how many wires?

[Daver]

Hi guys,

Great forum!

Could someone please tell me how many wires each my front and turn signals should have? The bike came with mismatched, bitched up sportster minilights. I'm a little cofused as to what would work best.
Thanks very much
Dave

 

[firefly]

Hi guys,

Great forum!

Could someone please tell me how many wires each my front and turn signals should have? The bike came with mismatched, bitched up sportster minilights. I'm a little cofused as to what would work best.
Thanks very much
Dave

A stock turn signal has 3 wires black/ ground, blue running light, brown & dark green for turn signal function.

 

[m-cman]

A stock turn signal has 3 wires black/ ground, blue running light, brown & dark green for turn signal function.

That is for the front only. The stock rear has only two wires. No running light function. However, I put front signals on the rear to get the running light ability for better visibility. Had to tap into the tail light wire.

 

[firefly]

That is for the front only. The stock rear has only two wires. No running light function. However, I put front signals on the rear to get the running light ability for better visibility. Had to tap into the tail light wire.

he is asking about the front, you made a good point regarding the rear I also have rear ones functioning as running lights, the more visibility the better.

 

[m-cman]

My mistake. The way it was worded, I thought he was talking about all turn signals.

I have been turning rear signals into running lights for many years. Also turned the Max rear reflector into an extra stop light.

Closest I ever got to being killed was in 1970 when a car full of kids came up behind me at over 100 mph at about 3 am. My buddy and I had picked up a couple gals at a club and just ridden around White Rock Lake and exited onto NW Highway when they came over a hill at the high rate of speed. I saw them in my mirror initially and when I looked back again, they were on me. They made no attempt to slow down or change lanes. I had no idea they were going that fast. I peeled off to the right and I thought we just avoided a major problem. We pulled off the road to get the adrenalin in control. My buddy was looking at my bike and said come look. My brand new Honda's muffler had a crease about a foot long. When leaned over my muffler was higher than normal and his bumper creased the muffler. I didn't even feel the bump in the adrenalin rush. They continued on as if nothing happened at the same high rate of speed. Just a few inches or split seconds slower and we would have been hit from behind with at least a 60 mph speed differential. The girl I had picked up was oblivious and had no idea how close we were to death.. She asked why we stopped.. :rofl_200:

 

[firefly]

My mistake. The way it was worded, I thought he was talking about all turn signals.

I have been turning rear signals into running lights for many years. Also turned the Max rear reflector into an extra stop light.

Closest I ever got to being killed was in 1970 when a car full of kids came up behind me at over 100 mph at about 3 am. My buddy and I had picked up a couple gals at a club and just ridden around White Rock Lake and exited onto NW Highway when they came over a hill at the high rate of speed. I saw them in my mirror initially and when I looked back again, they were on me. They made no attempt to slow down or change lanes. I had no idea they were going that fast. I peeled off to the right and I thought we just avoided a major problem. We pulled off the road to get the adrenalin in control. My buddy was looking at my bike and said come look. My brand new Honda's muffler had a crease about a foot long. When leaned over my muffler was higher than normal and his bumper creased the muffler. I didn't even feel the bump in the adrenalin rush. They continued on as if nothing happened at the same high rate of speed. Just a few inches or split seconds slower and we would have been hit from behind with at least a 60 mph speed differential. The girl I had picked up was oblivious and had no idea how close we were to death.. She asked why we stopped.. :rofl_200:

with distracted drivers texting, rear ending a bike is very common also motorcycle rear running lights are not visible enough from a distance that's why I installed these big powerful truck LED lights as turn signals, they do get noticed, I like to use whatever it takes to get noticed see photo :rofl_200:

 

[wildweasel_pt]

European version has no running lights so one less wire (blue)

 

[dannymax]

I did the 3-wire rear signal conversion as well as the reflector to light conversion to increase rear end vis. Also added 2 sequential led light bars (4" or 5" can't remember which) as brake/running lights which flashed 5 times before coming on steady when the brakes are applied.

 

[Miles Long]

he is asking about the front, you made a good point regarding the rear I also have rear ones functioning as running lights, the more visibility the better.

I did the same(installed fronts on the back), until I was told by an RCMP officer to "lose them". Only continuous red color allowed on rear ends of passenger vehicles. I do,however, have an extra brake/tail light, with a brake light modulator wired in.
Cheers!

 

[firefly]

I did the same(installed fronts on the back), until I was told by an RCMP officer to "lose them". Only continuous red color allowed on rear ends of passenger vehicles. I do,however, have an extra brake/tail light, with a brake light modulator wired in.
Cheers!

Yes for the rear a running light has to be red to be legal.

 

[m-cman]

Yes for the rear a running light has to be red to be legal.

I'm sure that is true but never been stopped here in Texas in over 20 years of doing this. :confused2:

 

[dannymax]

Yes for the rear a running light has to be red to be legal.

I called the NYS Police asking this very question....he said "we don't care" so I ran amber rear running lights for 3 years...on 2 v max's, never had a problem.

Very uncharasteric for NY! :confused2:

 

[PDWeyand]

In most states the law leaves bike riders alone unless you give them a reason to pull you over or chase you. Then when they get you they toss in everything that they can, lol. I keep a low key most of the time and it always seems that if I think I going to something stupid, I see a officer and just keep going low keyed. I do not want to give any more away than I have too.

 

[Daver]

Thanks guys. I reread my question and realized the wording of my question was a little misleading. I was asking about both the front and rear lights.
Question answered!

Thanks, Dave

 

[m-cman]

Thanks guys. I reread my question and realized the wording of my question was a little misleading. I was asking about both the front and rear lights.
Question answered!

Thanks, Dave

Hey, I was right... :clapping:

 

[Daver]

Hey fellas,

I'm trying to gain a better understanding of how these lights work. If I was to go to a 2 wire light on the front, as I understand it I would lose my running lights. With this in mind, would it matter if I chose lights with a dual or single filament bulb given the loss of this function?

Thanks again

Dave

 

[KJShover]

Hey fellas,

I'm trying to gain a better understanding of how these lights work. If I was to go to a 2 wire light on the front, as I understand it I would lose my running lights. With this in mind, would it matter if I chose lights with a dual or single filament bulb given the loss of this function?

Thanks again

Dave

You would want a dual-filament bulb if you want running lights and turn signals.
A mono-filament bulb if you just want turn signals and no running lights.

 

[KJShover]

I called the NYS Police asking this very question....he said "we don't care" so I ran amber rear running lights for 3 years...on 2 v max's, never had a problem.

I never cared about the color of running lights being yellow. The only thing I didn't like seeing was red or blue running lights up front. Some overzealous guys would probably say something, but it's nothing more than a fix-it ticket. Normally those aren't a stopping offence, but a secondary one that would be tacked on to another infraction.