L.E.D's I just dont get it....

[K-Rider]

I have been researching the older post on LED's. I read some that say you don't have to add anything but the bulbs unless you change out the turn signals. Other post sound like you do have to add resistors. I would like to change out the running lights that I have and perhaps the headlight. I don't want to change the turn lights at this time. My bike is a 87' 1st gen. Can someone please clear this up for me?

[MiCarl]

Here is what it boils down to:

 

LEDs draw a lot less power than incandescent lamps. They draw so little power that the motorcycle "thinks" bulbs are burned out. The result is the flasher runs very fast and the lamp warnings on the CMS will come on.

 

The resistors you read about are installed in parallel with the LEDs to increase the power draw so all the sensors on the motorcycle are happy. The problem is then you use just as much power as the incandescents, losing a major benefit of the LEDs.

 

The running lights and brake light you can deal with by bypassing the lamp sensors in the CMU. I've seen posts by Dingy showing where that is done. If you do the headlamp the Reserve Lighting Unit might need to be bypassed - If the RLU "thinks" the headlamp is burned out it will rapidly oscillate between low and high beam.

[K-Rider]

Hi Micarl . Thanks for the response. So are you saying that if I bypass the lamp sensors in the CMU and put LED's in the running lights and tail light then I would still benefit on the power savings and the CMU will be happy?

[Flyinfool]

Yes!

[spear]

Just saw this thread - and speaking of LEDs, I've just installed two LED brake light bars to my RSV.

Photo attached (I hope).