rear brake light. whats available?

[rebeltaz83]

what is available for the rear brake light? the only thing that i don't like about it, is it sticks out past the fender. i would much rather it be under the fender, or flush with the edge of the fender. i think i'm gonna have to go with something that is universal fit. led is an option.

 

[DMAN999]

A lot of guys do the CBR tail light mod:
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=14383

I personally went with a cat eye LED tail light:
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showpost.php?p=355711&postcount=13

Here's another fairly popular LED tail light:
http://www.vmaxforum.net/showpost.php?p=355839&postcount=18

 

[Biker Dash]

I would like to find a clear lens for the brake light, myself.

 

[VMax-Mike]

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=21612&highlight=brake+light+vmax-mike&page=3

 

[jagco1]

I just did the cateye light install. The body is ground and the 2 wires can be run or brake light. The brake light is not so bright you will need a resister to make it
brighter. I'm going to use it as a running light only. When the cateye is grounded and you hook 1 wire from the cateye to the running light wire the 2nd cateye wire is hot 12 volts. So the other cataye wire I cap off. I have another running and brakes led type hook up all ready. But going to add some red brake 1/2 way around the cateye light up inside the rear fender. "O" to I used foam black tape to fill up the hole around the cateye light. I used a curve file to around out the vmax plastic light frame.

I like the look of the light a lot.

 

[one2dmax]

Something like this?

 

[DMAN999]

I just did the cateye light install. The body is ground and the 2 wires can be run or brake light. The brake light is not so bright you will need a resister to make it
brighter. I'm going to use it as a running light only. When the cateye is grounded and you hook 1 wire from the cateye to the running light wire the 2nd cateye wire is hot 12 volts. So the other cataye wire I cap off. I have another running and brakes led type hook up all ready. But going to add some red brake 1/2 way around the cateye light up inside the rear fender. "O" to I used foam black tape to fill up the hole around the cateye light. I used a curve file to around out the vmax plastic light frame.

I like the look of the light a lot.

That looks great.
I still have a little finishing work to get mine looking that good, but it will.
I like the foam tape idea, I may do that also.

 

[Traumahawk]

Something like this?

I have something similar to this.....it helps a LOT!!!!

 

[Fire-medic]

Aesthetically, I like the CBR taillight. It seems to fit into the VMax space vacated by removing the red 'brick' of a stock taillight. I like the 'cat's-eye' light, and maybe the vintage replacement for the 'cat's-eye' taillight even-more.

But-and for me, safety trumps fashion every time as I have a strong instinct for self-preservation-I do think you're significantly cutting-down on your visibility to other road users to the rear, especially if you're a driver someplace besides directly-behind the bike, like in either lane to the flank positions.

This is especially-true of the 'clear' (translucent) lens 'tuck-away' rear taillights as are being replaced for the stocker.

Ever-notice how in a side shot of a VMax which has its stock lighting and reflective equipment, where a flash is used, what shows-up like a sore-thumb? The radiator reflector, and the rear taillight square side reflectors.

Tucking-away a low-profile light under the 'duckbill' of the rear fender is reducing your conspicuity by a significant amount. Also, when you run a 'clear' lens, your light just doesn't appear as-prominent to the eye, even-when you hit the brakes, which is a time when you need to be noticed the-most, to prevent being rear-ended. When your red-lensed taillight illuminates, the whole lens conducts light through it and yes, if you're running the stocker, it's a 'big, red (illuminated) brick'. When you run a clear lensed peek-a-boo low-profile light neatly-tucked-away under the duckbill, your visibility from a flanking position is much-less than the stocker. And, since many of these low-profile lamps are LED's they have a very directional light output. If you are directly in-line w/it, yes, they can be very prominent. But, an incandescent has an omni-directional light dispersion pattern, and therefore the entire lens conducts more light than the lens of a LED light. A clear LED light lens looks 'washed-out' quickly off-center. The unfortunate fact is, to the rear is where you need a lot of light illumination.

Those of you old-enough to recall the ubiquitous Stanley rear taillight fixtures

which were used by seemingly all the Japanese manufacturers in the 1960's when many bikes had 6 volt electrical systems, especially the two-strokes, will be able to vouch for how-big a difference a large red lens made as the taillights became bigger, rounder, or more-rectangular. They began to sprout two 1157 bulbs. Suzuki had some really-prominent rectangular lenses in the early 1980's before the GSXR's. The advantage was, they were really visible at night. That's a safety feature, isn't it? I shall take the position this is a good feature to have at the rear of your bike, unless you're in the habit of trying to outrun the gendarmes. A pair of DPDT switches inline on the running light and the brake light hot sides of their circuits fixes that.

Yeah, I like the looks of those sleek rear-fender babies, but I think I am gonna vote for being-seen.

For the technically-interested:

Visibility

Luminous intensity (Iv) does not represent the total light output from an LED. Both the luminous intensity and the spatial radiation pattern (viewing angle) must be taken into account. If two LEDs have the same luminous intensity value, the lamp with the larger viewing angle will have the higher total light output.

