BULB_W0QQitemZ370332902079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item56398fa2bf

They worry me a little because I don't want the driver behind me thinking "What the heck is that guy signaling" when he should be thinking "Hey, I need to stop before I hit that motorcycle". Anyone use the "spinning" type?

SMD type : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2x-1157-SMD-13-LED-White-Light-Bulb-2057-380-BAY15D-P21_W0QQitemZ130367911245QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item1e5a88754d

non-spinning 36 LED: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370324859566&ih=024&category=33713&_trksid=p4506.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D3%26ps%3D6%26clkid%3D7955418153743224426

I must be getting a little touch of cabin fever because I'm thinking about buying several different sets and seeing which I like best. And then there's that Solar power battery charger that I was looking at.... http://www.innovationhouse.com/products/cycle_saver.html?promo2

Too many toys to buy, not enough time to ride...

[Cheech]

I would advise against getting the bulbs on ebay, simply because you have no idea what kind of LED's you're buying. You want to know what the lumen capacity is and a rough idea of the power draw, otherwise I'd stay away from them.

Also, get colored lenses, not just white. The lenses are there to filter out the rest of the spectrum except for the color you want to see, if you get the same colored bulb right off the bat you will have a brighter light. Also, if you went for clear lenses later on you don't have to re-buy the bulbs.

[Strictly Street]

If you need a resistor for your particular bike get it at Radio Shack.

5 to 8 ohms at 20 watts ought to do it. The price should be about $2 -$3.

If you buy an LED impedance matching device you can spend up to $35.00 for a 5 to 8 ohm resistor at 20 watts.

Here is an article on it.

http://www.plasmaled.com/tail_light_led_bulb_fix.htm

If you want to use a converter, which looks nice to add running lights to your turn signals. You might find that a converter like these:

http://www.customdynamics.com/loadequalizer.htm#Metric_Signal_Stabilizer

Looks remarkably like a trailer light adapter available at NAPA for about $10.00. Hmmmm........

Edited February 19, 2010 by Strictly Street

[Meanie]

Ok so I just got my need LED tail light board in. Here are a few pics of the old vs. the new. Hopefully this will help you in you decision.

Two pictures of the original LED bulb.

Original bulb wit brake on.

ok here is one with the new LED board in and the brake on.

The new LED board cost about $55, from clear Alternatives. See the link in my first post in this thread for pictures of the light.

Good Luck!!

[newOldUser]

Ok so I just got my need LED tail light board in. Here are a few pics of the old vs. the new. Hopefully this will help you in you decision.

...

The new LED board cost about $55, from clear Alternatives. See the link in my first post in this thread for pictures of the light.

Good Luck!!

Yikes! That's a real difference. Thanks for the photos. Planes are going to try to land behind you as you go down the road.

I did a little more poking around and found several articles in webBikeWorld like this one http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/led/led.htm

They all seem to say that if you go with the cheaper LED set ups you will not get as much light/lumins as the incandesent bulb you're replacing. (So, pretty much what you guys on the board have been saying.) The advantage is that you're using less juice so you can power other stuff. Well I'm not looking to power other stuff, I just wanted a cheap, brighter, replacement bulb that would give better daytime and nighttime visibility to drivers behind me.

Not to take my own thread off-topic but I did get a message from someone telling me to look into "Xenon" bulbs if I just wanted something brighter. I'm not sure if they change the amount of juice used or not. Don't know if they produce too much heat or fail with motorcycle vibration. I've seen two red 1157 xenon bulbs on ebay for about $6.

Edited February 21, 2010 by newOldUser

[hue jass]

I found that Web Bike World article a ways back. In the end, if you're putting an 1157 LED replica into a housing that's designed for incandescent, you're never going to be happy. Nothing performs as well. I wanted to use 1157 incandescents in mine but they're only two inch lights. At a good long stop light the bulbs would melt everything. Had to go with LED. I found out just how hot a 22 or 3 watt 1157 gets with both filaments lit (very very hot). The 36 led bulbs you were looking at in the beginning are what I got, except in warm white because I didn't want pink tail lights. They work very well in the projectors I made for them. I tried them in my FJR, though, and no output. They just can't take advantage of the the reflectors in housings designed for incandescent.

