Images of LED Tail light Bulb Installed & Comparison to Regular Bulb. Update 2

[Tom H]

I decided to try the LED tail lights. I took before and after shots to see how they do. I bought the Antline 1157 red:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C63K92T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1




Here is with a standard bulb. First is from straight back, second sort of a downward shot, third is the wall behind with running light, fourth is the wall with the brake on.





Here is the RED LED:




As you can see the tail light is brighter, almost as bright as the brake (in person there is a bigger difference but not much). EDIT:When I hit the brake, the light "spread" is wider and brighter than with just tail light. The red bulb made my license plate red. Not sure if that is a good idea for it looking red?

Should I try white bulbs? I read they can wash out a red lens. Is this true??

Tom

[wrbix]

My experience with “white” LED behind a red lens was dismally dim. I think it’s because “white” LEDs are not full spectrum and actually transmit very little red through a red lens.....although it has been awhile and my recollection can also be dim.

[jas67]

Should I try white bulbs? I read they can wash out a red lens. Is this true??

No, don't put white bulbs behind a red lens.   Much of the light from the white bulbs is from the blue spectrum, and will just get filtered out.

A much lower lumen-rated red LED will be bright behind a red lens than a higher rated white LED.

[Tom H]

Just a quick update.

My plate looks red when you look at it in the dark. I tried 3 flashlights with different bulb types to see what a car behind me "MAY" see. The plate showed up white like it should look. The plate is reflective, so that could be why a "car" light from behind may make it look white?

When it gets dark, I'll see what happens to my older blue plates (I don't think they are reflective?) and try the flashlight on it as well to see what happens.

From the replies so far, a white LED bulb is not the way to go for red tail lights.

Tom

[Diploman]

Tail light looks great!  More visible.  You can also upgrade your turn indicators with a set of those bulbs in amber.  You will need to fit a ballast resistor or an LED flasher unit (from SuperBright LEDs) to maintain normal flashing speed.

[JJ]

Hyperlites - have used them for years on several of my bikes...

I have a set on my Centauro GT also.

https://hyperlites.com/

[Tom H]

I did my Loops this evening.

On left is a Optronics/Grote/generic auto parts jeep style light. Very close to the stock light in looks. The lens is red but fairly clear and the reflector is bright like chrome EDIT: no reflector in the Optronics housing, I thought there was.

On right is the stock 1970 light. The lens is dark and not see through and the reflector is like silver paint.

LH LED  RH regular bulb




LED straight on




Regular straight on




Both LED




I wish the pics looked more like what my eyes are seeing.

With the LED in the LH, it's so bright that I would hate to be behind it. You can see the individual LED chips on the end of the bulb. When I hit the brake, geez, way bright. With the LED in the RH with stock fixture, it's bright, just right bright, like the regular bulb should look like. The RH is a keeper!! LEDs do not light up the blue plate, but a flashlight will light it up, so a car should light it up. Also the LH looks like I have the brake on when it's just tail, the RH looks fine.

The LH I either need to see if I have a darker lens, red film to darken it or go back to a regular bulb.

Hope this helps someone,
Tom

[larrys]

I put LED's in my Cal. I used a Native H4R2 headlight, red and amber emitters from Antline. Taillight is mucho brighter. I kinda like the red hue on the license plate. The turn signals are super bright, like strobe light bright. I had to install a no-load flasher. It was cheap money from Greg Bender.
Larry

[DougG]

Thank you Tom for the pics and the overview.  Noticeable tail lights are a safety necessity.  I looks like you've got them sorted out.

I have a sidebar question.  Does anyone know of a simple plug in stop light blinker/flicker that I can use on my '15 California 1400?  I've had them on my other bikes (Hondas, Harley, BMW) and always felt that they were  a good thing to have to help to get the attention of following riders and drivers.  I know that they are not a substitute for good riding habits bit it always helps to get every advantage as far as being noticed.  Any advice is appreciated.

Be well,
DougG

[jpv7]

I decided to try the LED tail lights. I took before and after shots to see how they do. I bought the Antline 1157 red:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C63K92T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1




Here is with a standard bulb. First is from straight back, second sort of a downward shot, third is the wall behind with running light, fourth is the wall with the brake on.





Here is the RED LED:




As you can see the tail light is brighter, almost as bright as the brake (in person there is a bigger difference but not much). EDIT:When I hit the brake, the light "spread" is wider and brighter than with just tail light. The red bulb made my license plate red. Not sure if that is a good idea for it looking red?

Should I try white bulbs? I read they can wash out a red lens. Is this true??

Tom

Did these exact same LEDs on my Vespa and V7 tail lights (as recommended by Chuck), and can say they are great!  It's a no-brainer...

[Tom H]

DougG, f your talking about making the brake light flash 3 times and then solid, I think Antline makes a LED 1157 that does that. Search the rain forest and you should find it. I don't think you can adjust the flash rate like you can with the wired in box style.

