[Rick Sperko]

I have been thinking about running lights for the bullet. I currently have the bullet blinkers in place. Here are my thoughts:

Switch the two small running lights to leds, switch the blinkers to leds. Obtain two nand gates. Take the power from the small running lights and the power from the blinkers and make them inputs to the nand gate and output to the bulb.

For anyone who does not know a nand gate is a logic gate. It has two inputs and one output. If both inputs have power, then the output does not.

In  In  Out
on off on
off on on
on on off

So power to blinker and light goes out, power for blinker goes out and light tuns back on... and so forth.

Has anyone done something like this? Is there a simpler way? Does anyone have suggestions for the switches?

Thank you,
-Rick

[geoffbaker]

I guess my question would be why would you want the running lights off when the blinkers are on?

First problem with the idea would be that a car watching you come towards them would see not just your blinkers, but your two pilot lights flashing off and on. So if you had your left blinker on, both your pilots would go off, and then come back on.
This would confuse the driver and make it less, not more, clear, that you were indicating a turn. From a particular, acute angle a driver might even think that the right pilot light turning on and off meant that you were indicating a right turn instead of a left turn. Very confusing.

Secondly, it's possibly illegal. Running lights are designed to be on continuously; I don't know if this is written into law like the "always on" headlamp law, but it may be.

[Rick Sperko]

I guess I was not clear. There would be one nand gate per side. So, the lights are on all the time. When the blinker is turned on, that side would start to blink. It would actually be blinking on the opposite times of when it does normally, but who cares, it is a light on one side of the bike being light then dark.

On my car, when I turn on my blinker the park lights to not stay on, if it did the blinker would be light, then more light, not light then dark.

My understanding is that drivers are better able to discern the distance of a motorcycle when there are at least two lights for them to see set a small distance apart. The two little running lights on the top cannot be seen over the headlight. Two yellow lights below could help with it.

Anyway, if I can find the switches, I may give it a try.

[Rick Sperko]

I want a "normally closed" relay. Since no one else seems interested in this, I will let it drop now.

[The Garbone]

I know were you are coming from,  the other day I was looking at a set of chrome driving lights that looked a lot like the bullet turn signals.  It would add a lot of visibility but I was at a loss as where to mount them on the bike without boogering it up.

I do like the driving light idea, would be easy to do with  2 simple relays  and some jumpers behind the headlight. 

[Rick Sperko]

Ok, some interest. I just ordered some of these:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/RLY-351/12V-SPDT-30-AMP-AUTOMOTIVE-RELAY/-/1.html

[mrunderhill1975a]

It sounds like an interesting project.  I once saw a schematic for this circuit, it had two transitiors, the emitter on one transistor was connected to the collector of the other.  A resisitor was connected to each gate of the transitor, and those resistors were connected to the pub light circuit and the other to the trafficator circuit.  The other transitor collector was attached to ground, the other transitor was connected to an other resistor and the output (in parallel).  I believe the output was attached to the pub light and the resistor to the trafficator.  I don't know what ohm the resistors would be.  You would have to experiment and hope not to let the smoke out of the wires.

[mrunderhill1975a]

I just looked at your link, I don't think I could buy two transitors for less than the $2.50 of your relay.  That relay should work well provided it doesn't draw to much current through the solinoid.

[Talcecom]

Rick, from what I remember from many years ago, nand's run on 5 volts, and I'm not sure they would take the current needed to run the lights. I did this on my Triumph with relays and if I can find the drawing, I'll try and post it. I also added a switch and now have emergency flashers on it (for use in bad weather). Bob.

[geoffbaker]

My understanding is that drivers are better able to discern the distance of a motorcycle when there are at least two lights for them to see set a small distance apart.

I see what you are saying.

I just added some LED flasher strips to my front mirrors. They are about an inch long. Two on each side in an arrow shape makes it clear they are directional and in which direction they point. I think this makes my bike much more visible. Wired them into my front flashers. I already installed an electronic flasher unit as all my flashers, front and back, are LED.

You can of course by some very expensive mirrors with built in LED flashers... Kuryakin has some I believe. But this cost me about $20 for the flashers if I remember rightly.

Lastly, if you're intent on setting up the pilot bulbs to flash, couldn't you just change the housing so that you've got a dual circuit bulb instead? That way a higher intensity circuilt could flash, and drop to the lower for running lights... no nand gates needed just standard 1157 or 3157 housings, one wire to your flasher circuit, one wire to running lights circuit, final wire to ground...

[Rick Sperko]

Lastly, if you're intent on setting up the pilot bulbs to flash, couldn't you just change the housing so that you've got a dual circuit bulb instead? That way a higher intensity circuilt could flash, and drop to the lower for running lights... no nand gates needed just standard 1157 or 3157 housings, one wire to your flasher circuit, one wire to running lights circuit, final wire to ground...

I do not want my pilot lights to flash, I want my blinkers to be on all the time except when blinking. Then on and off. The pilot lights wires would be the source for the blinker's constant juice and the blinker juice would open the "normally closed" relay to make the bulb go dark.

The relays I found are 12v car relays, so they should be fine on the bike.

Thanks for the feedback, seriously.

-Rick

[c1skout]

why not just wire the blinkers with a twin filament bulb?  The socket to do so should be readily available at your local auto parts house (not one of the national chains)

[Rick Sperko]

Probably I am worrying about nothing, but then when the blinkers were on the lights would be light and lighter. I would prefer light and dark to draw attention.

[geoffbaker]

I do not want my pilot lights to flash, I want my blinkers to be on all the time except when blinking. Then on and off. The pilot lights wires would be the source for the blinker's constant juice and the blinker juice would open the "normally closed" relay to make the bulb go dark.

-Rick

Guess I didn't explain myself well; I didn't mean "flash". A dual filament bulb as I suggested, would be on all the time and get brighter when you turn your indicator on.

[Rick Sperko]

If I understand you the process would be:
1. Driving
  * normal - light
2. turn blinker on
  * brighter
  * normal
  * brighter
  * normal
  * brighter
3. Turn blinker off
  * normal

I would like
1. Driving
  * normal - light
2. turn blinker on
  * dark
  * normal
  * dark
  * normal
3. Turn blinker off
  * normal

I believe the visual difference between light and dark is greater than light and brighter. It is just my opinion.

I have all the parts on order and looking at the wiring diagram I think it is a simpler process than changing the bulb holder and running additional wires.

As I see it I need to cut three wires crimp on a few connectors and give it a whirl. To put it all back, I simply remove the $2.50 relays.