LED brake and tail lites on K/LT series

[beemer05]

Would like to know the "need to know" tech on installing a "third" high intensity brake lite on the back of a K/LT. I am told the ABS system is sensitive to such as the draw might impede the signal to the ABS system.

 

I just don't want to get clobberd in the rear.

[Baba_ORiley]

Would like to know the "need to know" tech on installing a "third" high intensity brake lite on the back of a K/LT. I am told the ABS system is sensitive to such as the draw might impede the signal to the ABS system.

 

I just don't want to get clobberd in the rear.

 

I can't help, but I can tell you that LED lighting in general uses so little electricity that it is unlikely to cause the electrical problem you are worried about. I hooked an LED taillight up on my bike as additional lighting with no problems. I sourced it from an over the road truck (18 wheeler) supply site so it is fully DOT compliant and very bright. The style may not be for everybody, but it fits in quite well with my RT-P as it looks somewhat like a police strobe light when off. It's got a clear lens, but obviously it turns red when lit.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ken H.]

I am told the ABS system is sensitive to such as the draw might impede the signal to the ABS system.

You've been told wrong. All the ABS unit does is monitor the brake light bulb for a bulb failure. In no way can anything you do back there effect the actual braking.

 

If you replace the standard bulbs with LED type the ABS unit might think there is a bulb out due to LEDs' low current drain and light a warning lamp, but that's it. If you are adding on to the factory lights, not even that will happen.

[11101110]

I installed a gizmo mill led replacement module as my primary brake light. Works good but as an engineer it could stand some improvement.

 

I also added the RTP license olate holder and installed some Whelen 500 series brake lights. thread

[jbargenquast]

I installed a set of hyper lites on my R1200RT. hyper lites

 

The install was plug and play, easy, and they are bright both day and night.

[jskene]

BMWs made after 2005 can give you trouble with some after market tail/brake lights, particularly ones that replace the existing bulb.

 

The latest firmware upgrade on some models switches the brake light bulb on at low brightness when the brake is off, in order to increase the visibility of BMW's typically small tail light. This causes some LED units to function incorrectly. On other models, should the tail light filament burn out, low power is automatically routed to the brake light filament so you still have a tail light. This is very clever, but it also messes up some after market lights.

 

On the new RT, BMW has eliminated the tail light bulb completely, opting instead for two brake light bulbs. These are powered at 25% power when the brake is off to act as tail lights, then go to full power when the brake is applied.

 

I highly recommend adding an auxiliary light rather than replace your existing light bulb: you will not get a bulb failure signal due to the lower current requirements of newer LED lights, and you will get a much larger illuminated area , so your bike will more easily be seen.

 

That's why I designed P3 Lights, a new, programmable rear light, to work in conjunction with the existing tail light, rather than replace it, as others do.

 

If you're looking for a brighter, easily seen rear light, please take a look at this. I believe it's the most conspicuous rear light available.