Making the stock license plate light brighter?

[alexk]

I'm a big fan of being seen, and am not too worried about being ID'd nor about looking awesome. Does anyone have any experience making the stock license plate light brighter?

Possibilities I'm trying to explore:

LED light

I haven't located an LED replacement that will fit into the stock housing (19mm diameter, 39mm length max - stock bulb is 9mm/29mm) AND pulls around 5 watts - all the replacements so far are in the 12w draw range and only claim to be as bright as a 12-15w incandescent. Anyone have a success story?​

Halogen light

Still looking for a halogen W5W/2825 bulb. The [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-SilverStar-Performance-Halogen-Miniature/dp/B005KDO922/"]Sylvania Halogens[/ame] I've found are just standard incandescents painted blue. The Amazon listing claims halogen, but the bulb and its packaging don't. ​

Larger light bulb

I don't know yet if there's anything slightly larger wattage-wise than the stock 5 watt w5w/2825. The housing is only rated for 5w, so melting it is a definite danger.​

Paint the inside of the housing silver or white to reflect more light

Heating in a 225F oven doesn't seem to melt the glue. Any success opening this part up? I may just use a q-tip to apply through the hole, but that won't provide a very good coverage.​

I've grafted a pair of front turn indicators on to the back, and they're helping visibility HUGELY. I've already upgraded the brakelight to halogen (with a modulator), so all that's left to balance it out is the license plate light (which is oddly too far back for the provided license plate mounts)

Any suggestions?

 

[RoadKill]

i think that the motodynamics tail light would do a better job of making you more visible than a brighter plate light.

 

[alexk]

Them's fighting words!

Naw, Motodynamic makes some great products, and their integrated tail does look awesome. The ones I've seen aren't as bright or as visible as stock, but they do look slick.

I've always been more interested in being seen when riding than looking cool, but the turning point for me came a couple weeks ago. Was out on a date (met her downtown), and she was following me to the theater after dinner. Despite all the things I've done to be seen, she nearly hit me anyway.

It's an interesting science, conspicuity. Looking slick usually reduces your ability to be seen (drivers have been trained for certain things and simply miss a lot of others). Things that help:

More light sources

A pair of 5w lights is more likely to be seen than a single 10w. I have a 5w halogen tail (as part of the brake light), and now a pair of 5w amber incandescent corner markers (as part of the front indicator retrofit). The license plate light itself isn't directly visible, but it turns the plate into a very-low-intensity light.​

Blinking

I have a brake light modulator, which blinks the brake light rapidly and very visibly when I apply them. Turn indicators are also really useful for countersignaling - I'll make sure the people behind me can see where I'm going, then signal on the side the traffic I'm entering can see. Use em!​

Larger area sources

Filling a reflector is usually more visible than a brighter LED replacement. Retro-reflective surfaces are awesome for this (your license plate may be the most visible piece of you at night). I've got the plate (white), 4x red retroreflectors for bolts, and orange retro-reflective tape covering up all the dealer advertising around it. Add a retro-reflective backpack and more tape on the helmet. Ugly as hell, yes... but easier to notice.​

I'm *definitely* more visible this way than I was stock, and hugely more so than the motodynamic-equipped bikes.

Local license plate light replacements are dimmer. Oh well. For science!

 

[TallGuyNW]

I've added a few strips of retro-reflective tape to increase visibility from the rear at night...

 

[alexk]

I ended up using a q-tip and some white high-temperature paint to cover as much as I could of the black "reflector" surface of the license plate light inner housing.

I don't have a before/after pic (it doesn't seem to show on the iPhone pictures), but the license plate is noticeably brighter now, though still subdued.

This is in addition to the retrofit rear corner markers and acres of reflective tape.

Thanks for the input, all!

 

[avia290]

I see you didn't like the motodynamic tail light, but have you looked at the custom led tail light yet. They are much brighter and the turn signals actually change color and flash yellow unlike the motodynamic tail light. Plus they have more options you can control to make the people behind you definitely know you're there.

Here is the video I watched that convinced me to spend the extra money to get the custom led tail light. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYJkEbUAkBQ]Custom LED Blaster-X VS MotoDynamic - Youtube[/ame]

 

[Bajaedition]

my Motodynamic turns yellow on signal mode and it is plenty bright,
it comes in both clear and smoke, get the clear if you want real bright

 

[dbeyer]

I have the AdMore Lighting break/turn mounted just above my plate in addition to the stock tail. If you really want to be seen, the biggest thing on your bike is you. Get a Yellow reflective jacket. I have both First Gear and Olympic riding jackets in yellow.

 

[alexk]

For my tail light, I have a halogen brake modulator from Kisantech. MUCH more visible than stock, and when coupled with the rear corner markers makes me much easier to see than stock.

I also upped the brightness of the license plate light by painting the inside of the "reflector" white instead of leaving it black plastic. Add the orange reflective tape around the plate and the red reflectors holding the plate on, and I'd better damn well be seen at night. =p

Beyond straight brightness is also noticeability - LEDs are much more directional, and don't light up the larger housing well (usually). In these cases it usually results in decreased noticeability (yes I made that word up. don't misunderstimate me), especially among distracted and/or drunk cagers.

Half my riding is done after 1:30am, so being seen (but not focused on) is incredibly important to me.

I'm quite happy with the results overall. Perhaps I might go custom LED tail just for the brakes in future, but for now I'm content. =)