Running Lights

[Beckman]

Has anyone had any experience in modifying the front turn signals to become running lights?

How can this mod be done; to get them to be ON all the time and then blink Off and ON for signalling?

It's all about being visible and having the two front signals 'on' as running lights increases the odds in my favour.

Thoughts, ideas, input would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Beckman

[Red01]

In the 600/1200 FAQ there's a topic called Running Lights 101.
It'll tell you all you need to know for this simple mod.

[Beckman]

Paul ... thanks. I looked thru this site for such info but obviously not good enough.

Thanks again

Cheers

[Stevie B]

I got semi-flush lights for the front, darn stalks were cracking fairing whenever I got weak and bike fell over in my driveway.  Anyway, ones I got had three wires, for turn signals and running lights.  cost same as two wire flushies.  I thought, just wire them to head light wire, will only have running lights on hi (or low) beam, so decided to tap off switched power from ignition.  But when I tried them, had ground fault problems, so said screw it and just went with turnsignals.  Yeah, Im lazy.  Hey, I only have so much time to fiddle with the bike, comes a point where Id rather ride...

[tbot]

I know I'm late on this topic.

There is a brown wire and black/white wire with a jack attached that is unused in the B12. It is near the headlight. It is just hanging there in the wire bundle. It has a constant 12 volts and supplies power to the license plate light if you have one (my next project).

I have three wire flush mount turn signals  (dual filament bulbs) and wired both signals to the brown wire (the other is ground),  walla, instant running lights.  

[Red01]

That connector is for a parking light some markets have. Pretty common to use it to power running lights in the signals.

[Snubnose]

That connector is for a parking light some markets have. Pretty common to use it to power running lights in the signals.

used that brown wire you refer to, along with new dual filament aftermarket blinkers for the front, worked great, until after about 6 hours of riding, the blinkers melted...way too hot of a wire obviously.,That , or I really f*#*#d up somewhere in the install.

sh*t, thinking now, was that white and black wire with it needed to ground the connection? should it have been attached to the other ground for stock blinking ground?

[solman]

It's all about being visible and having the two front signals 'on' as running lights increases the odds in my favour.

To me, if they can't see your headlight(s), then they sure are not going to see your running lights.

[B12Teuton]

I don't think it's so much for outright visibility but rather for perspective.  It makes it easier to see it's a bike rather than a car with a light out and it also makes it easier to judge range IMO.
Besides, it looks great and actually throws off a little light toward the sides of the bike which are normally completely dark.

Although I never got around to it, I really wanted to do the rear ones as well, so they light up yellow when you hit the brakes.  Cop bikes have that here and it really catches your eye when the brake.

[Bazza]

I came across these somewhere and will probably go this route.

Someone checked with our local authorities and the told him the front white running/amber flashing combo will be legal. Absolutely would be the easiest way to go. (Especially since I have these fron marker lights.


http://www.customled.com/PRODUCTS/FLUSHMOUNT/flushmount.htm

[Red01]

Those would make a nice rear running light combo with a red running light!

[Bazza]

I purchased a pair of the Custom LED's and was not all that happy with the result. (They are on E bay till the weekend if anyone is interested). They would not be suitable for rear lights, due to the direction the LED's point.

I just about T- boned a neighbor who claims he could not see my bike with the brights on. (He was very appologetic) He suggested I needed some colour on the bike, and a while after our brief discussion, I came across a bike mag (name escapes me) where they were comparing an older bike to a new bike. The older bike had running lights, and in the photo's the benefits of running lights hit me like a brick wall. The visibility of the bikes was like night & day.

Come to think of it, I never have been cut off on my running light equiped Hoda.

I have gone back to the stock lights with the running light mod thanks to Paul's how to.

Here is the link for the custom LED's

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Suzuki-Bandit-GSXR-SV-LED-Signal-running-light-setup_W0QQitemZ4608638104QQcategoryZ35598QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem