neons anyone?

[thurockk]

While I am having to rebuild, I figured I might as well put some lights on the mighty kat. Anybody have good or bad experiences with this? What kit did you buy or where from?

thanks
Bryan

[BeekMan]

I'd recommend going with LEDs since they have very little power draw and are quickly taking over the lighting world.


Tons of quality stuff here... http://www.customdynamics.com

[md86]

Well , my bike had some tubes on it when I bought it . So I can't tell you where they came from . They look alot like what you see in the JCW catalogues . They definatley attract a bit more attention at night , which can be good or bad . The front tube burned out , and I think I might replace it sometime this winter . Only problem I've seen is that if my horn isn't angled just right , it'll hit the tube as I turn the bars . They draw very little current , too . When my battery died I had no lights (of course) , but the neons still lit up .

[Waltari]

I'd recommend going with LEDs since they have very little power draw and are quickly taking over the lighting world.


Tons of quality stuff here... http://www.customdynamics.com

I agree...even though Neon is used at times on vehicles, it was never intended to be a mobile form of lighting and will eventually break from road vibrations and bouncing.

[thurockk]

Wow, didn't realize they were that high!

[Waltari]

Wow, didn't realize they were that high!

Neon actually doesn't draw much poer at all. In reality, the draw is very low which is why neon is an idea lighting source for commercial signage. It is the output of a neon transformer that is high.

For example, take your average neon window sign...something generic like the word "open" . Depending on size of the letters, diameter of the tubing, and the color of the gas the tubes are charged with, you'd probably need around 5000-7500 volts to run the sign.

Typical neon transformers (for signage) use standard 110-155v input and can be purchase to give anywhere from 2000v out[ut up to 15000v output. On the 2000v range of the scale, the transformer will have very close to or slightly less than a 1amp draw. Even when you move up to a 15000v output, the transformer still only draws between 4-5.5amps. All of this also depends on what mA the transformer is and whether is electronic, core and coil, GFI or not GFI etc.

I'm guessing that with a 12v input and probably around a 2000-5000V output for vehicle neon, your still only going to pull between .75-1amp for a draw on your system. LEDs are a better alternative for a couple reasons, they also have a low power draw, they're more compact (yet provide comperable amounts of lighting, and they're more durable than neon tubes will be.

[SweetLou]

I want to put some purple ones in this winter, I think it would look sweet.

[md86]

I used to think neons were the ultimate squidly accessory before I bought this bike . Then after turning them on a few times at night ... Well , they ARE pretty sweet if done tastefully (i.e. not having like 12 tubes duct-taped to the outside of your fairings) . That's why I'd like to replace my burned-out tube this winter (which lasted for a year and a half after I bought the bike) .

[SEQX34]

I agree...even though Neon is used at times on vehicles, it was never intended to be a mobile form of lighting and will eventually break from road vibrations and bouncing.

I got one on my bike and its been holding up pretty good. FWIW, if your going to install neon on your bike, make sure you get the ones that are designed for speaker box installation (the same ones they use on ported "boom box"). those neons that you can buy at autozone, murrays, ect. are just good for car interiors.(read quote above) the ones made for "boom boxes" are the ones that I have on mine that I got from a buddy who sold his 4Runner with a custom sound system. it was mounted inside a plexi-glass enclosed box with 4 12" Rockford Fosgates facing each other. with 4 300watt amps(if i remember correctly) 1 for each speaker, imagine the vibrations going on there! if it can handle that, it will handle your bike! just my $.02

[Waltari]

I'd still recommend going with LEDs...and I guess you could say I know a little about neon, this is what I used to do for work.

[thurockk]

Thanks, I ordered a led kit yesterday. I appreciate all of the input.

[SUPA-FLY-KAT]

LEDS

I DID THE MESH MOD ON MY BLACK KAT, AND PUT HYPERBRIGHT BLUE LEDS INSIDE THE MESH AMD PUT 5 ON EACH SIDE OF THE UNDERTAIL, AND HAVE 5 ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSCREED. LOOOOKS HOTTT AT NIGHT!!!!!!!! YOU CAN ALSO BUY A STRIP OF HEAT GUARD AND PUT A SERIES OF RED YELLOW AND ORANGE LEDS ON THEM AND ATTACH IT TO THE END CAP OF YOUR EXHAUST. I DID IT ON MY FRIENDS BUSA, AND WHEN HE TURNS THE LIGHTS ON IT LOOKS LIKE FIREs COMING OUT OG HIS YOSH.

[SweetLou]

Hey supa fly, where did you get your led's from?

[SUPA-FLY-KAT]

THEYRE ALL OVER EBAY...THEYLL KILL YOU ON THE SHIPPING, BUT IF YOU ORDER 100> , N SPLIT EM WITH FRIENDES, THEYLL COME OUT TO ABOUT 50 CENTS EACH

[Dagger969]

I think i got 100 for 16 bucks off of ebay. You can also get them real cheap from www.besthongkong.com. The shipping takes a little bit, but I can vouch for the product. It was 100 leds and resistors to run them on a 12 volt source for just over 16$ i think.