Additional rear light

[Mike F G]

Hi all

Since I got my R1100RS I have been slightly concerned about it having only one lamp in the tail light, and not having particuarly good rear lights so have been on the look out for an additional tail light that I can neatly mount under the number plate to sumpliment the standard one, I have now found one.

I have used a Hein Gericke LED tail light. It is the no frills Mounted or built in one and simply dissapears neatly below the number plate (Part ref: 31651300006). It is not really any bigger than a small reflecter and acts both as additional tail light, and break light.

The picture below is the completed article:
[http://www.bikersoracle.com/rs/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=698&stc=1]

It was very easy to fit and I did so as follows:

Remove exsisting light and buy trial and error worked out which of the 3 cables on the new LED light was which. Cables want to be conneced as follows:

brown on bike to black on LED
grey/black on bike to yellow on LED
grey/yellow on bike to red on LED

I then extended the rather short cables supplied on the LED so they would reach the exsisting light. I used in line crimps to do this and then covered the new longer cabling and the old with black heatshrink to make it both neat and watertight.

The LED light was attached under the number plate with two black self tapping screws and the cable routed under the number plate to join the exsisting wireing loom where it comes out of the indicator behind the tail light. A few cable ties joins it to gether to make it both scure and neat.

I then crimped new spade conectors onto the exsist lighting loom with the cabling for the new LED, put it all back together and no longer have to worry about being without a tail or break light if a bulb blows. It also makes the bike much more noticable from behind which considering I do a lot of motorway miles all through the year has to be good.

[tiff]

I think these "litebuddys" from Nippy Normans are a great idea,RS Tweed has a pair on his RS and they look great,I too am concerned about only having 1 taillamp,as I did a lot of miles on the autobahn in torrential rain last year,and I was very concious of being as good as invisible.I'll be fitting a pair before I go this year.

http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=LIT-51021&variation=&aitem=7&mitem=8


http://www.nippynormans.com/images/LIT_onB.jpg

[GOG]

I think these "litebuddys" from Nippy Normans are a great idea,RS Tweed has a pair on his RS and they look great,I too am concerned about only having 1 taillamp,as I did a lot of miles on the autobahn in torrential rain last year,and I was very concious of being as good as invisible.I'll be fitting a pair before I go this year.

http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=LIT-51021&variation=&aitem=7&mitem=8


http://www.nippynormans.com/images/LIT_onB.jpg
I also fitted lite buddies from Nippy Norman and they are brilliant (excuse the pun). I've also replaced the 10W rear bulb for a replacement LED bulb off ebay (standard bulb kept silvering up on the glass making it impossible to see)

[Stitch]

Hi folks, I ordered Lite Buddies from Nippy Norman's the other day, and I've just had an email from him saying they're "no longer available".


Anyone know of another supplier?

Thanks, Cheers,

Stitch.

[GOG]

Hi folks, I ordered Lite Buddies from Nippy Norman's the other day, and I've just had an email from him saying they're "no longer available".


Anyone know of another supplier?

Thanks, Cheers,

Stitch.
When I originally searched for Lite Buddies I found them on this web site Run-N-Lites in the USA
http://www.run-n-lites.com/prod-LiteBuddys.asp
I guess you may be able to buy them from them, it's worth a try if you can't find an alternative supplier. For the price you'd pay I don't think there would be any import duty (or very little anyway). If I hadn't already bought some from Nippy Norman I would definately get some from wherever I could - they are that good. :)

[Stitch]

Thanks Huw, I came across that site after I'd posted my question here, and emailed to see if they still had any for our bikes.


I'll let you know what they say.

Cheers, Stitch.

[Stitch]

Just checked my emails and found this:


"Hi Dave,

thank you for your interest in our products.
Your supplier is wrong, he has chosen not to offer them any longer.
They are available:
Part No. 51021 @ 45.95 + $ 9.00 postage.
you can pay by PayPal to sales@epmperf.com or send credit card numbers and
address.

Regards
Klaus Huenecke"


Looks like I'll be getting them after all. :D

Thanks again for the reply, Huw.

Cheers, Stitch.

[tiff]

I'm after a set too, couldn't a few of us get together and bulk buy? I did this with X1/9 shock absorbers with the club, and we got a huge saving on postage!

[peter r h]

I ordered some from nippy Normans, and only after reading these comments I rang them and was told they are no longer available so i would also be after a set for my 1150 seem a bit exspensive compaired with NNs £15 a pair.

[Stitch]

I thought they were expensive too, it could be because Norman was just getting rid of 'last of line' stock.


Cheers, Stitch.

[Wayne Dowers]

I have the Lite Buddies from Klause at Run-n-lites - he also sells Hyperpro shocks, decent guy to deal with.

Instead of being running lights on my bike I wired them into brake light circuit so that I would have more noticeable brake lights. For increase in tail light you might also check out this product from Klause's company

http://www.run-n-lites.com/R-TailEnhancement.asp, it looks to be about $15.

I have no experience with this one.

[peter r h]

If you are still getting some count me in, I was looking at other separate tail / stop lights but do not fancy drilling , sticking or having wires into the panniers.
The lite buddies seem to be the answer although I would have liked extra tail lights as well.

[peter r h]

If you are still getting some count me in, I was looking at other separate tail / stop lights but do not fancy drilling , sticking or having wires into the panniers.
The lite buddies seem to be the answer although I would have liked extra tail lights as well.

[Stitch]

'Lite Buddies' arrived today - HM Customs & Excise extracted another £12.74 for the privilege of collecting them from the Post Office - they'd better be good - they've cost me about £50 so far :eek:


Cheers, Stitch.

[RedRam]

You all may be interested in "Hyper Lights", as well. The cost is about the same as the others mentioned.They are available being bike specific. They are super-bright, (LED's), and flash continually, when brake lite is on, or can be set to flash 5 seconds, and then stay on, (as long as brake is applied). Very simple install-plug and play. You can even understand the instructions! I've got them on both of my bikes. Linky: www.hyperlites.com

cheers ;)

[Stitch]

I thought about those, but I like the idea of the Lite Buddies being out of sight until they light up, and not having any external wiring.


Cheers, Stitch.

[RedRam]

Agreed. Of course I wasn't aware of lite-buddies, 'til after I had the Hyper-lites. :dunno: I did want to know what others thought of the lites flashing for 5 sec. then continuous on vs. continually flashing. :confused: You know-visibility vs irritation, etc. Your thoughts, please.....

[Mike F G]

Hi

I think their irritating-ness is also a strength. Yes I think they are irritating (a bit "pimp up my RS") so to speak, but that probably makes people notice them and at the end of the day you don't want people to drive up your tail when you have to stop in a hurry, especially as the RS really will stop in a hurry to compared to many other bikes.

When I put my additional light on I was after something which didn't look out of place, its such a nice bike and totally original so I didn’t want to mess with it to much (had I come across lite buddies I may have used them) rather than the Hein Gerrik LED unit, but wouldnt have gone for the flashing ones.

Having said that I used to Courier on My XJ600 and would have gone for the flashing unsubtle option on that to ensure that people didn’t drive into me, what with 50,000 miles a year mostly urban, where as now its mostly Motorway & A roads and something more subtle is fine buy me.

[Stitch]

So far as the flashing lamps are concerned, my bike spends a considerable amount of it's time following pupils at 29.5 mph - they'd never stop flashing!

As mike says, I'd feel a lot more comfortable with the flashers if I were couriering.

[RedRam]

Thanks for replies. I guess my biggest concearn, since I live in the rurals, with a major hi-way nearby, is many times, I find myself on said hi-way as the only vehicle sitting at a stoplight, with trucks and soccer moms on cell phones coming up fast behind me :eek: So, for now, I think I'll leave the flash option as is. I notice when in the city, when stopped, people staring at my tail lights-they definitly draw attention! :)

Cheers