Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) have come a long way since red low-powered versions were introduced in the early 1970s in calculator, computer, and other electronics displays. They now come in many colors and have become common in automotive uses and have become increasingly popular with motorcyclists. This is because they can produce more light while consuming less power. And if you've ever had to replace your stator, you can appreciate the desire to consume as little electrical power as possible--while maintaining safety and comfort.
In theory, LEDs also last much longer than incandescent bulbs. We shall see. A warm operating environment is known to shorten the life of LEDs and my summers in North Carolina may turn out to be LED killers.
LEDs are much more expensive than traditional lighting on your bike, about ten times more expensive. If you're going to spend hundreds of dollars to upgrade your lights, there are some important details you should know first, and I'm here to share some of those details with you.
Geometry matters
Choose LED "bulbs" according to the direction in which they point their light in relation to the shape of the light housing and socket on your bike. For example, for the two "pancake" style lights I've highlighted in the photo at the start of this article, the kind of LED light shown in the photo at right is the preferred style. This is beacause all of its LED elements point in the direction you want the light directed, namely, straight off the back (or front, whichever the case may be) of your bike.
Both of these sockets are consdered "right angle" because the socket opening is at a right angle to the direction of the desired light beam. You could use an LED "bulb"--a cluster of LEDs on a bulb-shaped core--which I have tried, but it leaves much to be desired as most of the light emitted is directed into the light housing. And, as you might guess, the more LED elements you can pack into the light housing--and facing in the correct direction--the brighter the output. Hence, a unit with 24 LEDs is typically going to be brighter than one with 12, for example. Of course, the 24 element light will also typically cost more.
The LED unit shown, one of the two I purchased, contains 48 LEDs: 1, 7, 16, 24. For a pair, I paid retail: $69.95 at my local Harley dealer. I'm confident you can do better online, but shopping at Ray Price Harley Davidson from time to time offers benefits that sometimes mitigate the higher prices paid, such as chatting with other bikers and picking up helpful tips.
Pay close attention to the connector configuration
The bulbs designed for use in my auxiliary brake/tail lights and the bulbs designed for the turn signal lights look similar but contain at least two important differences: the number of contacts and the position of the locking pins.
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| Single (left) versus dual contacts (right) |
Parallel (left) versus offset (right) locking pins |
The auxiliary brake/tail lights take a type 1157 bulb, which uses dual-connectors with offset locking pins.
The turn signals take a 1156 bulb, which uses a single, longer contact with level, or what are referred to as "parallel," locking pins.
These details are critical to know when selecting your LED lights. Ensure the lights you're purchasing have the correct connectors on them. Also note that for the bulb with offset pins, the connector may need to be inserted a specific way, such as the higher pin locking into the front-facing slot, for example. (Remember that the goal is to get a good contact at the base.)
Load stabilizer
LEDs require a narrower range of voltage and current (amps) than do the traditional incandescent lights. At some point in the upgrade process to LED lighting, you will need to add a "signal stabilizer." I supported my local economy by purchasing a Custom Dynamics product at a retail cost of $69.95 plus tax. This power management device connects to your battery and is inserted into the bike's turn signal and brake lighting system using modular Tyco 8-wire connectors under your seat. I installed and initialized it in under 15 minutes, and that includes taking my seat off.
Two more tips
In order to reduce corrosion at the point of contact between the light and the socket, dab a little dielectric grease on each contact point before inserting the bulb. This will help seal out moisture.
Also, Carl at Ray Price Harley Davidson shared this helpful tip with me last week when I purchased the Genesis Flat Style Turn Signal (1156) for my bike last week: add a little silicone gel or caulk on the LED light plate where the screws pass through in order to reduce vibration and hold the plate in place. Look closey at the picture I used of my new lights (above) and you can see the white caulk.
As always, keep the shiny side up!
-The Long Rider