LED Compatable Flasher Relay

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Sidecar Bob
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#31

Post by Sidecar Bob »

USDOT and Transport Canada both prohibit red lights of any kind on the front of vehicles and any colour other than red on the rear. This is a safety issue and you shouldn't mess around with it - in poor visibility conditions you don't want to confuse other drivers.

Most of the civilised world requires turn signals on vehicles built after a certain date to be amber. The U.S. still allows red turn signals, but even if I lived there I would still make sure my signals were amber so that the aforementioned half asleep drivers will notice them better.

If your Harley signals have red lenses either they are rear signals, or someone has put red rear lenses on them.

Your Honda's front turn signals are supposed to have type 1157 bulbs with two filaments. The brighter filament flashes and low filament should be on except when the turn signal on that side is flashing.

The rear turn signals should have type 1156 single filament bulbs that are only lit when they flash.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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Silver Bullet
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#32

Post by Silver Bullet »

Thanks for the info on the red lenses. I'm gonna return the Harley lights and stick with all stock amber turn signals for now. They're all nice and bright. I just got a glitch in my wiring. They all flash, just the rear are too bright and stay on. The signal indicator lamps on the dash stay lit too except when turning. Gotta get that "Gremlin" in the wiring up front. I appreciate the time you've put into this issue. Thanks again.
[i][color=#FFFF80][color=#FFFF00]Silver Bullet[/color][/color][/i]
1978 GL 1000
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Whiskerfish
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#33

Post by Whiskerfish »

Sidecar Bob wrote: Your Honda's front turn signals are supposed to have type 1157 bulbs with two filaments. The brighter filament flashes and low filament should be on except when the turn signal on that side is flashing.

The rear turn signals should have type 1156 single filament bulbs that are only lit when they flash.

One minor correction. On a stock setup 75-77 US Spec front marker lights the low filament goes off when you select the turn signal OR when you select high beam on your headlight. The markers are only designed to be on when using low beam. I was chasing a problem once and this small (and to me) unknown fact really complicated issues.
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Sidecar Bob
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#34

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Right. I forgot about that.

It makes sense too: The markers are to make you more noticable to oncoming drivers and you houldn't have the high on when approaching oncoming traffic. Besides, it leaves more available power for the high beam.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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Silver Bullet
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#35

Post by Silver Bullet »

Yes, Not only are the stock blinkers more noticable to "oncoming" traffic, they are also noticable to traffic coming from side intersections because the amber lens protrudes from the blinker housing. The bullet style Harley one's are only visible from the front. I've obtained some valuable safty lessons from this thread. As per your reccommendation, I'll purchase and install a new reflective headlamp for more usable light. Also, I've been running my headlight on High Beam during the day to remain more noticable. I wonder if this is troublesome to oncoming daytime traffic? Thanks for your feedback!
[i][color=#FFFF80][color=#FFFF00]Silver Bullet[/color][/color][/i]
1978 GL 1000
1982 GL500 Silver Wing Interstate
http://ngwclub.com/gallery/SilverBullet
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Sidecar Bob
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#36

Post by Sidecar Bob »

I don't know about car drivers, but high beams in the daytime annoy me....
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
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Silver Bullet
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#37

Post by Silver Bullet »

Oh, that's good to know how you feel about daytime high beams. I want to stay in the good graces of my fellow Wingers and most of all, stay safe and not make it any more difficult for others to do the same. So, I'm reminded to save those high beams fot the night to catch the twinkle in a deer's eye, or if in Canada, the Moose's eye.
[i][color=#FFFF80][color=#FFFF00]Silver Bullet[/color][/color][/i]
1978 GL 1000
1982 GL500 Silver Wing Interstate
http://ngwclub.com/gallery/SilverBullet
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Sidecar Bob
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#38

Post by Sidecar Bob »

Not too many moose in this area, but there are a lot of deer.

Being that we are some distance apart, it's not likely that your high beams would annoy me, but you were wondering if yours would be "troublesome to oncoming daytime traffic".

I find that oncoming vehicles with high beams on draw my attention away from the road in front of me.

What realy annoys me is oncoming high beams at the beginning of dusk that make it hard to see what's ahead in the lane. Why do these people have their highs on? They can't possibly be helping them see where they are going.....
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1100/Dnepr) summer How a motorcycle evolves thread
The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
User avatar
Silver Bullet
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 8:33 pm
My Album: http://ngwclub.com/gallery/SilverBullet
Location: Western Massachusetts

#39

Post by Silver Bullet »

Yes, speaking of lighting drawing one's attention away from the road in front, I've decided against intalling one of those daytime strobe units in the headlight circuit. Many riders use them around here. My motorcycle safty instructor feels that this strobe effect could be mistaken for a signal that the motobiker is giving up his "right of way" to another driver to procede in front of him in a lane or at an intersection. Although, these strobes sure do make a rider more visiable in the daylight. I think it's an interesting argument.
[i][color=#FFFF80][color=#FFFF00]Silver Bullet[/color][/color][/i]
1978 GL 1000
1982 GL500 Silver Wing Interstate
http://ngwclub.com/gallery/SilverBullet
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