Looking for a DIY way on fender lighting

[cruisinTX]

I'm considering adding LEDs to the orange side reflectors and rear red one on the fenders. I did a search and found a few suggestions of kits, but not really into paying that much for something I can likely do myself for 1/10 the cost if I can find the right rope style LEDs. Not planning anything fancy; just running lights inside said reflectors.

I did find this from Mike though.

Years ago I DIY'ed a pair of very thin ( 4mm ) amber LED strips to the outside edges on my front fenders ( RT basic ). Because they were thin I was able to follow the ARC of the fender perfectly. I tapped into the Fender TIP lights so it was pretty easy to do ..... Mike :thumbup:

I've been doing lots of wrenching including electrical since I first started riding back in the late 60s, so tackling a DIY with basic supplies isn't a big deal. Finding the supplies is the thing that holds me back the most though. :sour:

TIA

 

[K80Shooter]

Have a look here maybe,

https://www.oznium.com/

 

[BertRemington]

just running lights inside said reflectors.

Aren't the reflectors sealed? Have you unsealed them yet?

 

[cruisinTX]

THANK YOU! I searched around that page a little and found what I hope will be the perfect set-up. All I need to do now is verify that the side and rear reflectors on our Spyders are hollow behind so I can mount the LED strips there without doing a bunch of Dremel cutting. So, now just waiting for that & I'm ready to order these.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I'm considering adding LEDs to the orange side reflectors and rear red one on the fenders. I did a search and found a few suggestions of kits, but not really into paying that much for something I can likely do myself for 1/10 the cost if I can find the right rope style LEDs. Not planning anything fancy; just running lights inside said reflectors.

I did find this from Mike though.

I've been doing lots of wrenching including electrical since I first started riding back in the late 60s, so tackling a DIY with basic supplies isn't a big deal. Finding the supplies is the thing that holds me back the most though. :sour:

TIA

I still have the very thin LED's on my 14 RT fenders. .... and because I was able to mount them on the TOP outside edges of the fenders they are very visible from the side also .... I had the amber ( on fenders ) and red ( on side bags ) Reflectors like you have ..... I'm seriously a DIY'er and I removed ONLY the REAR reflectors .... and replaced them with small rectangular RED LED ( known as marker lights ). I then cut the points off the reflectors and added them to the ends of the new LED's . Yes when lit they are rectangular, but when off they look just like they did before. ..... I looked at the LINK to oznium and they are 5mm wide , but only 7 inches long .... mine are 17 inches long ..... I would see what E-bay has available now .... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[cruisinTX]

Thanks Mike.

In my search around Oznium, I ran across sets that they say are flexible in every direction. and a large variety of lengths. This is something they may have added since you did yours. The side reflectors measure ~10.5" and the rear ones ~5.5". Oznium flexibles come in 9.5 and 4.7 lengths now. So, the only thing left for me is knowing if there is room to put those small strips behind the reflectors. I'm guessing since you removed yours, you will know exactly how much space is behind them.

 

[K80Shooter]

I can't say for sure if they are hollow or not. I can tell you that there is a black piece recessed into the back of the front amber reflectors for the mounting tape to affix to. I can move the very tip of it but didnt want to break them just in case I wanted to put them back on later. (I really doubt that I will though)

 

[cruisinTX]

Aren't the reflectors sealed? Have you unsealed them yet?

Haven't done anything yet. Just waiting on advice from knowledgeable folks here before diving in and screwing something up. BlueKnight has indicated he did something similar a while back. Waiting on one more response from him or someone else who is familiar with how much space there is behind the reflectors and how difficult it will be to remove them without breakage. :gaah:

 

[BertRemington]

My interpretation of Mike's light installation:

Front: added "very thin" LEDs to the "outside edges" of the fenders so they would be visible from the side like BRP reflectors are; did NOT modify the BRP reflectors

Rear: removed BRP reflectors from saddlebags; cut tips off; reinstalled the tips along with two "small rectangular" LEDs per saddlebag

amirite?

 

[cruisinTX]

Dunno, when he said he removed "all four reflectors" the only thing I could envision was the sides of the fenders and maybe the back ones or the sides of the saddlebags. I'm in no big hurry as this is a winter project so I can wait for clarification. Even better would be a picture or two (hint-hint Mike?)

Is there a parts fiche somewhere that might show an exploded view of how the reflectors are fitted to the fenders?

Took some digging, but I found this one showing "Pressure nuts" holding the reflectors on. Gonna take a closer look in the morning to see if I can decipher how to remove them without breaking.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks Mike.

