Licesn ePlate Light

[djg42]

Hello,
IS there a way to use the rear turn signals hook up for a license plate mount? How would I get the light to stay on instead of linking?(i have no turn signals on my bike now)

[Steve]

Sure, there is probably a way, but what's wrong with the current plate mount?

The turn signal mount is just a bolt in the side of the frame. You can certainly fabricate something there to hold a license plate, but keep the requirements of your state in mind when you do this.

When you add the light to the plate, it's real easy to keep it from blinking, just connect it to the tail light wire, not the turn signal wire.

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[djg42]

Thanks!
I have a tail light already, i want to mount my license plate on the side and i need a light for night time riding. Ive taken off the turn signals since this picture,

[Steve]

Not cheap, but click HERE to see a lighted frame from Custom Dynamics.

Click HERE to see a much more affordable one by Radiantz, sold through Amazon.com.

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[jhicok]

i was cruisin around on ebay the other day and ran across a single LED bulb on the the end of a wire.. low draw of course and would fit through a screw hole on the plate and zip tie it in.. tie the wire into the wire for the tail light (not the brake light!!!) and ur good to go.. prob take u 20 minutes

[jhicok]

12$ free ship.. i'm gettin some thought id share

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/License-Plate-Bolt-Mini-LED-45-White-LED-Silver-Base-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27add75219QQitemZ170420294169QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[Steve]

i was cruisin around on ebay the other day and ran across a single LED bulb on the the end of a wire.. low draw of course and would fit through a screw hole on the plate and zip tie it in.. tie the wire into the wire for the tail light (not the brake light!!!) and ur good to go.. prob take u 20 minutes

Why would you zip-tie it when it has a nut on the back side to hold it in place?

It's a nice looking light, but appears to direct the light straight out the end, despite the 45-degree angle on the end.
That would put a white light pointing more or less straight back, into motorists' eyes, rather than on the license plate.
Could be just one more reason to draw some unwarranted attention from those guys that have all the lights on top of their cars.

[Skateguy50]

get one of them hat clip leds for $4 and manually turn it on when riding at night

Oh just clicked on the ebay link, they look like they internally reflect to hit the plate and just bolt in on the license plate so seems like the best solution for a naked look.

[850GT_Rider]

Scroll down this page:

http://www.customdynamics.com/illuminatorz_licence_plates.htm#LED_Tag_Bolts

Several different styles to choose from.

Of course, you'd have to actually mount the license plate, instead of the baling wire

[Steve]

Oh just clicked on the ebay link, they look like they internally reflect to hit the plate and just bolt in on the license plate so seems like the best solution for a naked look.

I will respectfully disagree with you on that.

If you look at the light pattern, it appears to come out the beveled part, apparently only because the shield is lower on that side.

If it reflected internally, it would come out the other side, away from the reflector.

Unfortunately, there is no picture of how much it shines straight out. I feel the pictures used are a bit misleading.

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[djg42]

Thanks!!
Those all would be great,but is there something special I have to do in order to use LED lights?

[Steve]

No. The only time you need to do anything "special" when using LEDs is when you remove your incandescent turn signals and replace them with LEDs. In that case, you need to either add a resistor to fool the flasher into thinking there is still a load or get an electronic flasher that will handle the LEDs.

Of course, this is assuming that the LEDs in question are rated for 12-volt useage. These license plate LEDs are configured that way, so there is no problem. Just connect one wire to your tail light wire, the other to ground. There should be some hints in the packaging which wire is which. You can't simply go to Radio Shack or some other electronic supply store and get LEDs to throw on the bike. Most of them are rated for use between 2 and 3 volts, so you either need to string several of them in series or use resistors to drop the voltage to each one.

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[Billy Ricks]

With the location of your plate it might be easiest to draw power off the hot side of the brake light switch.