Fender Red Reflector

[Twidget]

I have seen that several places that offer LED lights for sale to replace the red reflective tape on the fenders.
All the ones I have seen for 2021 Spyders are running/signal lights because they tap off the light on the front of the fender.

I was wondering if anyone has installed one of these lights but instead of wiring it to the front light they ran the wire to the back of the bike and wired it into the brake lights? So then it would be a running/brake light.

I just think this makes more sense then having a red flashing signal light when the rest of the signal lights on the bike are yellow.

Thanks

[MONK]

Lights/reflectors facing rearward have to be red by law except turn signals (I think). The purpose of the "extra" turn signal on the rear of the front fender is so that others coming up in your blind spot can see you're about to turn or change lanes. It works well. I've had a few that were barely along side me when I activated the turn signal. They either backed off or changed lanes so they must have seen that flashing red light.

[Twidget]

I am planning on getting the kit to replace the yellow reflector on the fender with the LED light so I would think that should take care of cars on my side.

[Lew L]

.

The TricLED " Fenderz" fender signal light is is VERY bright. Includes the red reflector replacement with a sequential, red LED. Highly visible and highly recommended. Good install instructions too.

Lew L

[Steve W.]

The TricLED " Fenderz" fender signal light is is VERY bright.

Yes, it is. In fact, it's almost TOO bright. The top edge is only about 10mm wide, but I had to put some black tape on it to keep from blinding us at night. PLENTY of light showing across our white fenders, but don't need it directly back into OUR eyes.

I think that Twidget (the OP) is looking for justification for red vs. yellow reflector/light in that location. I agree with Twidget's comment about mixing red and yellow signals facing the rear, but have to add: If it were ONLY a turn signal, yellow would be OK, but since it is also used as a marker or tail light, it needs to be red. I also don't care for the LED strips that flash alternately with the main signals, I would much rather have them all flash ON or OFF at the same time, so I had to choose my lights carefully.

.

[Bfromla]

I have seen that several places that offer LED lights for sale to replace the red reflective tape on the fenders.
All the ones I have seen for 2021 Spyders are running/signal lights because they tap off the light on the front of the fender.

I was wondering if anyone has installed one of these lights but instead of wiring it to the front light they ran the wire to the back of the bike and wired it into the brake lights? So then it would be a running/brake light.

I just think this makes more sense then having a red flashing signal light when the rest of the signal lights on the bike are yellow.

Thanks

So you want brake lights on front fenders? can be done I guess just a wire, lot of “snaking” through & around
FYI tying to blinkers does running light too

[Twidget]

Yes, I want the rear facing lights to remain red but instead of being a marker/signal light I want it to be a marker/brake light.

I have looked at the TricLED version. I saw it and the Show Chrome version on the fenders of folks in a recent group ride. I liked the non-sequential SC ones. Show Chrome also has an electronic fuse block that I can hook all the lights too. I am going to contact them to confirm I can do it. The fuse block actually mounts toward the front of the bike so it will make it easy to run the red lights to it.

[K80Shooter]

I'm not sure how the law would view having a brake light in front of the rear of the vehicle.... Just a thought.

[Twidget]

I'm not sure how the law would view having a brake light in front of the rear of the vehicle.... Just a thought.

I checked the local laws online and because they are rearward facing and visible to following drivers from the rear they are fine. They are basically like fender lights on trailers that are not at the rear of the trailer either. To be 100% sure I am going to stop by my local police station and highway patrol station and confirm with them before I do any wiring. I was just wondering if anyone had already done it.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I checked the local laws online and because they are rearward facing and visible to following drivers from the rear they are fine. They are basically like fender lights on trailers that are not at the rear of the trailer either. To be 100% sure I am going to stop by my local police station and highway patrol station and confirm with them before I do any wiring. I was just wondering if anyone had already done it.

My 14 RT is lit up like a Christmas Tree .... I followed Fed. D.O.T. regs. concerning marker lights .... ie. amber and red .... I was stopped once by a Trooper ( Vt. has VERY strict aux. lighting laws ) and after a short conversation She agreed with me and sent me on my way ( and complimented me on my Spyders lighting scheme ..... Mike

[Lew L]

Yes, it is. In fact, it's almost TOO bright. The top edge is only about 10mm wide, but I had to put some black tape on it to keep from blinding us at night. PLENTY of light showing across our white fenders, but don't need it directly back into OUR eyes.

I think that Twidget (the OP) is looking for justification for red vs. yellow reflector/light in that location. I agree with Twidget's comment about mixing red and yellow signals facing the rear, but have to add: If it were ONLY a turn signal, yellow would be OK, but since it is also used as a marker or tail light, it needs to be red. I also don't care for the LED strips that flash alternately with the main signals, I would much rather have them all flash ON or OFF at the same time, so I had to choose my lights carefully.

.

Thanks for the simple idea----- I just did it a few hours ago---- now to test it at night.

[KenF]

Steve W., I noticed the same thing when I put those lights on my 2020 RTL's fenders. I used black paint, very carefully, along the top edge of the amber lights. Now all the light goes to the side instead of up into my eyes when I look at mirrors.

[Steve W.]

Steve W., I noticed the same thing when I put those lights on my 2020 RTL's fenders. I used black paint, very carefully, along the top edge of the amber lights.

I plan on painting, too. The tape was just "proof of concept."

.

[Westryder]

The rear facing fender lights are very bright and blinding at night. I taped newspaper all around the lights and fenders, put a couple of light coats of window tint on them. They are still very visible from the rear and not so blinding.

[Twidget]

Everyone seems to be having issues with the brightness of the lights installed on the fenders. I wonder if that is why Can Am didn't install lights or offer them as an option.

Which lights are everyone using, the sequential ones from TricLED or the non-sequential ones from Lamonster/Show Chrome?
From what I saw on a group ride it seemed like the non-sequential ones were brighter. Maybe a good reason to get the sequential ones based on folks saying they are too bright.

[Wmoater]

I use the fender tricled lights. I had the original blinking ones. For some reason, 2 leds stopped working on the edge of both the red and yellow on one side when I turned it on this spring. They replaced them “all” for free and they were 16 months old. They were replaced with the sequencial lights that blink like the kit car. They are way brighter than the original version and I “had” no problems seeing them in the day time before. Yes the new version is double the brightness now.

[Steve W.]

Everyone seems to be having issues with the brightness of the lights installed on the fenders. ... Which lights are everyone using, the sequential ones from TricLED or the non-sequential ones from Lamonster/Show Chrome? From what I saw on a group ride it seemed like the non-sequential ones were brighter. Maybe a good reason to get the sequential ones based on folks saying they are too bright.

We have the sequential ones from TricLED. They are unbelievably bright. I wanted lights, blinking if possible. The sequential part is just icing on the cake. My only complaint with them is what I posted in post #5: the edge of the front fender lights puts a bit too much light into the rider's eyes. The extra brightness to the side would only bother someone that is directly beside the Spyder and looking at it. If you are passing the bike (or being passed by it), the bright light is in your peripheral vision and not a problem. The only other people that would notice the brighter lights would be sitting at a stop sign as we go by. Again, not much of a problem.

I don't think the non-sequential lights are any brighter. I think there are fewer LEDs in the housing, so, assuming equal brightness of each individual LED, overall brightness would be a bit less. I like having more LEDs in the housing, there are no "dark holes" visible.

.