making rear turn signals running lights?

[DblTrbl]

Since I only have the brake light illuminating the rear of my V Star 1100 at night, I would like to make my turn signals into running lights (in addition to being turn signals).

 

Anyone know the quickest and least expensive way to accomplish this?

[cowpuc]

Those blinker light bulbs/sockets are probably single wires unlike most tail/brake light bulbs (1157's). If they are, I have used small single wire lights like that for tail/brake light applications by wiring in a pull switch and a resistor. All I did was picked up a little higher wattage bulb then the original one, put the resistor inline with with the running light circuit and brought the brightness of the bulb back to normal, then I ran a wire off the running light circuit ahead of the resistor and down thru the pull switch and up to the other side of the resistor so when the switch was made the current flow was going around the resistor instead of thru it and VOOWALA = BRAKE LIGHT at a cost of about $1 for a resistor and a few bucks for the switch.. I am sure the same thing could be done fairly easily to do what your talking of. In your case you may have to add a diode in to keep current from back flowing in the blinker system..

Now lets see if any of our electrical engineer genius types join in here and smack me for even suggesting such a thing

[MiCarl]

Electrically it's not hard to do. You can get a base for the 1157 lamp (flasher + run/tail) for a few dollars. More expensive than the @cowpuc option but faster install.

 

You're supposed to change the lens though. Tail lights are required to be red, not amber.

 

There are companies that make kits that come with red lenses, LED lamps and a control module that plugs into the harness. No wiring required, just plug and play. Not sure if they make them for your V-Star or not.

[M61A1MECH]

Go to Custom Dynamics and look for Run, turn brake adapters, or follow this link, http://www.customdynamics.com/tailconversion_kit.htm.

 

Also look at their LED taillight boards for the Yamaha products.

 

If you go this way please consider using one of my breakout "T" harnesses found in the classified section so you do not have to cut any wires on your bike.

[Gray Ghost]

If you go this way please consider using one of my breakout "T" harnesses found in the classified section so you do not have to cut any wires on your bike.

 

I have done the conversion on a few bikes, getting a harness that you can just plug in is well worth the money.

[DblTrbl]

Custom Dynamics makes a plug/play for around $89 I believe...

[M61A1MECH]

Custom Dynamics makes a plug/play for around $89 I believe...

 

Unless they have added it very recently, the one I have seen for Yamaha bikes is not plug and play, it still requires that you cut wires on the bike's harness to interrupt the circuit and route it through their controller.

 

For what it is worth, I really dislike the idea of cutting any wire on a factory wire harness, most times you can install a short jumper some where in the circuit between a pair of connectors, That way you can cut into the new jumper rather than the original harness and effectively get the same result, that can be easily removed later should it need to be removed or relocated to a new bike.

 

I am happy to work with anyone that needs to build a "jumper" harness for what ever reason, I have found several sources for electrical connectors found on most bikes. One exception I did find recently is , there is no male connector available that will take the place of the factory rectifier and plug into the cable that connects to the rectifier. Bongobob had a great idea a few weeks ago, but I was not able to help him on that one.

Edited May 2, 2016 by M61A1MECH
spelling correction

[DblTrbl]

On there site it has plug and play harness specifically for the V Star 1100. I will give them a call just to confirm. Thanks for your input

[Larry1963]

Also to think of your state laws. This may sound stupid. I had a 01 Victory with hard bags and the turn single lights and running lights are on the hard bags. Well one of those stops that bikers seem to get stuck in, a cop told me that if the lights are on in the rear of the bike they all have to be red. The cop was nice, didn't give me a ticket or anything just informing me. Well with some research in GA he is right. I have noticed all HDs and other bikes that have the turn signals and running lights on all the time they are red.

 

I am think of putting lights on the back of my bags on my RSV. I have been looking at some good designs, just leave the turn signals they way they are.

[M61A1MECH]

On there site it has plug and play harness specifically for the V Star 1100. I will give them a call just to confirm. Thanks for your input

 

Post a link to that listing on their website, if you do not mind, I just checked again and I am still not seeing it, but have missed a lot of stuff in the past.

Thanks

[DblTrbl]

http://www.customdynamics.com/yamaha_turn_signal_retro.htm

 

scroll down to "dynamic Clusters"

[M61A1MECH]

OK I was looking at their Run/Turn/Brake controllers that require cutting wires. The clusters are better , but the clusters are not truly plug and play, as you have to drill or enlarge a hole, route wires and use positaps or some other inline tap to gain access to the running and or brake light circuits. Positaps are way better to use than those guillotine snap on pieces if crap that to many folks use. I will say the clusters look to be very slick, I guess I never paid much attention to them when I saw them before.

[dave_wells]

Go to Custom Dynamics and look for Run, turn brake adapters, or follow this link, http://www.customdynamics.com/tailconversion_kit.htm.

 

Also look at their LED taillight boards for the Yamaha products.

 

If you go this way please consider using one of my breakout "T" harnesses found in the classified section so you do not have to cut any wires on your bike.

 

I put the dynamic clusters on my Tour Deluxe . My flashers are now Brake, blinkers and running lights Those light are bright

[flynvy5]

DblTrbl,

I have one from my 1300. $55 shipped and its yours. Kuryakyn 4612 is the part number. Plug and play has the resistor and flash tab.

[yamagrl]

Our Roadstar 1600 has the rear signals converted to run/brake/turn. It also has a short led strip addon attached to the license tag that is run/brake. The led strop really lights up in both run and brake, but the converted signals not nearly as bright and in some light such as the sun behind you the turn signal flash is not very noticeable. In fact when I'm riding behind Rachel on the Roadie sometimes I can barely see the flashing turn signal.

 

Our Vstar 1100 has the original setup and the amber signals are exceptionally noticeable in all lighting conditions.

 

We have decided to return the 1600 back to the original state or at least remove the run circuit from them and go back to Amber bulbs. That would give additional brake lights but not violate the "only constant red lights on the rear laws"

Edited May 6, 2016 by yamagrl

[gggGary]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181097275727

 

includes two units gives you all 4 as running lights. You will have to splice. the amber in back still applies. Red Led bulbs to fix that?

[cami]

I have used this system on two different Yamahas, Virago 750's. The rear turn indicator bulbs are a single contact bulb. Go to Auto zone and purchase two double contact bulb sockets and bulbs. Wire the biggest element into the turn indicator circuit. Wire the smaller element into the running light circuit. You will have to extend the holder wires so you can tap into the bikes wiring. When complete you have the original turn indicator circuit and two extra amber running lights in the rear. The double contact bulb holders come with wires attached and fit into the existing single contact space. I will use this same system on my 1999 Venture after I get the rest of the bike squared away. Hope this Helps. Any questions please contact me. Cami from Sonora, Mexico

[Flyinfool]

I have used this system on two different Yamahas, Virago 750's. The rear turn indicator bulbs are a single contact bulb. Go to Auto zone and purchase two double contact bulb sockets and bulbs. Wire the biggest element into the turn indicator circuit. Wire the smaller element into the running light circuit. You will have to extend the holder wires so you can tap into the bikes wiring. When complete you have the original turn indicator circuit and two extra amber running lights in the rear. The double contact bulb holders come with wires attached and fit into the existing single contact space. I will use this same system on my 1999 Venture after I get the rest of the bike squared away. Hope this Helps. Any questions please contact me. Cami from Sonora, Mexico

 

I do not know about laws in Mexico, but in the USA you can not have amber running lights in the rear, they must be red.