Tidying up the Tail

[Gottagetone]

I have some info in two threads so I thought I would start a new one to bring it all together.  I don't like all the stuff hanging off the tail of the V11 and want to be seen better.  I started searching around and found some LEDs that I think will do the trick.  

 

I picked up some super bright micro LEDs to be used as tail light and brake lights along with a resistor and M-Stop relay switch that will modulate the brake light, the M-stop will allow me to pick the pattern.  I wanted to tuck the license plate up under the seat so I purchased a LED light to light up the plate.  All above items were sourced locally at Revival Cycles.  

 

Sourced from eBay were a set of 4 LED turn signals and round LED relay.  The relay showed up in a few days but the signals look like they going to be a while...slow boat from China...

 

I was going to wait for the turn signals to arrive but decided yesterday that I would rip into it and see what I could come up with.  I was able to get quite a bit further that I thought, the results are below.

 

I tried posting the pics using the photo link but it tells me I am not allowed to use that service....any tips?  If not I will have to shrink them down and post them.  

[Kiwi_Roy]

I use photobucket, upload them as a jpeg

 

It gives you several options for sharing the file, use the bottom IMG one

 

I took the picture off, this post is not about me

[Craig]

 

I tried posting the pics using the photo link but it tells me I am not allowed to use that service....any tips?  If not I will have to shrink them down and post them.  

 

Add your photos to the post as attachments, then insert the attachments into the post.  Then the photos are on Jaap's server and won't go away at a whim.

[Scud]

I have some info in two threads so I thought I would start a new one to bring it all together.  I don't like all the stuff hanging off the tail of the V11 and want to be seen better. 

 

M-Stop relay switch that will modulate the brake light, the M-stop will allow me to pick the pattern.

 

I tried posting the pics using the photo link but it tells me I am not allowed to use that service....any tips?  If not I will have to shrink them down and post them.  

 

I like your approach to this - cleaning up the look AND improving visibility and safety. I already followed you on the M-Stop and am looking forward to see how you're doing everything else.

 

As for pics, I agree with both posts above - and there's a topic on how to post pics in "Motha of all V11 forums..." I'm trying to use images as follows:

1. Photo-bucket for non-essentials - like gratuitous pics of my bike in beautiful places. (Now I want to ride to Bodie so I can take a picture like KiwiRoy's.)
2. Attach/Insert files for pics of problems, solutions, documentation, examples, etc. that people might want to use for something. When you're posting, click "more reply options" then you'll see a "choose files" button under "attach files."  FYI - this option has a storage limit per person.

To prep photos for attachment, I use iPhoto on a Mac, which allows choice of both quality (resolution) and size (dimensions). I've found that low to medium quality and medium to large size works well - the post shows a thumbnail that, when clicked, expands enough to be useful.

[Gottagetone]

I was using the "image button to link photos from photobucket but it dint work.  Let see if it works if I just post the link rather than inserting it using the image button....

 

Tearing it down:

 

I really like the look of ending the bike at the back of the seat....maybe a future project:

 

License plate mounted along with the LED light...its way bright.  I may get pulled over for putting the plate under the seat but I am willing to roll the dice.  If need be I know I can put the plate under the brake lights.  I was worried about the flex in the suspension hitting the plate but think it will be ok.  I made a bracket that has a decent slant to it so it should be ok while leaving the plate very readable from behind....but not by those toll road cams....

 

Fabbed up a bracket for the tail lights / turn signals.  Once the new turn signals come in I will pull the bracket and replace the stockers with the new ones.  Ill post up a link to the turn signals below.  

 

Stuff is locking up, time to do a restart and continue in a bit.

[Gottagetone]

The bits and pieces:

 

Mounted and lit...It's just mounted up using zip ties so everything is not quite straight.  I have to pull everything apart to paint it and make it right.  

 

Set the tail on it, you can see the the size of the tail lights is about the size of a quarter.  The pic above is just in running light mode, if I hit the brakes its blinding.  Once I get it all buttoned up I will take a video and post it up.

 

I have ordered new clutch and brake fluid reservoirs and am looking for some bar end mirrors to get rid of the lollipops.  Here is a link to the turn Rizoma like signals - http://www.ebay.com/itm/251723689754?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT  They will be mounted front and back and should be much brighter than stock.

[Gottagetone]

Painted the brackets and mounted everything up today.  Once the new turn signals come in Ill replace the stockers and be good to go.  This pic is a bit dark and it looks a bit off to the side but I think its because of the way the bike is sitting on the stand.  

 

Ill get better pics in the daylight.  Pretty happy with the way it turned out.

[czakky]

I am hoping to do something similar.... Probably won't end up as classy though. Good work, thanks for the great write up!

[Gottagetone]

Thanks for the compliment.  By no means is it perfect but for now it works.  Once the new turn signals arrive I may change things up a bit but until then...

[Martin van der Meer]

Very nice! It brings full attention back to that beautyful rear, instead of all the "stuff hanging from the rear"
It looks as if your numberplate is mounted very deep under de seat, or is that some optic illusion?

[Gottagetone]

The plate is deep under the seat, it kinda has to be to compensate for the swingers movement otherwise the bottom of the plate would hit the top of the rear fender.  The bracket I made does hold the plate at a decent angle.  It is well lit and there are no obstructions to reading it from behind.  

 

I asked a police officer about the legality today and he said if I wasn't doing anything stupid and it truly was readable, I didn't have the bike with me to show him, that I should not have a problem.  The new law regarding inspections stickers went into effect March 1 so I asked him about that as well.  He let me know that the lack of sticker at this point was a vague area but that they can't pull me over for not having one since the law officially changed.  

[Gottagetone]

Finally finished up this project along with a few other additions but for this thread I will stick with the tail.  I ended up purchasing a M-Wave relay which gives the LED turn signals a wave type pattern rather than a flash.  I had purchased a relay off of Ebay that I thought was broken because when I first hooked everything up all four turn signals would flash rather than just one side or the other.  Turns out that since the MG has one light on the dash that blinks when your blinkers are on and the LEDs draw so little power I had to splice in two diodes and ground the dash board indicator light.  If you want more info on this I am happy to help.

 

Short video, the license plate is up under there...

so it says I can't use that extension...  Ill try it another way soon.

 

Profile, looks much better without all the stuff hanging off the back:

 

[docc]

Very tight! Makes the tail section look like a big flame in a high wind!

[Gottagetone]

Lets see it this video link works:

http://vid564.photobucket.com/albums/ss82/mreecer/IMG_3535_zpsdquk1abt.mp4

[docc]

Complete with a NASA assistant! (and those rumbly M4s!