New Electrics On An Old Bike.

The resistors are only necessary on indicators if the relay/computer can’t cope with the reduced load. It can confuse the canbus into thinking the bulb is broken, or if an indicator, might not be balanced with the relay and result in the bulb flashing too fast.

I got some after market led indicators and side lights. Unfortunately they are incompatible with the bikes system as the waterfall movement doesn’t have time to complete. There was no option to extend the duration of a flash by half a second or so.

Now in the process of building an arduino controller to manage them (and all the other lights).



Had fun designing the circuit board...

PS: don’t laugh at the shite soldering!!!

 

I think, on a 1978 machine, you should be ok with everything other then the turn signals. The indicator's relay work by an electric magnet closing and opening a switch, the coil on the magnet is driven by diodes ? that require a certain amount of power draw to operate - that draw is caused by the two indicator bulbs (2 on the left, 2 on the right). LEDs don't draw a lot of power so the resistors increase the draw and therefore make the relay magnet work.
The other electrical items (headlight, brake light, tail light) are either on or off, controlled by a switch. There's no computer con-bus wizardry on a 78 machine just normal wiring and switches. So all other electrical items should be fine.
Easy to find out anyhow, just wire the new tail light up as normal and see if it works.

You can see how clever Cyborgbot is just by not understanding what he's doing (I've no clue at all, especially with the keyboard there) I can just about solder two wires together let alone a circuit board - jeez.

 

A bit of a PITA when you have to faff about like this to add things to your vehicle's electrical system but I guess all this electronicery is here to stay and another reason I'm hanging on to my '98 TD SUV. The only electronics in it are the radios. As far as the Suzuki GS goes, no such problem. Ahhhh....those were the days, no ECU's, engine management or emissions crap, just good old ignition coils, CV carbs and a free flow exhaust. Yes please.

 

there is a really simple way to fix overflashing led. Just swap the blinker relay for an electronic one. it's inexpensive and plug and play.
The difficult part is to find the correct one. Worst case, take any an rewire the pins.
As example CF13 JL02, CF13 GL02 (the one for triumph), etc

 

I have LEDs on my Trident T160 ...no indicators and if you look you will find a lot of the indicator LEDs have the resistors built in these days so straight fit without new relay.