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Author Topic: LED vs incandescent brake light bulb  (Read 2709 times)

Offline Rob Valdez 79 R65

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Re: LED vs incandescent brake light bulb
« Reply #15 on: December 09, 2010, 09:30:07 PM »
Quote
I received my Beacon2 in the mail today.

Let me just say HOLY WOW.

I am a perfectionist, no doubt about it. This part meets and exceeds every single expectation that I have.
I'll say that I would have been happy with the quality of this product at $125.00 or more. For $59 it's an absolute steal.

I can't imagine why there is anyone out there riding an airhead that doesn't have a Beacon1 or Beacon2 in it.

My thoughts, exactly!

Offline montmil

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Re: LED vs incandescent brake light bulb
« Reply #16 on: December 12, 2010, 08:58:36 AM »
We've pretty well run through this LED topic but I'd like to add one last thought and it's not about LED brake lights.

When I first bought my 1981 R65, it needed some love. I spent quite a bit of time fixing, replacing, tuning and inspecting the entire bike. This post-buy work is always a good idea.

Upon removing the plastic tail light lens, I spotted a melted area adjacent the always 'on' tail light. The PO had fitted a larger 21 watt bulb and the generated heat had done a serious melt down on the expensive plastic lens.
   The stock tail light bulb is a small 5 watt #67/97 that's about one-forth the physical size of the #1156. The larger, hotter bulb was in very close proximity to the plastic, hence the heat damage.

I run the SuperBright 1156 LEDs as tail lights in both R65s. They are much brighter than the OEM 5 watt-ers, plus there is no bulb-generated heat damaging the pricey plastic lens.

Monte
Monte Miller
Denton, TEXAS
1978 BMW R100S
1981 BMW R65
1983 BMW R65
1995 Triumph Trophy
1986 VW Cabriolet

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: LED vs incandescent brake light bulb
« Reply #17 on: December 12, 2010, 09:19:38 AM »
It doesn't take long for the larger bulb to melt into the plastic lens .

I had the tail light on the '81 R65 burn out on the way to work in January, 2007 (it was the original bulb that was installed at the factory in September, 1980) .

I installed a larger bulb just to get me home .

Stopped off at the local auto parts store got the correct replacement bulb .

When I removed the lens, the bulb had already melted itself into the plastic lens .

Total time with the large bulb illuminated was less than 30 minutes .
'81 R65
'82 R65 LS
'84 R65 LS
'87 Moto Guzzi V65 Lario
'02 R1150R
Riding all year long since 1993 .
I'll give up my R65, when they pry my cold dead hands from the handlebars !!!!!