Ducati Monster Forum

Has anyone tried building an LED taillight with integrated turns?   I think I will give it a go.  Being an electrical engineer, it doesn't seem to be a big task.   The hardest part will be just the packaging of it all.   Electrically, it's easy.

You could hit up Ohmic. He's made a couple iterations of pretty hard-core LED lights for monsters. There's some other info on google from DIY'ers. But if you're an EE I'd think you should have no issues at all.

Might it just be easier to buy one??

But, is the point to have one? Or is the point to make one?  And I'm guessing, being that he's an EE, he can probably make up something better than most or all of what's on the market. Clear Alternatives product isn't exactly overwhelmingly impressive.

I wish someone made a fleda-type light for the monster. (http://pakbikes.net/PS1000LE/THUMBS/IMG_4344.jpg)

Good point.  [thumbsup]


Here's a neat option:

http://www.radiantz.com/cart/index1.html?c6.html&1 (http://www.radiantz.com/cart/index1.html?c6.html&1)

Well, of course, it's easier to buy one.  But, if one has the means and skill to make one, than the choice is different.  It's basically a pcb cut to fit inside the OEM housing, a bag full of superbright LEDs, a couple of current limiting resistors and some OEM connectors.    I'd arrange the LEDs to perform tail light, brake light and turn signals.   I'll use different color LEDs for the turns and set up a brighter (more current) mode for braking.    We shall see. 

That's a novel idea.  :D

if you are old and retired and with nothing better to do then sure thing go for it

i bought mine on ebay the other week for $30 delivered

led tail light with indicators integrated

looks and works beautiful

I believe those are the LEDs used to make those Fleda kits.

http://www.customdynamics.com/ (http://www.customdynamics.com/)
^^ Those guys sell them too, along with a bunch of other LED kit for bikes.

Would you happen to have a link for this item?

read my mind


found it....http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Clear-LED-Tail-Light-Taillight-1994-2007-Ducati-Monster-/360316728071?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e48cf307 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Clear-LED-Tail-Light-Taillight-1994-2007-Ducati-Monster-/360316728071?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e48cf307)

Thanks!  Not for the '09 1100, but I appreciate the effort and follow up.

same place different seller name

but yeh i got the smoked one , looks nice

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280571619940&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280571619940&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT)

Is it plug and go?
Resistors built in?

more or less has bullet connectors

i dont know if it has resisters built in as my bike has had an electronic flasher can spliced
into the loom in the past when the blinker circuit in the clocks went kaput

either way resisters can be had on ebay for not much dollars

My 796 comes with LED tail lights, bought a plug in for the flashing brakes from viz-tec, aka ohmic. I personally don't like the intergrated brake and signals, for the reason that someone might not be paying attention or not know what the flashing show is all about and run into the back my bike. I want a clear stop light and amber turn signals, separate, no question what is what.


I took electronics in college and can easily build a circuit with LEDs, just much easier to buy it. I don't like re-inventing the wheel.

Love the vizi-tec sup-brake flashing light. [thumbsup]

(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e264/the916man/MarioSpaghettio/marios007.jpg)

(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e264/the916man/MarioSpaghettio/marios003.jpg)

Now that I think about it more, I don't like the integrated lights either.   Left and right is too close together in the same light assembly.    I'll likely just make a tail light/brake light.   I'm reusing the stock lens and slightly Dremeling the back plate to fit a pcb.   I'll keep my Flickr site updated as I progress, if anyone is interested.   

I do electronics mostly everyday.  I don't think "I have to be old and retired and with nothing better to do" just to make something I want.   It's a piece of cake.   I'm sure mostly everyone here has made something by themselves that is on their bike.  If I can't make it, I'll buy it too.  But if I can, I will.

J5, where did you buy the frame plugs? 

they were on it when i bought it

prob a hardware store or something i imagine

LED globes/indicators fitted inside the frame (instead) of plugs work well. I'm currently making a matching tail light.  [thumbsup]

I have seen that girl in your sig block on youtube dancing, ...she can move!!

That she can! The video is an oldie, but a goodie! [beer]

Someone gave me one of these, and it's better than stock.  It's brighter than some of the cheapo LED boards, but way more convienient.

(http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/images/U38030R.jpg)

That was my first thought.  LED bulbs that just replace the 1157 bulb. 

