[ralban]

This may have been covered before, but I couldn't find it searching the forum...

My tail light goes out frequently (standard 1157). Usually a simple twist of the bulb fixes the problem, however it gets annoying removing the lens all the time (not to mention the bulb may lose the contacts if I hit a bump). Anyone have a good fix for this?

Also,
When going through my bulb twisting routine tonight I noticed that my front brake did not activate the bulb. The rear brake works fine. I recently had 12K service. Is there a contact or cable that the mechanic may have disconnected when working on the front brake?

 

[test-reg]

you could try playing with the contacts in the socket. carefully bend the contacts to add some more spring pressure. be sure to remove the fuse so you do not short anything. if this does not work, replace the socket.

you probably need a brake light switch. it is located at the lever. look for a little black box with 2 wires held on with two little screws. when removing, be careful. there is an itty bitty plunger that can fall out of the switch.

 

[Bloodshot]

Did you chop your tail? On my '03 M800 Dark the taillight attaches to a metal bracket after you chop the tail. I went through 3 bulbs in under a month before I thought about vibration. On each one the filament had broken, not burned out. I replaced it with a cheap LED blub (better one to come soon hopefully). No problems so far...

-Jordan

 

[ralban]

Howie:
What part of the switch do you think would need to be replaced? Is this assembly something you can only get through Ducati?

Jordan:
I did chop my tail, but on a '99 the tail light location is the same as pre-chop. My filaments are not breaking, but the extra vibration may be shaking the bulb out.

I've been putting off an led light for a while. Have you looked at this one from Ledtronics? https://www.netdisty.net/ds/aut1157m/default.asp

 

[test-reg]

Ryan, you have 2 options that i can think of, really 3.

1. buy the Ducati switch (expensive, but easy)

2. Radio Shack makes a similar switch (cheap, but you have
to modify)

3. replace with hydraulic switch (a lot of work, i hear
it does not come on light application)

before you buy the switch, bypass the switch (jump the wires) if the light comes on, the problem is the switch.

 

[test-reg]

at moto wheels from another post on this sight:

MotoWheels hydraulic brake light switch

please see Speedog's post for the properly posted hyperlink.

the post is from Retro

 

[don_zielke]

Ryan -

Mine blows bulbs all the time too. My solution was to replace it with an 1157 LED bulb. Most auto parts stores will carry a direct-replacement LED 1157 bulb. It's not as bright as I'd like, but it does the job. The LED's are red, so it might be that the red LED's in the red lense are muted. Gonna try the clear tail lense and see if that helps.

 

[Bloodshot]

Here are a few good sites for LEDs. The LED replacement bulbs from LEDtronics are in general much better than what you'd find at your local store. I also have a set of LED turn signals from Watsen Design. Everything is hand made when you order and very high quality...

http://www.ledtronics.com/

http://www.customdynamics.com/motorcycle_lights.htm

http://www.watsendesign.com/Products/products.htm

 

[Retro]

at moto wheels from another post on this sight:

the post is from Retro

Always glad to help, but I don't think I can take credit for that one? Of course it has been suggested that I am getting old

Hey is this post size elongated for everyone else too>>>>>>>?

 

[test-reg]

Retro, the links were yours from some previous post on another thread.

 

[Speeddog]

..............................................
Hey is this post size elongated for everyone else too>>>>>>>?

It's from that monstrously long URL that howie posted.

You can eliminate that by using the YABBC tag: bottom row second from left. Click on it and it inserts this :



Insert an equals sign ( = ) followed by the link/url info after url in the first brackets, and insert whatever groovy name you want in between the brackets (I've inserted some spaces so it doesn't execute the command):

[u r l =http://www.ledtronics.com/] this site is 'da bomb [ / u r l ]

Leave the spaces out, and you get this:

this site is 'da bomb

The DIY version of tinyurl.com

So if Howie goes back and edits his post and does that, the post width will shrink to normal.

 

[Retro]

Cool Speeddog thanks for the info......

 

[Finger]

Does anyone know if the brake light assembly is the same across the entire line of Monsters?

Thanks

 

[Speeddog]

I suspect that they're the same...

I checked the part #'s for an '00 M600, '02 S4 and an '03 M1000, and they all showed the same.

That covers both early and late model frames.

 

[test-reg]

i'll try. i'm terrible with computers

 

[test-reg]

i tried several times, and just got weird stuff

 

[Speeddog]

Hey, if you were terrible with computers you'd be watching TV instead......

Hit the quote button on my post here, and you'll see the whole string of stuff below that turns into the cool yellow hyperlink.

MotoWheels hydraulic brake light switch

Highlight the above text, and copy (control-c) it.

Go back and modify your post, and paste (control-v) it in place of the long URL.

 

[test-reg]

Speeddog, told ya! :-[ i followed your instuctions (in reality, obviusly not), and it didn't turn into a link. hopefuly, you won't mind if i go back to my old link and refer folks to your properly done hot link.

howie

 

[Speeddog]

No, howie, I don't mind.

You can print out this thread, and check what you did vs. what I did. It's real particular about the format.