78 KZ1000 LED Integrated Tail light

Thought I would post my LED Tail light conversion. I bought a cateye type of LED Integrated tail light on ebay around 28.00 My bike is stored around an hour wasy from where I live.

I had the tail fin at the house freshly painted. I just didn't like the size and contour of the light.
So I picked up a 85 Nighthawk tail light assembly for a few bucks.

it looks great in the tailfin but doesnt have the LED or integrated tail lights.

Not having my bike close I decided to check the LED tail light with a battery charger set on 2 amp checked each wire and labelled them so I know I have a good tail light.

now to combine both tail lights. I didnt take any pictures but below is the finished product.
I took the Chinese made LED light apart the circuit board was screwed in with 2 screws pretty easy to disassemble.

I removed the light socket from the Honda taillight the circuit board was about 1/4 inch too wide which was perfect. I took a cutoff wheel and made 2 slots in the plastic posts that the lens screws to low enough to not interfear with the lens screws. That gave me enough room to slide the circuit board into slots ran the wires through the socket hole using the rubber grommet for a good seal. put a few dads of silicone to secure the circuit board.

After letting it set for 24 hours I had a good solid LED tail light assembly I put the lens on and ran to TSC bought a couple peices of aluminum bar stock made a bracket and mounted the light and plate mount directly to the tail fin. the license plate light is covered by the lens and I have to drill into the lens to allow the white light through. a few 3/16 holes marked directly at the bulbs.
Taking the clear lens supplied with the chinese light hesatin it enough to get the curve out of it and sealing it inside the lens and I am 100% legal and I think more stylish.


























any Comments?

Cute but definitely illegal in California, not sure about other states. Our law says the center of the turn signal lense has to be something like six inches or more away from the center of the tail light/brake light lense. At night, following traffic has to be able to differentiate left from right and when they get too close together, it looks like one light source from behind. Somebody posted the vehicle code once but I know those are not legal in kali.

its hard to tell the color difference on the iphone vid but yaeh I am sure in some states they are not legal. Indiana does not repuire turn signals but if you have them they have to work however they do require a license plate light lol got a ticket riding home in the rain one night because my license plate light blew from the water. nothing worse than standing next to our bike in a downpour a 2am getting a ticket because a bulb blew in the rain.

my question is alot of the new bikes are coming out with the integrated lights hows is cali handling that or do they have a california version like in some cars??

Turns out those integrated lights might be illegal EVERYWHERE under federal law (at the very bottom):

frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr...&YEAR=2007&TYPE=TEXT

Motorcycles


Turn signal lamps

At or near the rear--1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches. Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and tail or stop lamp is 4-inches, when a single stop and taillamp is installed on the vertical centerline and the turn signal lamps are red..

bountyhunter wrote: Turns out those integrated lights might be illegal EVERYWHERE under federal law (at the very bottom):

frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr...&YEAR=2007&TYPE=TEXT

Motorcycles


Turn signal lamps

At or near the rear--1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches. Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and tail or stop lamp is 4-inches, when a single stop and taillamp is installed on the vertical centerline and the turn signal lamps are red..

I may be reading that wrong but my understanding is if the signals are red they must have that much seperation. as long as they are amber I am lead to believe there is no minimum seperation. At least that the arguement I would state as long as my state law doesnt have a different requirement lol

I am pretty sure that most states and the federal laws prohibit altering safety equiptment anyway. I know I have had friends get tickets for removing the rear fender on sport bikes and had one buddy get a ticket for relocating his license plate with a drag specialties LP holder that mounts on the rear axle on his bobber. I could go on about harassment by local athorities over what we see as minor modifications

Makes you wonder how the quote custom bike builders are complying with the federal regulations. Can't see actually getting a few of those OCC bikes to comply

ramtough_63 wrote:

bountyhunter wrote: Turns out those integrated lights might be illegal EVERYWHERE under federal law (at the very bottom):

frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr...&YEAR=2007&TYPE=TEXT

Motorcycles


Turn signal lamps

At or near the rear--1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches. Minimum edge to edge separation distance between lamp and tail or stop lamp is 4-inches, when a single stop and taillamp is installed on the vertical centerline and the turn signal lamps are red..

I may be reading that wrong but my understanding is if the signals are red they must have that much seperation. as long as they are amber I am lead to believe there is no minimum seperation. At least that the arguement I would state as long as my state law doesnt have a different requirement lol

I am pretty sure that most states and the federal laws prohibit altering safety equiptment anyway. I know I have had friends get tickets for removing the rear fender on sport bikes and had one buddy get a ticket for relocating his license plate with a drag specialties LP holder that mounts on the rear axle on his bobber. I could go on about harassment by local athorities over what we see as minor modifications

Makes you wonder how the quote custom bike builders are complying with the federal regulations. Can't see actually getting a few of those OCC bikes to comply

The one I was seeing was:

At or near the rear--1 red or amber on each side of the vertical centerline, at the same height and having a minimum horizontal separation distance (centerline to centerline of lamps) of 9 inches.

The light assembly would have to close to a foot wide (total) to meet that. The center-center distance on the turn signal lights in the youtube video looks more like 6" (guess from video).

I apologize in advance, not trying to pick any fights... are turn signals required in California? I'm fairly confident they are NOT (a number of my friends have shaved choppers they ride around) as long as you use the hang gestures to indicate which direction you're turning (which is BS because 80% of the drivers out there have no idea what they mean). I do know that in CA, turn signals must be 6 inches from the center of your tail light, as BH posted.

BH, any chance you can verify if turn signals are required in CA? It would seem odd that turn signals are no required, but the centers must be 6 inches from the center of the tail light. Thanks!

ramtough_63 wrote:


I am pretty sure that most states and the federal laws prohibit altering safety equiptment anyway.

Cali definitely has laws against altering lights. It's up to the cop how strictly they want to enforce.
Here's the code:

26101. No person shall sell or offer for sale for use upon or as part of the equipment of a vehicle, nor shall any person use upon a vehicle, any device that is intended to modify the original design or performance of any lighting equipment, safety glazing material, or other device, unless the modifying device meets the provisions of Section 26104. This section does not apply to a taillamp or stop lamp in use on or prior to December 1, 1935, or to lamps installed on authorized emergency vehicles.

26104. (a) Every manufacturer who sells, offers for sale, or
manufactures for use upon a vehicle devices subject to requirements established by the department shall, before the device is offered for sale, have laboratory test data showing compliance with such requirements. Tests may be conducted by the manufacturer.

mtbspeedfreak wrote: I apologize in advance, not trying to pick any fights... are turn signals required in California? I'm fairly confident they are NOT (a number of my friends have shaved choppers they ride around) as long as you use the hang gestures to indicate which direction you're turning (which is BS because 80% of the drivers out there have no idea what they mean). I do know that in CA, turn signals must be 6 inches from the center of your tail light, as BH posted.

BH, any chance you can verify if turn signals are required in CA? It would seem odd that turn signals are no required, but the centers must be 6 inches from the center of the tail light. Thanks!

They are required if they came on the bike. If the bike is really old and did not, I doubt they are required.

Alright, thanks for the clarification!

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Especially at night where the light's image "flares" out. The turn signal looks like it's part of the tail light and you can't tell whether it's left or right of the light.