This one is a 19 LED version.   The thing I didnt like was the light was concentrated instead of being spread out like an LED board.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F1157-R19W6_motorcycle_bulb.htm (http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fspecs%2F1157-R19W6_motorcycle_bulb.htm)

Ok, all done.   Here is the bare board loose on the oem reflector:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5351254008_4b17ebfe2d_z.jpg)

Here is a top view:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5350642585_8a555b21e9_z.jpg)

It was fairly simple to build.   I had to cut the oem reflector plate so the pcb will lie flat.    I used cut off hose for vibration isolation.  The pcb is from Mouser (4x5, double sided plated thru), about $12.   The Piranha LEDs are from SuperBrightLEDs (.25 ea).  I liked these better than the normal T1 3/4 5mm LEDs because they were brighter and had 4 pins with which to solder to (more durable for vibration).   There are 9 strings of 4 LEDs, 9 running lamp resistors (550 ohm) and 9 brake light resistors (220 ohm).    I set running current to be about 10ma each circuit (x9) and the brake light current to 30ma (x9).  The max current is 40ma.   I wanted it to be a little understressed.   I am currently wiring up a flasher relay (EP35) with a 5 ohm load resistor for the brake light.   I wanted more visibility during braking.   In the back, the hole was just the right size to push in the OEM license plate light.

Here is a shot of the LED turn signals from Monster Parts:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5350644491_b6529c7871_z.jpg)

Here is a shot from the rear with it all bolted up:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5350664651_78ef4d1d62_z.jpg)

Action pics.  Action pics!

 [thumbsup]

Shot of the running light:

(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/5351257948_0896c74904.jpg)

It's hard to take the brake lights but I'll try again later tonight.  I also have a vid but I'll upload and post it tonight.   When the brake lights turn on, the camera exposes it darker (like shooting in snow) and all you see are bright leds in a dark room.  It doesn't help that the background wall is (Ducati) red!! [bang]

that looks very good, you might have a nice product on your hands here to sell people if it works well and is really bright.

That's a possibility.  I'd have to lay out a PCB and get an estimate.   If I were to sell it, it would have to be real circuit board.   Also, I would experiment more with brightness.   My settings were fine to my eye.   Maybe an option to offer flashing brakes.  If flashing, the LEDs can be brighter due to the duty cycling.    For example, if the duty cycle was 50% (half on, half off), then the current can theoretically be doubled.    I believe the EP35 is a fixed duty cycle but there are two.  One for operating bulbs (lower resistance, slower rate) and one for broken bulbs (higher resistance, faster rate).   I set mine up for the faster rate.   The higher resistance will emit less heat.

Idea; have the turning signals light up as an arrow pointing left right..  only prpblem maybe is if your hitting breaks at the same time.. then again you could use amber leds for torning..

What if you turn on the light in the room and or take the pic from farther away?

I was thinking about that idea too with the turns.  But I think it would be too much flashing going on.  I'll keep it seperate for now.   The turns are amber LEDs.  The cool feature on these is that you can see the flashing even on the front part of the turns.  There is an LED on the tip that can be seen from the front. 

As far as the pic, it was with the light on.  But the camera will adjust.   It was a little close too.   The reason is that the bike is up against the wall and so is the rear.  I'll have to move it around.   Will do it later tonight.

Ok, here is a link to a video:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyuzon/5352753065/#secret46611d40e7 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyuzon/5352753065/#secret46611d40e7)

Here are some shots.  Keep in mind all of the following are shot at 2 stops underexposed, but it gives you a relative idea of the brightness.

tail light:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/5352754703_161e30cdc7_z.jpg)

brake light:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5043/5352756355_980423cc9a_z.jpg)

left turn & right turn:
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5353370270_604a8c49bb_z.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5353371834_e3278e2646_z.jpg)

The tail light is at similar or lower brightness as the turns.

Don't pay any attention to my house outfit.. ;D

Eyeduc,

Did I read that you needed resistors for the LED turn signals?

Also

What Mirror do you have?

Nicely done!

Thanks, Hank.  No, the resistors for the turns are built-in.  The mirror is just an ebay CRG bar-end 3" knock off, mounted 90 degrees.  It's not bad quality for the price.  I wanted the mirror on the stock location but just shorter.   I don't really like the mirror on the end of the bars.   

Im probally going to steal that idea, but then again what is this board for?