In my search around Oznium, I ran across sets that they say are flexible in every direction. and a large variety of lengths. This is something they may have added since you did yours. The side reflectors measure ~10.5" and the rear ones ~5.5". Oznium flexibles come in 9.5 and 4.7 lengths now. So, the only thing left for me is knowing if there is room to put those small strips behind the reflectors. I'm guessing since you removed yours, you will know exactly how much space is behind them.

OK ... they are only slightly recessed, I thought about using LED's Behind them and dis-carded that idea.... and what the reflectors are on the NEW Style fenders won't apply to what I did .... in 14 the NEW style came out on the RTS and LTD. models .... a couple of after Market vendors have plug-n-play LED's for that application ...they arn't as cheap as DIY, however they are available.... WIDTH of LED strips --- my 4mm strip was able to curve / arc exactly to the fender curve/arc .... because they are thin enough to allow it .... I have other " normal " width LED strips that woulfn't work ... I know this because I tried it that way first.... Don't write off E-bay as a source for LED's - they have hundred's & hundred's of choices ... and Yes mine are IP 67 (?) certified.... I also got the small rectangular " marker lights there..... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I can't say for sure if they are hollow or not. I can tell you that there is a black piece recessed into the back of the front amber reflectors for the mounting tape to affix to. I can move the very tip of it but didnt want to break them just in case I wanted to put them back on later. (I really doubt that I will though)

They arn't hollow, just are made in two pieces, a front ( amber/red ) and a back blk plastic sandwich .... I lifted one corner and then used DENTAL FLOSS to cut through the adhesive. after adding the LED's the front was easy to wire directly to the TIP light .... the rear needed a bit more wire nto power them ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[cruisinTX]

So, do you (or anyone else) know how those kits mount? Are they designed to remove the reflectors then mount the LEDs & replace the reflectors? If that's the way they work, then the strips I've been looking at from Oznium might work. I'll have to go back and look at their dimensions, but recall from the earlier read, they are very small.

Mine is a 2014 RT-L

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Thanks Mike.

In my search around Oznium, I ran across sets that they say are flexible in every direction. and a large variety of lengths. This is something they may have added since you did yours. The side reflectors measure ~10.5" and the rear ones ~5.5". Oznium flexibles come in 9.5 and 4.7 lengths now. So, the only thing left for me is knowing if there is room to put those small strips behind the reflectors. I'm guessing since you removed yours, you will know exactly how much space is behind them.

I have changed my original post #5 to read " I only did the saddlebag rear reflectors " .... because the front AMBER LED strips worked .... I have made 80+ changes to my 14 RT so remembering them all is difficult now at 74 :gaah::roflblack::roflblack:.... Mike :thumbup:

 

[rmag]

Hey Cruisin

You didn't mention what year RT you have. I have a set of both amber and red front fender reflectors off a 14 RTL (maybe saddle bag refl if I can find them). If you want these to noodle out your project, send me your adress and I'll get them to you.

Merry Christmas

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

So, do you (or anyone else) know how those kits mount? Are they designed to remove the reflectors then mount the LEDs & replace the reflectors? If that's the way they work, then the strips I've been looking at from Oznium might work. I'll have to go back and look at their dimensions, but recall from the earlier read, they are very small.

Mine is a 2014 RT-L

Read my additional posts ... #11, #12, & #14 .... an explanation about WHY 4mm LED strips work on the fenders ::: the strips have make a COMPOUND Curve, a wider strip can't do it ( without using a DANGEROUS amount of heat )..... Mike :thumbup:....Sorry but I can't do PICS , I don't think they would help much anyway.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hey Cruisin

You didn't mention what year RT you have. I have a set of both amber and red front fender reflectors off a 14 RTL (maybe saddle bag refl if I can find them). If you want these to noodle out your project, send me your adress and I'll get them to you.

Merry Christmas

rmag - He has 14 RTL listed at the bottom of His starter post / thread ..... so yours would solve His issue - Thanks for chiming in ..... Toooooooooooooooooooo bad this wasn't known sooner :roflblack::roflblack::roflblack: -- I don't type for Squat .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[cruisinTX]

Appreciate the feedback; will check out E-bay and maybe do a partial disassembly before proceeding. There's always a chance something better is out there.

So, does using the whole age vs. memory thing . . . . where was I going with that? OH never mind!

 

[cruisinTX]

Hey Cruisin

You didn't mention what year RT you have. I have a set of both amber and red front fender reflectors off a 14 RTL (maybe saddle bag refl if I can find them). If you want these to noodle out your project, send me your adress and I'll get them to you.

Merry Christmas

That would be fantastic for my 2014RT. Let me know how much the shipping is; that's the very least I can do. Will PM shipping info.

thanks

 

[BertRemington]

More common terms for p/n 250100163 are Push Nut, Speed Clip and Starlock Washer.