LED replacements for dash & meter bulbs

[Dubdenny]

I'm going to replace the 41 year old 11 mini bayonnete (BA9s) dash and meter light bulbs while I have the fairing off for other repair work, and I'm considering switching to LED bulbs. I've read that there are issues with beam spread angle and also having to add a diode for the turn signal indicator lights to work. Has anyone done this conversion with the dash lights? TIA

[bruce swaybill]

Maybe ten years ago now, I replaced all my incandescent bulbs with Super Bright Led brand units. They have all you will need.
No diodes needed. Just a solid state flasher unit which they also have.

Also replaced the head light assembly with a 7in led unit.

Also replace all the fuses with new of the same type after cleaning the contacts.

Good luck!
Bruce S.

[kotkinjs1]

I've replaced both the headlight and front/rear turn signals with LEDs. No other parts necessary for the turn signal swap, they blink just fine/normal. Headlight was also plug and play and the spread is ok but I think not perfect. I've read somewhere else for the dash lights re: LEDs that the more on your bike you convert to LEDs saving battery power to the bulbs, the more wattage the regulator has to dump (since the LEDs draw such a smaller load) to keep things balanced....and that is bad for the regulator. Gets too hot and fails prematurely. I've only read this - never experienced it but I've held off on swapping out the dash lights to LEDs because of it.

[bruce swaybill]

After almost ten years my regulator (Rick’s Motorsports) holds the battery at 14.4V as it should. No sign of a problem or overheating.
I wouldn’t hesitate any longer….

[Dubdenny]

Bruce, is the regulator you got from Rick’s a series or shunt config?

[bruce swaybill]

Ya know, I don’t know. It was the unit listed for the gl1100, WITH the black voltage sensing wire, so not the “hot shot” type.
I wired the sensing wire directly to the battery through a relay activated by the original black wire from the ignition switch. I also rewired the voltmeter in the fairing directly to the relay wire so it reads the battery without the 2.2V drop through the original wiring. Now it always reads 14.4V.

Bruce S.