Brighter Tail Light/ Brake Light

[Bear]

On our Mini Rally, MAC noticed that my tail and brake lights were quite dim. I had replaced them with a set of LED lights that transmitted a wireless signal to a brake light on the back of my helmet.
Seems like the OEM 1157 Bulbs are a lot brighter.

I stopped at Auto Zone today and they had a display of Sylvania Silver Star lights. I already have the Silver Star H-7s in my headlight. They also have an 1157 super white bulb--sold in pairs. They are considerably brighter than the OEM.

I did an A B Comparison, and the Silver Stars are at least 25% brighter. I installed the pair today.

 

[RedLdr1]

I am a big fan of Silver Stars, I use their headlights in everything I own except the Ford Flex and it is OEM HID... The only thing I have noticed is the bulbs do not last as long as regular bulbs, I average a little over a year in cars, so I check them more often.

For some really serious Tail / Brake lights look at installing a set of Hyper-Lites. I have the U32 kit, two sixteen LED modules, installed and they do a great job getting tail gating idiots off my butt... Plus since they are LED they will last a lot longer than a regular bulb and pull very little power.

 

[Rich]

I'd like to try the hyper-lites. But I'm thinking the best place to install them would be on my top box. This is for the same reason that cars have acquired a high-mounted central brake light. More specifically, the top box obscures the brake/tail light from view if some dude is too close behind in his raised-another-foot-in-the-air Dodge RAM pickup.

But the cleanest installation would be that the lights be attached by their rear surface to the rear surface of the top box. From the web site it appears that the led modules have the mounting stickum pre-attached to one side of the lights. I've sent an inquiry off to them to find out, but am I correct that these are meant to attach by the side to whatever surface?

 

[RedLdr1]

I've sent an inquiry off to them to find out, but am I correct that these are meant to attach by the side to whatever surface?

They use double stick tape... I used the optional license plate bracket with mine but you could stick them pretty much anywhere....

 

[Builtdesign]

Check out Britelites.net, they have good products and excelent c/s. Used them on my other bikes, but haven't upgraded to them on the NT yet.

 

[elizilla]

The Hyperlites have the double-stick tape on the sides. The wire comes out of the center back. I drilled a hole for the wire, on the NT's rear fender, and tried to glue them in place. I could not find any adhesive, either tape or glue, that would adhere to both the potting material in the hyperlites and the plastic of the fender. I eventually drilled two extra holes in the fender, behind the lights, and got some plastic buttons like the ones used to keep trim on car doors. Snapped the buttons into the holes, and glued the Hyperlites to those.

 

[Bear]

Katherine,
I did some checking and found out that Honda and all the major brands use a Silicone mold release. As we all know, the same applies to ArmorAll. Nothing will stick to it-ever-even J B Weld.

 

[elizilla]

Not only does nothing stick to the Honda plastic, precious few things stick to the potting material where the wire comes out of the Hyperlites. The double sided tape they provide sticks to the sides of the Hyperlites just fine, but that potting stuff - no. So even after I overcame the problem sticking to the Honda fender, by using mechanical fasteners, I still had a struggle getting the lights to stick to those mechanical fasteners.

 

[Chuck 500]

Katherine,
I did some checking and found out that Honda and all the major brands use a Silicone mold release. As we all know, the same applies to ArmorAll. Nothing will stick to it-ever-even J B Weld.

This must be why the LB Tail Brites instructions said to clean the area thoroughly with straight alcohol. I used the 99% stuff and a lot of it. The Tail Brites went on well and show no sign of peeling off.

 

[Lincolnshire Poacher]

I found the same with led bulbs when I fitted them to my car, nowhere near as bright as the stock bulbs. I have the admore lights in my Deauvilles top box.

 

[mbroyal]

It seems like it has been a couple of years since anyone tried LED replacements for the 1157 bulbs in the tail light. In the past couple of years LED technology has really developed and I have found a set that I really like. It took some searching and checking a lot of specs, but I found a pair that I am trying out. They are just over 100 lumens brighter than the Silverstars that everyone loves and seem to be really well made. I put them in today and I will vouch that they are bright. Just for comparison I put in one LED replacement and one brand new bulb, there is a noticeable difference between the two, especially when the brake is activated. They also switch between high and low power noticeably faster. It is also worth noting that the color temperature is 5K for the LED vs 3200 for the Silverstars and 2800 for OEM. I didn't have an extra hand to take a photo with the brake on, so no photos, sorry. Here's the link: http://www.vleds.com/5k-white-1157-21-led-parking-back-up-light-2057-1-pair.html

 

[YKnot]

It seems like it has been a couple of years since anyone tried LED replacements for the 1157 bulbs in the tail light. In the past couple of years LED technology has really developed and I have found a set that I really like. It took some searching and checking a lot of specs, but I found a pair that I am trying out. They are just over 100 lumens brighter than the Silverstars that everyone loves and seem to be really well made. I put them in today and I will vouch that they are bright. Just for comparison I put in one LED replacement and one brand new bulb, there is a noticeable difference between the two, especially when the brake is activated. They also switch between high and low power noticeably faster. It is also worth noting that the color temperature is 5K for the LED vs 3200 for the Silverstars and 2800 for OEM. I didn't have an extra hand to take a photo with the brake on, so no photos, sorry. Here's the link: http://www.vleds.com/5k-white-1157-21-led-parking-back-up-light-2057-1-pair.html

All LED manufacturers will tell you that you need to order the same color LED as the lens. For dual intensity brake lights, you need dual intensity (1157) red LED bulbs. This will keep the color true per DOT regulations.

 

[YKnot]

All LED manufacturers will tell you that you need to order the same color LED as the lens. For dual intensity brake lights, you need dual intensity (1157) red LED bulbs. This will keep the color true per DOT regulations.

Something like this... http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/1157-led-bulb-dual-intensity-45-smd-led-tower-/814/728/

 

[kenstone]

Anyone else tried the 2357 bulbs?
I have, supposed to be brighter
What about 2057?
Ken