Any Norge owners replace their turn indicators with LEDs?

[canuguzzi]

I installed the brush guards and am going to put LED dual mode lights on the leading edge, ideal place for it. Instead if drilling into the switch housing and tapping into the power there I'm going to go to the wiring on each side at the indicator.

The LEDs I found are not the strip lights but rather projector types that can light amber or white of both with focused beams. The lights on the outside ends will activate with the inclinometer so that during leans they will light with both amber and white and are bight enough to illuminate to the side very well ( another thread talks about that).

I want to reduce the draw going to each indicator light so replacing them with LEDs would take care of that. The lights on the end will be wired separately because they'll activate via the inclinometer.

If you've replaced your indicator lights with LEDs on the Norge, what did you use and how did they work out for you?

[BAT 11]

Looking at the Guzzi workshop manual, Norge turn indicators are LED from the factory. Haven't had mine out but assume that is correct.     Ian

[canuguzzi]

Guess I need to look closer. They looked like regular bulbs. Hard to tell through the light cover.

[canuguzzi]

Just checked closer.

The fronts are LED but the rears are regular bulbs. I don't know if they are all that way but maybe they have bulbs in the rear to let them use standard flasher units?

[jumpmaster]

Just checked closer.

The fronts are LED but the rears are regular bulbs. I don't know if they are all that way but maybe they have bulbs in the rear to let them use standard flasher units?

I'm no expert on the Norge but, after fooling with converting to LED turn signals in an old truck and a Norton, I discovered that the old style flasher probably won't work unless all the turn signal bulbs are converted to LEDs.  "Digital" flasher units aren't expensive ($8-15 or even less if you shop around) & will work with normal as well as with LEDs, so that shouldn't be a significant issue or reason for the factory to not have converted the rear signals.  Considering some of the other things I've read about the factory doing, maybe they  just ran out of LED bulbs when assembling your bike!

[keuka4884]

I was under the impression that LED's don't give enough resistance to work the lights so if you want all 4 to be LED a resistor needs to be installed to create enough resistance. That is probably why it is made with LED's in front and regular bulbs in the rear. Or something like that.

[kirb]

I was under the impression that LED's don't give enough resistance to work the lights so if you want all 4 to be LED a resistor needs to be installed to create enough resistance. That is probably why it is made with LED's in front and regular bulbs in the rear. Or something like that.

LEDs do not have enough resistance to let the bike's bulb check work (or old school flasher systems). A resistor is used across the LED to 'load up' the circuit. Some bikes use the front and rear flasher together. Sizing the resistor is easy by measuring the current through one bulb, calculating the resistance, etc... I usually use 5W resistors. PM me for any info on how to do this.

[Kiwi_Roy]

LEDs should work, You don't need the lamp checker because they won't burn out, not as likely anyway.

However the Norge doesn't have a flasher relay, the instrument panel does that so you will have to try it out, perhaps you could take one of the front LEDs and put it into the back as a test.

Look for your lamps in www.superbrightleds .com they have a motorcycle section.

BTW I put LEDs in my old Eldorado along with an LED flasher, no load resistors required, you only need that for a regular flasher relay.

[canuguzzi]

Thanks, I will try the swap and see how it goes. I have read that the lack of a delay for LED turning on doesn't attract attention like the glow to full brightness of bulbs. It was something about emergency vehicles having that type of power up put into their lighting systems for certain agencies.

I doubt MG was thinking about it and perhaps it was what was handy to put in the rear flashers. The rear flashers are simple to change out, the fronts not so much so perhaps it was ease of maintenance thing?

I'll report results tomorrow in case it helps others.

[jumpmaster]

Thanks, I will try the swap and see how it goes. I have read that the lack of a delay for LED turning on doesn't attract attention like the glow to full brightness of bulbs. It was something about emergency vehicles having that type of power up put into their lighting systems for certain agencies.

I doubt MG was thinking about it and perhaps it was what was handy to put in the rear flashers. The rear flashers are simple to change out, the fronts not so much so perhaps it was ease of maintenance thing?

I'll report results tomorrow in case it helps others.

FWIW, my experience with LED bulbs in the turn signals & rear brake lights has been mixed.  I haven't found aftermarket LED bulbs that will light up the entire lens brightly like an incandescent bulb will.  Therefore, I have gotten LED lights that were very bright but in only the center of the lens - effectively I've reduced the visual size of the brake light/turn signals even though they may be brighter where actually lit.  Not sure that is really an improvement over the standard bulbs, other than the lower current draw.  In most factory LED applications I've noticed, the LED lights were mounted to fill the entire space of the lens.