GL1500 Cornering Lights

[DragonRdr]

Is there a way to set up your cornering lights to stay on when the bike is running?

[DragonRdr]

I found the answer in the DIY section. Just cut the green wire above the relay that connects to the bulb socket. It's in the How to change your cornering light bulbs part 2.

[DenverWinger]

You don't want to do that unless you have LED bulbs in the cornering lights. The incandescent bulbs get hot enough to melt the plastic. Cyclemax sells nice direct-replacement 50watt equivalent LED's.

[DragonRdr]

Thanks DenverWinger, I do have the LED bulbs from Cyclemax.

[blupupher]

The problem with doing this is the cornering lights really do not throw much light forward, even with LED's, since they just were not designed for it. So it does not help you see or be seen much more than you already are.
Better than nothing though.
The way to actually get some decent light output is to get the Show Chrome replacement kit, which gives you new housings that are designed as driving lights , as well as relay bypass caps. They come in a halogen or LED kit.
The LED kit is on clearance @ Dennis Kirk for $103 right now.LIN.

[DenverWinger]

My cornering lights have the 50 watt LED and always on conversion. Blupupher is right, they throw the light to the sides, I rather like that. Lights up the sides of the road nicely. Also help to be seen by oncoming traffic, the LEDs do in fact show up brightly in front of the bike.

[DragonRdr]

Thanks for the helpful advise. I'm really looking for the bike to be more visible, not better road visibility. Since I'm getting older and my night vision isn't what it use to be I rarely ride at night. When I do, it's usually coming home from Bike Night at one of our local meeting places.

Ride safe!

[bellboy40]

Those 50 watt LEDs in the cornering lights do help you be seen by oncoming traffic. It gives a triangular pattern from those lights and the headlights that is eye catching to those meeting you. Also, as DenverWinger mentioned, they help light up the sides of the road in front of you.

[DragonRdr]

Thanks again for the advise everyone. I installed the new LED replacement bulbs today and hooked one up to test it and it didn't work? I connected it, started the bike and turned on the right turn signal. Nothing? I haven't cut the green wire yet, so I'm not sure what's up. Do I have to have both lights connected for them to work? I have the service manual but can't make heads or tails out of the wiring diagram? I did notice one thing in the sockets, there's only one contact point and a hole instead of two contact points? In the link below from the DYI page, there are two contact points for the bulb.

download/file.php?id=4537&t=1

Any help would be appreciated?

Thanks

Larry

[DenverWinger]

Thanks again for the advise everyone. I installed the new LED replacement bulbs today and hooked one up to test it and it didn't work? I connected it, started the bike and turned on the right turn signal. Nothing? I haven't cut the green wire yet, so I'm not sure what's up. Do I have to have both lights connected for them to work? I have the service manual but can't make heads or tails out of the wiring diagram? I did notice one thing in the sockets, there's only one contact point and a hole instead of two contact points? In the link below from the DYI page, there are two contact points for the bulb.

download/file.php?id=4537&t=1

Any help would be appreciated?

Thanks

Larry

Single contact point in the bulb socket is all that's needed. At least in mine that was all there was needed. I tool out the original bulbs, (left side bulb was burned out anyway) and put the LEDs in and both sides worked as intended.

I didn't cut the green wires from the relays, I simply removed the wire and contacts from the relay sockets. That way I could put them back if I wanted them to work as cornering lights again.

Each side is independent, but work from a common power source. So the first question would be if your cornering lights were working at all before you started this project?

Without digging into documents it seems to me the cornering lights have their own fuse in the fuse box......

[Charlie1Horse]

When I converted my cornering lights, I replaced the bulbs with white LED tail light units. I set it up so that the tail light side (the lower intensity light) would remain on at all times and when I turn on the turn signal the brighter (stop) light brightens up and makes it easier to see your turn. But, when I changed the bulbs to LED they would not work. I replaced the original bulbs and they worked. The reason is that the LEDs are polarity sensitive. I depinned the terminals from the plastic connector and reversed them. They worked as I intended after that. The original bulbs can be hooked up either way. They don't know the difference.
Russell

[DragonRdr]

Thanks again for the advise everyone. I installed the new LED replacement bulbs today and hooked one up to test it and it didn't work? I connected it, started the bike and turned on the right turn signal. Nothing? I haven't cut the green wire yet, so I'm not sure what's up. Do I have to have both lights connected for them to work? I have the service manual but can't make heads or tails out of the wiring diagram? I did notice one thing in the sockets, there's only one contact point and a hole instead of two contact points? In the link below from the DYI page, there are two contact points for the bulb.

download/file.php?id=4537&t=1

Any help would be appreciated?

Thanks

Larry

Single contact point in the bulb socket is all that's needed. At least in mine that was all there was needed. I tool out the original bulbs, (left side bulb was burned out anyway) and put the LEDs in and both sides worked as intended.

I didn't cut the green wires from the relays, I simply removed the wire and contacts from the relay sockets. That way I could put them back if I wanted them to work as cornering lights again.

Each side is independent, but work from a common power source. So the first question would be if your cornering lights were working at all before you started this project?

Without digging into documents it seems to me the cornering lights have their own fuse in the fuse box......

I checked both connectors with a voltmeter and they are getting power when the turn signals are on, so it's probably not a fuse issue. It must be in the bulb socket's? The cornering lights were working before both bulbs went bad?

Thanks

Larry

[Charlie1Horse]

Reverse polarity on the wires
Russell