Front Turn Signals

bmccrary

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So I had this idea for the front turnsignals, I did a quick search and didn't find anything.

On the US models we have those empty holes where there European models have those amber lights. Well I was wondering if anyone has turned those into the their front turn signals?

My father is a parts manager at a Yamaha shop and I pretty sure he could get ahold of the wiring harness and connectors for those lights, it would just be a matter of hooking the turnsignal wires up to it.

Anyone tried this? Would you even be able to see the lights blinking with the head lights on?

-bryan
 
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sportrider

Do you still run some small flushies or something at the stock mount, or just use the ones in the headlights?
thats what I was wondering. also if those are your only turnsignals what did you do to cover the stock holes?
 

Boneman

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thats what I was wondering. also if those are your only turnsignals what did you do to cover the stock holes?

You can buy filler plates that can go over the holes left by the removed turn signals. That "teardrop" shape is a standard size for Yamaha.

My POD lights arn't signals and I used Watsen LED Flushies for my signals:

DSCF1844.JPG
 
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clockworkjon

thats what I was wondering. also if those are your only turnsignals what did you do to cover the stock holes?

Maybe the '07 is different, but my stock front signals weren't mounted through holes in the faring. They just hung down on small L-brackets that were mounted up behind the faring.

I just undid two screws each on the L-brackets, chopped the wires running to the stock signals, and ran the wires up to the holes I drilled in the upper corners of the headlight housing. Those attached to the leads coming off the new LED signals. Soldered the wires together and covered them in heat-shrink. Screwed the LEDs (+some glue to seal) into the new headlight-housing holes and voila!

Mine look just like Moe's. Pictures by request!
 
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sportrider

the fairing on the 04-06 is bigger and hangs lower on the bike, covering the top of the radiator.
 
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clockworkjon

the fairing on the 04-06 is bigger and hangs lower on the bike, covering the top of the radiator.

Ahhh, I see now. Just checked out an '04 pic online and it looks totally different from mine. Disregard everything I said! :thumbup:
 

bmccrary

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Will those LED's that were for sell in the link fit the lightsockets that come in the European models? I am thinking it would be nice to run the OEM wiring and such so that I do not have to do any sort of cutting. That and it probably wouldnt hurt to run the turn signals in the headlights as well as in the stock location (flushies or something) Just to have more visibility. I am still not sure what I want to do for the rear. I will decide on something after I get a FE kit and get the saddlebag mounting system figured out.

-bryan
 
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clockworkjon

The LEDs I got fit in the headlight housing. You have to drill out the holes but you can clearly see where to drill. It would have been nice if Yamaha just put a plug in the hole, but drilling takes only a few minutes.

As for the rear, check the same site, or clearalternatives.com and get an integrated tail light. Signals, running light, and brake light all in one nice tidy package. You can get a clear or smoked replacement lens. fendereliminators.net even has a deal (Combo #5) where you get the tail light and the FE for a reduced price. That's what I did. The FE is just sturdy plastic, but it comes with a nice LED licence plate light.

Again, pics on request. Hope this helped!
 

bmccrary

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The LEDs I got fit in the headlight housing. You have to drill out the holes but you can clearly see where to drill. It would have been nice if Yamaha just put a plug in the hole, but drilling takes only a few minutes.

As for the rear, check the same site, or clearalternatives.com and get an integrated tail light. Signals, running light, and brake light all in one nice tidy package. You can get a clear or smoked replacement lens. fendereliminators.net even has a deal (Combo #5) where you get the tail light and the FE for a reduced price. That's what I did. The FE is just sturdy plastic, but it comes with a nice LED licence plate light.

Again, pics on request. Hope this helped!

Yea can I get some pics of that?

I think I have seen another site those tail lights that are all intergrated. However, I have heard that it is still kinda tough to see the turn signal part of it?

Your opinion?

-bryan
 
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clockworkjon

The only time I've found the taillight to not be bright enough was in direct sunlight. But that's like most blinkers on cars, bikes, etc. in direct sunlight. The problem is that with the clear lens, the sunlight washes out the LEDs. My winter project is basically to put a shield inside the top of the lens (shield = shiny silver card paper) to block the sun from the top. Believe it or not that makes a HUGE difference. I had a friend basically cover the top with his hand and from about 50' away it looked twice as bright.

So, having said that though the pics will be from my garage. Its too frickin cold to take the bike outside and I won't be home until after dark anyway. I'll take pictures from behind the front fairing so you can see where the holes go, and I'll take pictures of the taillight, uncluding running, braking, and blinking. Let me know if you need more than that! Later!

(sorry for the long-winded reply) :)
 

bmccrary

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Talk about going all out! Sure that will be great.

So if I went with a red lense over the clear lense would it be any better? I thought I saw on that sight were they offered the lenses in different colors. Either way, some reflectiving cardboard/paper shouldnt be too hard to get ahold of and make work.

-bryan
 
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clockworkjon

My wife scrapbooks and makes cards, I'll just get the paper from her stash! As far as the red lens, the integrated LEDs are colored, which wouldn't be a problem for the red running/brake light, but the yellow blinkers would be pretty dim. As for the smoke lens, my friend has it on his Ducati and its not much better than clear. Darker in fact. I say clear with something blocking the top looks good and works good too. (I hope!)

On a similar rant, my Ducati friend and I had this conversation yesterday. Its obvious the colored LEDs they put in these lights aren't the best. When you look at newer car taillights with the LEDs they are extremely bright (especially the Audi A3). They're just bright, clear LEDs with colored lenses. This obviously wouldn't work with the integrated tail lights though. If you're not hooked on the integrated light, I'd just find an LED brake/running light upgrade kit, and get some smaller LED blinkers with a FE. That way it still cleans up the back end, but doesn't decrease visibility. I admit I went for style over substance. Heck, I'm invisible to cars on the road anyway!
 

bmccrary

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Ok, well that makes since.

Really, I am not sold on anything yet. I am just looking at this point. I know I will be running Mini Saddle bags on the bike from time to time and I want the turn signals to still be seen when I have the bags on. So this intergrated tail light seems like a pretty good way to go. I am planning on a FE kit here before too long, and I imagine I will make up my mind about what to do about the turn signals at that point.

I figured I would to the front turn signal deal at the same time that I do the dual headlight mod and such up front.

Thanks for your help thus far.

-bryan
 
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clockworkjon

I believe mini saddle bags I've seen (like Nelson Riggs excellent ones) are sloped up in the back to accomodate normal turn signals, so you should be able to get away with mini-signals if you don't go with the integrated.
 
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clockworkjon

Ok, I take crappy pictures. The front signal hole pics are ok when you click on them, the tail light ones pretty much all suck. Any indoor taillight photography tips are welcome. Try these for now. Both rear signals and the running light. I'll try to post a brake light pic soon.
 
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