Topbox LED Lights

I currently have a Givi Blade topbox that has a place to lights in it. I have wanted to put in lights but the Givi kit is $90. I previously put some flex LED lights that I got at WalMart on the rear panel of the Swing but really didn't like them there. Once I removed them I got to looking and thought they might work as lights for the Givi.

I removed the light panels from the topbox and eyeballed the spacing on the LEDs. While not the exact spacing they were pretty close. Figured I'd see if I could rig them up and make them work.

The LED flex lights have 12 LEDS on them, the Givi box only needs 6 so I cut off the excess lights. I then lined them up to the light openings in the panels, used some silicone adhesive to glue them in place and put some duct tape over them to make sure they don't come loose. I had previously bought some waterproof 6 wire connectors that I wired in so I could remove the topbox.

Right now they are wired in as brake lights. Not sure if I'll keep them as brake lights or change them to running lights. They work well. look good and the high placement makes them really noticeable.

Below are a few pics. One of the lights glued/taped in place. Another of the plug and one of how the lights look. They are actually brighter than they look in the pic.

Nice job on your topcase brake lights. They look good. It also looks like your Givi case offers you some additional options for running or signal lights. It's always interesting to see the mods and accessories riders add to their Swings. Thanks.

Yes it is nice to see the mods and accessories that riders add to their Silver Wings, but part of me thinks why the need to fit extra lights when the majority of members stop riding in the darker winter months.

Getting dazzled by a face full of extra lights from the front isn't nice, and neither is getting your retinas fried by a heavy duty display of red lights from the rear.

You can argue it's all in the name of safety and visibility, but to others it's just as annoying as the idiots that fit loud pipes because 'load pipes save lives'.

Ahhhh...but half of all motorcycle/scooter accidents are due to cage drivers not seeing us coming and turning in front of us. If we keep our lights positioned correctly, no one gets blinded, but maybe we are bit more visible to the cagers. Safety First! Oh...and I agree with you about the annoyingly loud pipes!

Kenjj50 wrote:

Nice job on your topcase brake lights.  They look good.  It also looks like your Givi case offers you some additional options for running or signal lights.  It's always interesting to see the mods and accessories riders add to their Swings.  Thanks.

Thanks. Unfortunately the lower sections are just reflectors, no place for lights.

Meldrew wrote:

Yes it is nice to see the mods and accessories that riders add to their Silver Wings, but part of me thinks why the need to fit extra lights when the majority of members stop riding in the darker winter months.

Getting dazzled by a face full of extra lights from the front isn't nice, and neither is getting your retinas fried by a heavy duty display of red lights from the rear.

You can argue it's all in the name of safety and visibility, but to others it's just as annoying as the idiots that fit loud pipes because 'load pipes save lives'.

Ah, here is SW Florida winter IS the time to ride, not in the 95 Deg. summer months 50s in the mornings and 75 in the afternoon is perfect riding weather! The lights in the topbox aren't THAT bright. I'd rather annoy those behind me a bit than have them run into me!

"why the need to fit extra lights when the majority of members stop riding in the darker winter months"

That's a pretty broad brush. Winter is the better riding season here in Texas, too. Besides, does nobody ride at night, no matter what the season?

Bash On! wrote:

"why the need to fit extra lights when the majority of members stop riding in the darker winter months"

That's a pretty broad brush.  Winter is the better riding season here in Texas, too.  Besides, does nobody ride at night, no matter what the season?  

So what's this 'riding season' then?  Isn't it the lighter, warmer six months of the year when the scooter comes out, and the other six months are for talking about scooters on here.  

We've had torrential rain, floods, freezing fog, gales, and bitterly cold weather and not much snow. There's plenty of riders (and cyclists) out there in it including myself. Apart from the usual hi-vis/reflective gear sported by riders I haven't spotted in the gloom a motorcycle or scooter sporting an array of extra lights front and rear to ward off blind "cagers" like some forum members here think is essential. The exceptions being the odd adventure bike with a couple of front riding lights.

As for Texas I'm going there with Mrs M in about a years time. I'm looking forward to it, I've read it's the only state where they understand BBQ and do it the proper way using beef, not pork!  

I ride pretty much year round.  Even when it gets up to 100+ F.  Glad to have short commute then.

Holler when you get down this way (Dallas).  There's a great BBQ place nearby I'll steer you to.  My commute goes by there and the smokin' meat aroma always makes me mighty hungry. [can't find the salivating face emoticon!]

yup, riding is year round here in texas, but sometimes, on those 100+ days, you think 'why didn't I take the car / truck?'
on the flip side, if you get drenched by an unexpected storm during the summer, just keep riding, in an hour after the rain stops, you're dry, even the bluejeans, it's like riding in a big blow dryer

Pretty much year 'round riding in Southern Oregon as well. I don't usually make long trips during the coldest part of winter but ride locally and to nearby towns all year 'round except for particularly nasty days.

Heck I ride year around as well here in Houston. Even when the temps go down into the lower 40's during the days At night I stay OFF the rds. due to the fidiots NOT looking for us on 2 wheels.
Rainy days I will NOT ride. Summer months I rarely ride except maybe on we hrs. of the
mornings with other riders 7 am to 12. Like to ride downtown Houston when there is NO traffic
on the weekend morning hrs.

It's interesting when I read about forum members saying they will absolutely will not ride in rain. That's fine if you're at home and take the car instead. What happens if you're at work or in a store or café and it starts raining and you have to ride home, do you hang about till the rain stops and the roads are dry.

Alternatively if you're out touring and you wake up to a day of continuous rain and you've reserved a hotel room 200 to 300 miles away, do you stay where you are?  Even if you're caught in a heavy downpour and there's nowhere nearby to shelter, it's often more hazardous to stop rather than continue riding.

I'm no fan of wet weather riding but suitably attired it's not too bad and occasionally enjoyable. That is until I have to stop to answer a call of nature and desperately have to undo multiple zips, Velcro tabs, flaps, and press studs while juggling a helmet and pair of gloves.   We old boys are slaves to our bladders!

It's cleaning all  the mud and crap off the Silver Wing from riding on rural roads that I dislike.

If you refused to ride in the rain in South Florida you'd never ride in the summer. It rains almost everyday

hankster wrote:

If you refused to ride in the rain in South Florida you'd never ride in the summer. It rains almost everyday

Yep, like heat here in Texas.  People ask me (as I wear full protective gear, no matter the weather) if it's too hot to ride.  If I wait for cool weather, the riding season is only about 4 months out of the year.

Besides, for my 6 minute commute, the car a/c doesn't have time to work anyway.

I'll take the truck over the bike if I think it's gonna rain much, but a quick shower is NBD
Some of those hotter days I WISH it'd rain
having been a while on bikes with no windscreen, I find that gear that is NOT ventilated works better in really hot weather
Might have a different opinion with a big screen

The longest one day motorcycle trip I've ever made was the approximately 850miles, about 16 hours actual riding time from Stockton, CA to Tacoma, WA. The whole ride was made in light to heavy rain. The first third of the ride was in light to medium rain. The rest of the trip was in what one would call heavy rain, semi's throwing lots of spray, etc. The ride was on my 1993 Goldwing, temps were mostly in the lower 40s with fairly high winds in the Siskiyou Mountains.
I don't avoid trips because of weather unless I'm likely to hit ice or snow. Rain is part of the game. With decent riding gear rain really isn't particularly uncomfortable. Besides if you ride in the Pacific Northwest you will ride in rain. Just the way it is.

i only leave the wing and take the car if its, too windy, too icy or there is snow on the side road i have to use to get to the main road, that or the my wife wants me to pick her up after work from a shopping center near where i work. I find that i enjoy winter as it is often drier than a scottish summer (means rain is warmer) and modern gear is far better than what was available in the early 70's. Do like the screen extension that means i rarely have to clean my visor.