PDWeyand
Well-Known Member
I was out one in my pick up at night and seen a fellow rider on his H-D. It was all dressed up with LEDs every where you could think of placing a light his bike had one. The one that really caught my eye was he had LED bar ends on his bike. So I got home a started looking into where to find and buy them of course everything is for sell on fleabay and amazon. As I was looking I found that you have to make a choice right off, wired or battery powered. Now since I knew I was going to change my handle bars out anyway, go with wired no fussing with batteries. So I when up to my favourite parts / repair shop and ordered me my new handle bars wider, taller and better pull back for me. I asked him about ordering bar end lights ( I get a nice discount ). He shows me http://images.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/OG/0000-Drag-Specialties-Handlebar-End-Marker-Lights---.jpg (using this link instead of a ebay one that might get changed)in a Parts Unlimited book. They look cheesy to me so I said no to them. I did not care for the limited direction of the light or the housing of them. So I go back to fleabay and look again and see http://images.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/OG/0000-K-S-Technologies-LED-Handlebar-End-Marker-Light-Kit.jpg (I order these) I really like the 360 degree direction from them and the housing was cleaner looking. I also found a BILLET one on fleabay that had cut outs and a regular bulb in but was for one inch bars.
This is how I did this project I took the bar, using a drill press, I drilled a small hole, used a 3/8"s drill bit, into the bottom facing part of the bar under the clamp, I fed a string through the bar a few extra feet longer than the bar. Pulled some string through the hole that I drilled and tied a nut that was too big to fit into the drilled hole. I placed the bars on the bike, Now at this time I did not have the bar end lights so I placed the oem grips, controls and M/C back on and stopped. :bang head::ummm: I finely made up my mind on what type of grip to go with, many choice there. Now if you choose a grip that has a removable end cap then drilling is easier, I did not so. I used 150mm grip ( big hands ). I started with a small bit to get my step bit a mark to start from. It is very important that you get the hole as close to middle as possible. I drilled my grips and used a step bit that was 3/4" at the largest step. Then trimmed the extra rubber that was inside the grips. Now since I had installed all my controls and everything else. I had to remove the grips the oem grips are 130mm with a 20mm end cap. So I took those off and loosen the M/C and control to move them in. I placed the new grips on, pulling the string out side of the grips, With the grips in place, I moved the control back in place next to the grips and then the M/C. I taped the string to the wires of the bar end lights, install wire loom over the wires and then fed those into the bar. Tighten the bar end lights into place,shimming the throttle side with the cardboard that came with packaging. I ran the wires up over the tree and down in the left side scoop area, I placed black heat shrink to hide the wiring from the tree to the scoop. With a test light I found a key on power wire and tapped into it, and grounded to a screw that passed into the frame. All wires tucked away scoop on I hit the key and we had bar end lights. I do not think it to be wise to use these as a turn signal, the light gets washed out in the day light. I think they work best as marker lights. I did not take photo's as I was going this, I think that the level of this project is low on the scale on how hard it is to do. With the battery power bar end lights you also get to muti color and flashing options. So if you do not want to take you handle bar off and drill it so you can wire the lights in, then battery powered might be the route to go. But you will need to replace your grips with removable caps ends or drill the end out, to install. Time to do this would be around two hours from removing your handle bars to turning the key on and having lights. Cheers, Ride safe, have lights be seen. :clapping:
This is how I did this project I took the bar, using a drill press, I drilled a small hole, used a 3/8"s drill bit, into the bottom facing part of the bar under the clamp, I fed a string through the bar a few extra feet longer than the bar. Pulled some string through the hole that I drilled and tied a nut that was too big to fit into the drilled hole. I placed the bars on the bike, Now at this time I did not have the bar end lights so I placed the oem grips, controls and M/C back on and stopped. :bang head::ummm: I finely made up my mind on what type of grip to go with, many choice there. Now if you choose a grip that has a removable end cap then drilling is easier, I did not so. I used 150mm grip ( big hands ). I started with a small bit to get my step bit a mark to start from. It is very important that you get the hole as close to middle as possible. I drilled my grips and used a step bit that was 3/4" at the largest step. Then trimmed the extra rubber that was inside the grips. Now since I had installed all my controls and everything else. I had to remove the grips the oem grips are 130mm with a 20mm end cap. So I took those off and loosen the M/C and control to move them in. I placed the new grips on, pulling the string out side of the grips, With the grips in place, I moved the control back in place next to the grips and then the M/C. I taped the string to the wires of the bar end lights, install wire loom over the wires and then fed those into the bar. Tighten the bar end lights into place,shimming the throttle side with the cardboard that came with packaging. I ran the wires up over the tree and down in the left side scoop area, I placed black heat shrink to hide the wiring from the tree to the scoop. With a test light I found a key on power wire and tapped into it, and grounded to a screw that passed into the frame. All wires tucked away scoop on I hit the key and we had bar end lights. I do not think it to be wise to use these as a turn signal, the light gets washed out in the day light. I think they work best as marker lights. I did not take photo's as I was going this, I think that the level of this project is low on the scale on how hard it is to do. With the battery power bar end lights you also get to muti color and flashing options. So if you do not want to take you handle bar off and drill it so you can wire the lights in, then battery powered might be the route to go. But you will need to replace your grips with removable caps ends or drill the end out, to install. Time to do this would be around two hours from removing your handle bars to turning the key on and having lights. Cheers, Ride safe, have lights be seen. :clapping:
