Author Topic: tail light upgrade K75s (Read 11435 times)

K1300S · « **on:** November 21, 2015, 06:53:41 PM »

i did some safety maintenance today . Lighting.

removed every light fixture front and back, cleaned inside and out, cleaned all connections, replaced all bulbs with new and tested. it is amazing what just this simple maintenance does for brightness....on a bike or a car.

found that a PO had done an early upgrade to make the tail/brake light more visible. they changed all the bulbs and sockets to use dual filament 1157 bulbs. took me a few minutes to figure out the wiring and compare to shop manuals to see what was going on. was this an aftermarket upgrade kit years ago?

not stock socket?

these were actually added lights in an unused part of the tail lens for the brakes.

and of course, while i was in there, i added a Skene Design P3 rear LED light.
http://www.lights.skenedesign.com/P3_Features.shtml

I also have a Skene "photon booster" amber LED setup i will be installing on the front forks. Visibility is a good thing!
http://www.lights.skenedesign.com/Photon_Booster.shtml

Scott_ · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2015, 10:29:41 PM »

It's call a "K-Tail-2 Enhancement" kit from:
http://www.run-n-lites.com/K-T-2.html

Scud · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2015, 11:08:29 PM »

Nicely done. Were you able to remove the lenses from the housings? I happened to look at those today, but only briefly. I didn't see an obvious way that they could be separated.

Nice set of racing slicks in the background....

The Mighty Gryphon · « **Reply #3 on:** November 22, 2015, 12:06:40 AM »

Nice job! You mention cleaning your headlight. I have a K75S as well, and the inside of the headlight has a bit of haze. The headlight is a sealed unit and the lens doesn't look like it will separate like they do on the RS and RT model headlights. How did you clean yours inside?

K1300S · « **Reply #4 on:** November 22, 2015, 07:23:21 AM »

Quote from: Scud on November 21, 2015, 11:08:29 PM

Nicely done. Were you able to remove the lenses from the housings? I happened to look at those today, but only briefly. I didn't see an obvious way that they could be separated.

Nice set of racing slicks in the background....

the side, rear and turn signals are all one plastic unit. just remove from bike, take bulbs out and use the windex, rag, stick trick to clean out.

you noticed the slicks....:-) those are for my 1975 BMW 2002 track car.

K1300S · « **Reply #5 on:** November 22, 2015, 07:27:08 AM »

Quote from: The Mighty Gryphon on November 22, 2015, 12:06:40 AM

Nice job! You mention cleaning your headlight. I have a K75S as well, and the inside of the headlight has a bit of haze. The headlight is a sealed unit and the lens doesn't look like it will separate like they do on the RS and RT model headlights. How did you clean yours inside?

h4 headlight. bulb comes out. i pour a bit of windex inside, swish it around, stuff a little bit of cloth in there, push it around with a pencil or small dowel, dump out the remaining windex, fish out the cloth, let dry.

K1300S · « **Reply #6 on:** November 22, 2015, 07:30:02 AM »

Quote from: Scott_ on November 21, 2015, 10:29:41 PM

It's call a "K-Tail-2 Enhancement" kit from:
http://www.run-n-lites.com/K-T-2.html

thanks for the link!!! the set up had to be something available. looks like the same sockets had been installed in the turn signal housings with 1157 bulbs as part of kit from same company, but the one element of the bulb was not wired up (the red connectors in the first pic). i suspect that is too much heat for those small housings to dissipate.
http://www.run-n-lites.com/prod-run-n-lites.html

Laitch · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2015, 08:47:27 AM »

Quote from: mlytle on November 21, 2015, 06:53:41 PM

and of course, while i was in there, i added a Skene Design P3 rear LED light.

Does the Skene light interfere with the bulb monitor function, Marshal? I tried a Kisantech 100HD years ago and it would trigger the monitor bulb so I exiled it.

K1300S · « **Reply #8 on:** November 22, 2015, 02:20:05 PM »

Quote from: Laitch on November 22, 2015, 08:47:27 AM

Quote from: mlytle on November 21, 2015, 06:53:41 PM
and of course, while i was in there, i added a Skene Design P3 rear LED light.
Does the Skene light interfere with the bulb monitor function, Marshal? I tried a Kisantech 100HD years ago and it would trigger the monitor bulb so I exiled it.

no, it does not. i thought maybe it might since that other extra brake light system was also in the circuit, but no issues! just got back from 55mile test ride to clifton. all good!

Laitch · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2015, 04:50:57 PM »

Excellent!

K75rt · « **Reply #10 on:** November 22, 2015, 08:35:39 PM »

I've put the K-Tail-2 on every one of my K-Bikes, was the first thing I did when I bought my current K75RT. For $50 and 15 minutes it it one of the best bang for the buck upgrades you can do. Totally plug and play, high quality, and a significant safety upgrade.

K75RT Keith · « **Reply #11 on:** December 12, 2015, 03:32:33 PM »

+1 on the K Tail-2. If you're worried about heat damage, use an LED 1157.

Scott_ · « **Reply #12 on:** December 12, 2015, 07:36:35 PM »

One of the issues with running lights on the rear(at least in the us) they must be RED. So an 1157 lamp in the standard turn signal lens will give you an orange running light situation. Unless you can find a red lamp. And yes, heat is also an issue with the rear lens assy's.
I seem to remember they made a running lights kit with LED's, as I bought 2 of them for my 1100's. There was a separate red led assy that you insert thru a new hole drilled into the turn signal lens housing.

The Mighty Gryphon · « **Reply #13 on:** December 12, 2015, 07:55:06 PM »

That is interesting about the requirement for red in the rear. My RT and RS both have turn signals used as running lights. That's the way I got them, and in two years of running them have had no hassles from the police, even when running at night, which I do a lot of.

I can understand the thinking about the need for red so as to not interfere with the night vision of following motorists, but with headlight scatter being what it is from HID and LED lamps I am guessing that a little from my turn signals isn't much to worry about.

I wonder how many cops know that these lights are illegal, and if they do how many are going to be big enough A-holes to write somebody for it. In the meantime, I'm going for the extra visibility.

Scott_ · « **Reply #14 on:** December 12, 2015, 11:02:14 PM »

You would probably get more hassles from an inspection than a cop, although, if you meet one with an attitude all bets are off..
It follows the line of making sure your license plate is illuminated, day or night doesn't matter. That little "probable cause" that gets someone pulled over.

The Mighty Gryphon · « **Reply #15 on:** December 12, 2015, 11:50:44 PM »

Scott, I hear you on the probable cause. All the cops around here wanna be DUI heroes so are looking for anything to justify a stop after midnight. I'm almost always home with the bike before 11.

So far the bikes have passed a total of four New York State inspections with no problems.

Conrad325i · « **Reply #16 on:** March 16, 2016, 05:53:06 PM »

So have any of you guys had an issue where your brake light works but your tail light doesnt?

K1300S · « **Reply #17 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:48:51 PM »

bulb burn out? look for the simple first.

Laitch · « **Reply #18 on:** March 16, 2016, 09:06:26 PM »

Quote from: Conrad325i on March 16, 2016, 05:53:06 PM

So have any of you guys had an issue where your brake light works but your tail light doesnt?

Yes. Faulty contact. Cleaned and reconnect bulb. Fixed.

Conrad325i · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2016, 10:24:46 AM »

Yeah i did both of those things... New bulb and sandpaper and theyre making good contact. What is the tail light bulb size off the top of someones head? Maybe i bought an incompatible bulb.

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Author Topic: tail light upgrade K75s (Read 11435 times)