Tom

Here:
https://www.amazon.com/ANTLINE-Newest-Projector-Replacement-Flashing/dp/B07RZ34X31/ref=sr_1_7?crid=193N4D7OUUKBN&keywords=antline+1157+led+bulb&qid=1562957768&refinements=p_89%3AAntline&rnid=2528832011&s=gateway&sprefix=antline+%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-7

These might be better? Not as bright as Antline. Read the specs.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RSHZVYJ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1

[DougG]

Sweet Tom, thank you for the info.  I will look into that for sure.

Be well,
DougG

[Kiwi_Roy]

This is the lamp to use brake / stop & licence plate all in one, has white LEDs for the plate.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/1157-led-bulb-dual-function-25-led-motorcycle-bulb/170/767/

SuperbrightLEDs.com has a special section for motorcycles

[Zoom Zoom]

Some time ago I posted about a bulb available at the parts store. Sylvania. I found these in a pack of two for 200 bucks. Before stumbling onto these, I had purchased an LED from Superbright only to discover it would not fit. Turned out the reflector on my bike would not let the bulb to go deep enough for the tabs to seat. That does not look to be an issue with the ones you linked to, BTW.)

The other, and IMHO more important, was the difference between the tail light brightness and the brake light. Many that I tried have very little difference between the two making it hard to tell if it is a brake light or simply the tail light. The easily available Sylvania bulbs had a significant difference in brightness between the tail and brake light which I figure is important since people do everything but drive when they're behind the wheel. Good brightness on the tail and much more noticeable brightness when the brake is applied. It also fit the tail light of my '16 Eldo 1400.

Anyway, another option for those looking...

John Henry

[DougG]

Hi Tom and others,

Tom, thanks for the info but I think my solution lies elsewhere.  I looked into the bulbs you suggested and here is what I found...the tail lights on the California 1400 are sealed LED units and I don't believe that the LED's can be  individually swapped out.  This means that there would have to be some sort of "brake flasher" unit installed upstream on the wiring loom.  That is what I'm looking for...if it is available.  (Right now I "pulse" my brake lever or turn on my safety flashers if I am stopped and notice someone pulling up behind me.  Of course, I also stay in 1st gear just in case I am obviously not seen and need to move out fast.)

ANY BRAKE FLASHER UNIT SUGGESTIONS, ANYONE?

Be well,
DougG

[Tom H]

I think I'll wrap this up with some corrections and observations.

All the pictures of the light look like I have white lights. I don't know why. They are definitely red in person.

On the Loops:

The RH bike is my Ambo. I thought it had a stock CEV lens, it dose not. It has a Peterson brand lens. It does not have the reflector diamond look to the center like a CEV, but does have a solidish looking center. You can't just see the LED bulbs looking through it.

The LH bike is the Eldo. I believe it has Optronics brand housing and lens. I thought it has a reflector, it does not, basically just a black painted cup that the bulb holder sits in. The lens is fairly clear, you can see the LED's on the end of the bulb through the center of the lens in the daylight with the lights off. Also, the regular and LED bulb is maybe a 1/4" from the lens. With the CEV housing, the bulb is at least 1/2-3/4" from the lens. I believe that the "too bright" problem is due to how close the bulb is to the lens, rather than "just" the clarity of the overall lens and center of the lens. I do not think a standard, other than CEV lens will solve the problem. I may try painting the inside of the lens and see how that does.

I am overall happy with the EVT and the Ambo. Both tail and stop are brighter especially on the Ambo. The pictures didn't show it well, but the brake is much brighter than just the tail. The Eldo may just stay with a regular bulb. If I can fix my original CEV housing for it, I may try the LED again. The only bike that I really wanted to upgrade to save some power was the EVT, the Loops have a good charging system.

The one thing that I do not like about how they turned out is that the red LED bulb makes the license plate too dark to read and casts a red glow on the plate. A car with lights on from behind could see it fine. But if someone wants to nit pic if I had a properly lit plate, they could say it's not.

I did see the bulb from Superbright, that might fix my plate problem. I was trying to keep this on the cheap, the $18 for 3 bikes was more than I really wanted to spend right now. I may look at this bulb in the future and try one and see how it does.

Thank you!!
Tom

PS: DougG, there is a little box that you add in to your brake light wiring. You can adjust the flash rate. Just do a search for flashing brake light and you should find some.

[swooshdave]

These are the ones I like to use. They flash three times and then go solid. May not be legal in your area. With this I notice a lot of drivers give me more room behind.

https://youtu.be/jIn2g3c38PI

https://youtu.be/KaLwVCSfzRA

[DougG]

Hi Tom,
Yesterday I ordered a LSC 100A brake light strobe box from SuperBright.  It will arrive this Thursday.  I'll install it next weekend and report.

Thanks and Be well,
DougG