Reflectors or LED's for R65LS?

[Red_Hen]

Hi Gang,

It's been pretty quiet on the m/c home front living in MN but did manage
to sneak in a nice ride on my F650 down in Houston a couple weeks ago!

My R65LS is still locked in a barn, surrounded in snow at a shop in MN.  Hoping to finally get her picked up on April!  The time has been moving fast but am really dreaming of riding my first airhead!

Mine has missing reflectors on the left & right side next to the license plate frame.  I see them listed online but boy oh boy are they pricey.

Has anyone replaced them with round LED Lights?  If so, could you please tell me where you got yours?  

Another question: are LED driving lights going to look okay on my LS?  I want to keep her as authentic and vintage looking as possible.  If you've mounted some, could you tell me which mfg. model you bought and where you got the mounts?

Appreciate it a lot,

Ken

[Bob_Roller]

I replaced the red reflectors on the rear fender of my '81 R65 with a rectangular reflector/ 6 LED assembly  .

Got them at Checker Auto Parts, don't know what chain type stores you have locally .

They were about $5-6US each .

They have a stud and nut mount, so they go on without any modififcations necessary to the OEM reflector mount point .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Ken - my side reflectors do not sit well with my saddlebags.  I rarely ride without the saddlebags mounted.  I would be happy to sell you mine at a bargain price.  Let me look at them and determine their condition.

Are you talking about these reflectors?  http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0364&mospid=51897&btnr=46_0030&hg=46&fg=30

$8.81 at Max BMW; $4.36 at Chicago w/ their discount.  

I thought you were going to say $20 each, or something!
Now I guess I have to give mine away for free.

[Red_Hen]

Hey Rob,

I'm not kidding - going to have to get a custom license plate with your name on it.  You sent me a couple needle bearings, a part for my instrument lights - I know there was another part.  

The reflectors I'm referring to are the two red round ones with studs that mount on each side of the license plate frame so in theory, motorists coming at you at a 90 degree angle would hopefully see the reflectors.

I'd be interested in those.  You can PM me at kentuvman@gmail.com.

Thanks Bob for your suggestion as well.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Well, mine might be a little scratched up, from rubbing on (at least) one side.
I don't know how you could do much better that $8.72 +shipping from Chicago, for brand new ones, though.

But they are yours, if you want them.

[bruce_launceston]

Hi Ken, leave them off! LS's look better with less. They are a US thing, not fitted to the European/Australian model.

I did have a 6" driving light mounted onto one crashbar for a long time but now I don't even have the crash bars fitted. All they ever did was bend back onto the rocker cover if the bike was dropped.

I had a clamp type bracket but it would be easy to get two small cleats welded to your bars that would suit the new mini driving lights.

Cheers

[montmil]

Ken,   I never enjoyed snagging my pants on the OEM licenses plate-mounted reflectors so I sawed off the brackets and tossed the reflectors in the parts box. After a little smoothing with a file and a hit with the rattle can, the plate frame went back on.

Stopped by my FLAP store and bought two self-adhesive red reflectors that fit just fine on a flat section of the rear fender; just below about where the tail piece ends.

Monte

[Red_Hen]

Thanks guys!

Question for Bob Roller:  you have a nice stable of bikes in your garage!  

Do you have a favorite?

[Bob_Roller]

Right now, the '82 LS is the favorite, just got it road worthy, still some small problems to get worked out, mostly small nagging fluid leaks .

The '84 LS has turned into  a parts 'donor' for the '82, wasn't intended to be this way though .

The Guzzi hasn't been touched since I got it, we have mandatory emissions testing as a requirement for motorcycle registration .

One of  the big reasons the previous owner parked the bike, was the difficulty of getting it through the emissions test .

The requirement for motorcycle emissions testing was supposed to be dropped last summer, but still hasn't gone into effect .

Here in Arizona, if the motor vehicle is at least 25 model years old, has collector insurance and collector license plates, the vehicle is exempt from emissions testing .

So it looks like I'll start working on the Guzzi this fall, as it will be 25 model years old in January, 2012 .

[Red_Hen]

Hey Rob - I'll buy the reflectors - sent you a PM - thanks