I looked at the ones Meanie got, too. They may be better for you.

[Cheech]

I found that Web Bike World article a ways back. In the end, if you're putting an 1157 LED replica into a housing that's designed for incandescent, you're never going to be happy. Nothing performs as well. I wanted to use 1157 incandescents in mine but they're only two inch lights. At a good long stop light the bulbs would melt everything. Had to go with LED. I found out just how hot a 22 or 3 watt 1157 gets with both filaments lit (very very hot). The 36 led bulbs you were looking at in the beginning are what I got, except in warm white because I didn't want pink tail lights. They work very well in the projectors I made for them. I tried them in my FJR, though, and no output. They just can't take advantage of the the reflectors in housings designed for incandescent.

I looked at the ones Meanie got, too. They may be better for you.

I think I still have my 1157 LED SMD bulb left over from my Katana, I guarantee you if I put that bulb in your tail (kinky!) you'll change your mind.

[Radio Flyer]

Not meaning to thread jack but I've been looking at doing something like this as well for my rear turn signals on my 07sv650s.

I found an integrated tail light system on EBAY. Would it just plug right in?

Anyone have any suggestions on which route to take while doing this to my bike? I want my mudflap gone and integrated tails seems to be the best way to go.

[MidgetTodd]

Some do some dont, the ones that dont you can cut the plug off your oem taillight and put it on the wires of the integrated light.

[Radio Flyer]

This seems like the best way to go for me.

I don't feel like spending the cash on a fender eliminator kit, and once you can get the rear blinkers taken care of it's a piece of cake.

Just need to find one with bright enough lights.

[newOldUser]

Here's a follow up...

One of the sets of replacement bulbs that I ordered has come in. It's the "Spinning" LED bulbs from eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2x-36-LED-SPINNING-BRAKE-TURN-TAIL-LIGHT-PART-1157-BULB_W0QQitemZ370332902079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item56398fa2bf

$4 includes shipping.

First thing I noticed was that they don't spin. With or without the brakes being on the light pattern does not spin. Vendor is refunding my money and told me to keep the bulbs.

Second thing I noticed was you guys are correct, they are not as bright as the regular 1157 bulbs.

The picture below shows the comparison. All photos are with the brakes ON. The bike on the left has two 36-LED white bulbs. The bike in the middle has a 36-LED white bulb in the left socket and a regular bulb in the right socket. The bike on the right has two regular bulbs.

I'm waiting on some 36-LED red bulbs to come in. I'll post pictures when they come in. For now I'm back to using regular bulbs. I'll keep the LED's in the saddle bags as emergency replacments.

[Cheech]

I have no idea why the LED's being in motion would mean that the light would be brighter.

Well, now that you're learned your lesson on the domed LED's, perhaps you'll spring for a little more and get some SMD's. This time, make damned sure that whereever you buy them from gives you the lumen ratings and not just "these are super OMG bright lights!"

I would sell you my 1157, but I only have one and it seems you need two.

[newOldUser]

Just to be complete....

Got the Red 36-LED bulbs in the mail and tried them. They are brighter than the white 36-LED bulbs (viewed through the red lens) but still not as bright as a standard 1157 bulb. Once again it only goes to show that if your bike was built with reflectors for standard bulbs then that's what you should use.

Another shot of the bulbs. Red on left, standard on right, brakes are on. The red lens is off for this picture

I also picked up a couple 1156-style white 36-LED bulbs. I tried one of those. In the picture below both turn signals (amber lens) are on in hazard mode. The one on the left has the standard bulb and the one on the right (that looks off) has the white 36-LED bulb. Once again, the reflector does a great job.

Bottom line: I'm sticking with my standard bulbs for now.