This letter came from a customer and I thought it was so informative that I just had to pass it on to all our blog readers. Enjoy and feel free to comment or send along your success story for us to share with everybody.
Thanks, Chris
I own a 2006 V Star Classic and recently purchased the L.E.D. board tail light conversion kit (#9011-10) from Denise at www.ChromeGlow.com. I find it to be a necessary addition to the bike for several reasons.
First and foremost is that the V Star, like most motorcycles, comes with only one tail light bulb. Should that one and only bulb burn out while riding at night, the rider is in a very unsafe situation. This unit has 32 L.E.D.s on it, which gives redundancy,as well as the fact that it will outlast an incandescent bulb. I also find that this light assembly projects light brighter than the stock 1157 bulb. We all know that visibility is the key - the more lights, the better!
The second factor is that the charging system on the V Star (I can only speak for the 650) is insufficient. This is a fact which is well known and was told to me by the factory regional service representative from Yamaha after the dealers scratched their heads for two months looking for the problem. My bike has the Yamaha auxiliary passing lamps on it and the charging system is insufficient to power everything if you ride in cold weather, as the lamps in combination with the carburetor heaters pull more than the system can generate. This leaves the owner with two choices - upgrade the charging system to one with higher output (Yamaha upgraded mine under warranty), and/or start trimming electrical draw. If you are experiencing this problem and they try to tell you to just not turn the lights on, or that it is normal, don't believe it.
A stock 1157 bulb draws approximately three amps when both filaments are illuminated compared to just milli-amps that L.E.D.s draw, making the conversion a logical choice. However, it is important to understand that not all L.E.D. bulbs will produce the desired results. I have tried several aftermarket bulbs which have the L.E.D.s in a cluster and they do not produce enough light! By design, the diodes project light in a straight beam, so any of the diodes that are not directly facing the lens are useless. While using other bulbs, I have had drivers tell me that they couldn't see my brake light. It's comforting to know that a few still pay attention out there!
The problem has been solved with the #9011-10 L.E.D. Board conversion kit. I now run that along with a Signal Dynamics Quad L.E.D. license plate frame and Back-Off XP tail light modulator. The bike is extremely visible now. If you are considering an L.E.D. light, this is the way to go. If anyone has any questions, feel free to e-mail me at N56289@aol.com.
I found the service at Chrome Glow to be great - friendly along with fast shipping! You won't be disappointed. Order your L.E.D. Board tail light kit for your Star today!
Remember - visibility is the key. See and be seen! Happy riding and be careful out there.
Thanks, Chris
I own a 2006 V Star Classic and recently purchased the L.E.D. board tail light conversion kit (#9011-10) from Denise at www.ChromeGlow.com. I find it to be a necessary addition to the bike for several reasons.
First and foremost is that the V Star, like most motorcycles, comes with only one tail light bulb. Should that one and only bulb burn out while riding at night, the rider is in a very unsafe situation. This unit has 32 L.E.D.s on it, which gives redundancy,as well as the fact that it will outlast an incandescent bulb. I also find that this light assembly projects light brighter than the stock 1157 bulb. We all know that visibility is the key - the more lights, the better!
The second factor is that the charging system on the V Star (I can only speak for the 650) is insufficient. This is a fact which is well known and was told to me by the factory regional service representative from Yamaha after the dealers scratched their heads for two months looking for the problem. My bike has the Yamaha auxiliary passing lamps on it and the charging system is insufficient to power everything if you ride in cold weather, as the lamps in combination with the carburetor heaters pull more than the system can generate. This leaves the owner with two choices - upgrade the charging system to one with higher output (Yamaha upgraded mine under warranty), and/or start trimming electrical draw. If you are experiencing this problem and they try to tell you to just not turn the lights on, or that it is normal, don't believe it.
A stock 1157 bulb draws approximately three amps when both filaments are illuminated compared to just milli-amps that L.E.D.s draw, making the conversion a logical choice. However, it is important to understand that not all L.E.D. bulbs will produce the desired results. I have tried several aftermarket bulbs which have the L.E.D.s in a cluster and they do not produce enough light! By design, the diodes project light in a straight beam, so any of the diodes that are not directly facing the lens are useless. While using other bulbs, I have had drivers tell me that they couldn't see my brake light. It's comforting to know that a few still pay attention out there!
The problem has been solved with the #9011-10 L.E.D. Board conversion kit. I now run that along with a Signal Dynamics Quad L.E.D. license plate frame and Back-Off XP tail light modulator. The bike is extremely visible now. If you are considering an L.E.D. light, this is the way to go. If anyone has any questions, feel free to e-mail me at N56289@aol.com.
I found the service at Chrome Glow to be great - friendly along with fast shipping! You won't be disappointed. Order your L.E.D. Board tail light kit for your Star today!
Remember - visibility is the key. See and be seen! Happy riding and be careful out there.
Bob Hanlon
Aston, PA
Aston, PA
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