Theta one-half (q½) is the off-axis angle where the LED's luminous intensity is half the intensity at direct on-axis view. Two times q½ is the LEDs' full viewing angle; however, light emission is visible beyond the q½ point. Viewing angles listed in this catalog are identified by their full viewing angle (2q½ °). ​

LED viewing angle is a function of the LED chip type and the epoxy lens that distributes the light. The highest luminous intensity (mcd rating) does not equate to the highest visibility. The light output from an LED chip is very directional. A higher light output is achieved by concentrating the light in a tight beam. Generally, the higher the mcd rating, the narrower the viewing angle.​

The shape of the encapsulation acts as a lens magnifying the light from the LED chip. Additionally, the tint of the encapsulation affects the LED's visibility. If the encapsulation is diffused, the light emitted by the chip is more dispersed throughout the encapsulation. If the encapsulation is non-diffused or water clear, the light is more intense, but has a narrower viewing angle. Non-diffused and water clear LEDs have identical viewing angles; the only difference is, water clear encapsulations do not have a tint to indicate color when the LED is not illuminated. ​

Overall visibility can be enhanced by increasing the number of LED chips in the encapsulation, increasing the number of individual LEDs, and utilizing secondary optics to distribute light.​

From: http://www.theledlight.com/technical1.html

I would like to find a clear lens for the brake light, myself.

 

[DMAN999]

FM,
You do make an excellent point.
I installed a 60 LED cat eye tail light because it looks a bit cleaner than the stock light but still be as visible as possible from behind.
I do think the stocker may be more noticeable than my cat eye but I don't believe it's a huge difference.
I actually decided Not to go with the CBR tail light mod after riding behind a few guys that had it and I really didn't think they were anywhere near as visible during the day as I wanted.
I have also ridden behind a few guys with an LED cat eye tail light installed and they were plenty visible to me and seemed to be a decent compromise between looks and safety.

 

[Fire-medic]

FM,
You do make an excellent point.
I installed a 60 LED cat eye tail light because it looks a bit cleaner than the stock light but still be as visible as possible from behind.
I do agree the stocker is more noticeable than my cat eye but I don't believe it's a huge difference.
I actually decided Not to go with the CBR tail light mod after riding behind a few guys that had it and I really didn't think they were anywhere near as visible during the day as I wanted.
I have also ridden behind a few guys with an LED cat eye tail light installed and they were plenty visible to me and seemed to be a decent compromise between looks and safety.

Yes, the technology of the LED's is getting better and better. They are learning more about being able to 'gang' the LED's, and how-to use optical technology to improve off-axis view ability. Technology continues to evolve, and we all benefit. Ride a stock 1973 KZ900 (OK, maybe a '74, 'cause a '73 is probably in a museum instead of on the road) and then hop-onto a 2014 Ninja 1000. The 2014 could probably run at the front of a AMA national of that time, on its stock tires. And which would you rather ride at night across the desert roads, or through the Dragon?

 

[1st Shirt Maxer]

This is what I put on mine, it had the load resistor with it so no other parts needed when wired and all the blinkers worked fine.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KAX1LQ/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1


David Justiss
USAF First Sergeant

 

[Biker Dash]

This tail light, can it be had with a clear lens and red LEDs?

 

[CrackerRican]

I went with the CBR mod, & notice what FM mention, so I custom made my own reflector brake light to go with CBR light. Its not a running light, just brake for that added visibility

 

[eggohead]

Here is what I bought from Sean. I love it, just had to cut the metal license plate bracket ( I can reweld if needed...) Have a look. It came with a new license plate bracket also.. Plus it's LED....with turn signals..

 

[leecifer]

This tail light, can it be had with a clear lens and red LEDs?

Hey that's my bike biker dash, Just joking, but in that pic you can see I also installed a trailer led light from wal-mart in the rear reflector spot for like $6.00 for added break light. It's running or break though. It fits right in.

 

[jagco1]

FM,
You do make an excellent point.
I installed a 60 LED cat eye tail light because it looks a bit cleaner than the stock light but still be as visible as possible from behind.
I do agree the stocker is more noticeable than my cat eye but I don't believe it's a huge difference.
I actually decided Not to go with the CBR tail light mod after riding behind a few guys that had it and I really didn't think they were anywhere near as visible during the day as I wanted.
I have also ridden behind a few guys with an LED cat eye tail light installed and they were plenty visible to me and seemed to be a decent compromise between looks and safety.

Dman the cateye is brighter than the stock light. I only have 1 plus wire hook up to the bike. I'm using it as a running light only I have motion brake light behind the seat that cars see very good at day time. And I added led lights around the cateye light that are brake lights to. Thanks for turning me on to it. I have few Holley biker friends are here now and they like the hold hook up.

There's pics of the old light with new bulbs inside.
I hook up the running lights 1st then both the running lights and the brake lights. With both on then are about the same. remember I only have 1 cateye wire hook up. If both are hook it is a little brighter.

The blue lights around the other brake light is a running light.
I like to be seen by cars... "O" to the Sun is out so pictures may not came out good.

I used a file round type to open up the vmax black plastic frame a little. At 1st was going to sale the light did not light it. but with the foam tape it looks real clean.
My motor covers. I.m having them powder painted. Was kinda waiting for open glass motor covers to came in. But went on and had my covers powder painted..

 

[DMAN999]

^ That looks Great, jagco.
Thanks for the pictures and info.
I have both the running light (with a 100 ohm resistor inline to dim it a little) and brake light (no resistor) wires connected on mine but never saw it next to the stocker until you posted those pictures.
I knew it was bright but didn't realize it's actually brighter than the stock light.

I'm going to try some black paint on the inner fender and I will probably shave some of the black plastic as well before I am finished with mine.
If I'm not happy with the black paint, I'll add some black foam tape like you did.

 

[davesax36]

Jagco, what light is that. I would seriously consider selling my NIB CBR smoked taillight if I could pick up that cateye one you have.

 

[DMAN999]

Jagco, what light is that. I would seriously consider selling my NIB CBR smoked taillight if I could pick up that cateye one you have.

That's the same one I bought:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Custom-12V-...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d4ddd89fc

It has 60 LEDs in it, compared to most of the others I looked at that have 28 or less.