The Best Cheap Night Mods For VN900!!

[PackerBackerGA]

Hey all!
I just wanted to throw my $.02 in about a mod I found buried in this forum. Like most 900 owners I was looking to replace my lame headlight because I drive a lot at night on back roads with a bunch of deer. I checked out the HID mod, but I didn't want the expense or the headache of relocating the ballast. I found someone that said they bought a Wagner BP1210 bulb from Napa and it worked great. Well.....I'm here to tell you that this bulb is INCREDIBLE! it cost me about $11 with tax and my headlamp is now brighter than most cars lights! I can see forever now and it has already helped me avoid some critters. The UPC is 042723930035. The Napa guy looked at my funny when I gave him the Wagner number so I had to find it myself. I saw someone had posted saying that they had run the bulb for a year without any heat issues. It is a rough use 100w/80w bulb. Thanks to the original poster of this idea. Another great cheap mod I found was a site that had their neon license plate holders on clearance. I paid $20 and they now have them down to $17. They install easy and look fantastic! Color availibility may vary...I have the green custom so I got the green plate holder. Here is the link for those interested.
NEON MOTORCYCLE LICENSE PLATE FRAME - Zip Tie - Wire Loom - Car Pedals
Thanks all for helping out this first time bike owner and I will post some night pictures of my bike on this thread soon!
-Packer Fan in the South!
(Who, while I think Brett Favre is the greatest QB to play the game, thinks that he should have stayed retired.)

[rwreuter]

They are out of the NEO-Blue

I also think Brett Favre should have stayed retired so as his great name and skill would have been associated with the Packers.

[N3FOLN3FOL]

I've heard in this forum that those Wagner bulbs are really bright. 80W on low beam can really light up the roads. Since you are running a higher wattage bulb and maybe in the near future you decide to install a light bar...make sure to install a separate 'relay' to avoid any electrical issues.

Ride safe.

[PackerBackerGA]

Thanks for the tip on the light bar. I'm thinking about that as a mod later. I'm all about being seen by others on the road and anything that makes me more visible is a good thing. I tried to take pictures of the bike at night, but the camera had problems getting enough light. Here is the best I could do.

[rwreuter]

That looks cool!!! To bad the blue ones are out of stock

[GnFnRs]

plate looks awesome..they were out of the blue which sucked

[ScottyJ]

Very cool looking. Is the frame "car license plate" size? If so, can you just screw a smaller motorcycle plate to it? Also, can the plate be read at night? (I'd hate to get stopped because my plate couldn't be read.) Thanks!

[N3FOLN3FOL]

It definitely looks cool at night. Very nice!

[theopowers]

Originally Posted by PackerBackerGA

I tried to take pictures of the bike at night, but the camera had problems getting enough light. Here is the best I could do.

Set the camera on something immovable. A brick. A chair. A table. Then post the new, clear pix.

I was researching online yesterday whether a vertical license plate is legal here in Virginia. Looks like it is, but I specifically saw that neon lights are not! Not sure if that applies to LEDs or not - maybe the law just hasn't caught up to new tech yet.

A neon plate they might let slide, since it is lighting the plate, but technically neon lights must be covered up in order to operate on public roads.

[PackerBackerGA]

Its sized for the motorcycle plates. I think that they have a car size available too.....not totally sure. The plate is clearly visable, but I left the plate light attached just in case. I know in Georgia it's the law that you have one illuminating the plate. I love how it looks. I also ordered some green firefly's off of e-bay. My bike is going to look like a UFO by the time I'm done! ;-]

[Biker Dad]

Does the increase in the headlight wattage 80/100 compared to 55/60 cause a heavy load on the electrical system.. I have read post about the Stator having issue.. I'd hate to overtax the system..

[Biker Dad]

Anyone now now much additonal wattage the add on light bar draws.. I suppose if you didnt add on one of those you could be alright..

[slaponte]

On the topic of the thread, I changed

- the headlight bulb to the Wagner
- the brake bulb to the Sylvania Long Life (LL)
- Adjusted my rear spring to 5
- Set tire pressures to F40/R32.

Now for some test ridding tomorrow. Spent all of what, like $15?

[PackerBackerGA]

Rock on man!!!!
Now that's what I call cheap mods!

[92NinjaZX6]

Not sure on the bikes its legal but in California those neon items on cars are illegal as its considered distracting to other motorists. Now for a bike it looks like a safety item since who can not spot a bike at night with a neon glow around it? Either way im pretty sure its illegal mod in California, almost everything is in California, you essentially have to ride a stock bike or car to be legal here.

[rwreuter]

I am rather sure that I read on another thread, maybe a month back, that if you change your headlight to a wagner that you need to add a fuse block if you are going to add a light bar.

I guess the light bar wiring wires into the headlamp & along with the wagner you will over tax the system. If the headlamp is on a 10amp fuse and it is a 12v system (I am not sure if it 12v or not, but for example) then 10*12= 120watts available (Ohm's law)

***WHAT EVER YOU DO DON'T JUST CHANGE THE FUSE TO A LARGER ONE TO MEET THE LOAD DEMAND***

Can anyone say FIRE!!

Just add up the watts used by everything on that circuit and if it doesn't exceed that amount then you should be alright. (For the electricians out there, I understand that circuit can be considered a "continuous load", but I am not sure it applies in this situation).

[tai42]

Originally Posted by rwreuter

That looks cool!!! To bad the blue ones are out of stock

Best check the laws before ordering. I know in several states it's illegal to have any blue lights visible on a vehicle while operating on the roads. You can have them on while in a private parking lot, but that's it.

[Joram]

Originally Posted by Biker Dad

Does the increase in the headlight wattage 80/100 compared to 55/60 cause a heavy load on the electrical system.. I have read post about the Stator having issue.. I'd hate to overtax the system..

According to older posts to this forum, NAPA dealer and my local Kawi dealer, the Wagner bulb does not surpass the requirements for the electrical system on the Vulcan. However, having the wagner 80/100 with a lightbar that has the standard 35watt lights will put the system at it's max rating and most likely will blow the fuse at sometime leaving you with no lights on the bike.

To add a lightbar the proper way, check out Wiring Up Driving Lights on Gadet's site.

[Joram]

Does anyone know what the Florida laws are concerning Neon? Or where I can go to look them up?

[insolentminx]

Originally Posted by PackerBackerGA

Thanks for the tip on the light bar. I'm thinking about that as a mod later. I'm all about being seen by others on the road and anything that makes me more visible is a good thing. I tried to take pictures of the bike at night, but the camera had problems getting enough light. Here is the best I could do.

Ohh a green one!!! Very 'Kawa'.

I love the look of those light up plate holders. Too bad they're illegal in the UK (and wouldn't fit our plates either) ... it really lights up the rear end.

What LED kit did you use for the rest of your bike?? I used a tripod on a work bench and set it to 2 second delay so my finger pushing the button wouldn't shake the camera...

StreetFX Canada - Photo Gallery - InsolentMinx