Under-Scoot Lights [no more ambiguous topic name]

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:21 am

Just so happens I got the lights I ordered, so, since I didn't have anything BETTER to do on
Valentine's Day, me & the Bud spent a little quality time. I got 'em a present (well really it's
for me, don't tell). The weather was a mess, so I brought him inside and hooked them up
when I got home from work...

a couple hours, a handful of zip ties, and a few grey hairs later, here's the result:

The lights look kind of red in the photos, but I can assure you they are very orange. Except
the one on the rear mudflap, it's a red brake light.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:14 am

so nobody likes my pimpin' lights huh?

oh well, I do and I guess that's all that counts... Now I can wear my sunglasses at night...

Kurt · Post by **Kurt** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:24 am

You got a shot from a little farther away, that shows the whole scooter? I like what I think I see, but it's the overall effect that does it for me!

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:26 am

Sorry, I was parked in a tight spot... how's this?

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:27 am

Just found the thread. Wasn't ignoring ya!

Looking good! I second a not-so-closeup shot: give us the bigger picture!
How'd you rig the brake light on the mud flap?

Cheshire · Post by **Cheshire** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:29 am

Drat flippin' bleepity time-delay posting....

Wow. Now that...I might turn around and follow for a little while. Spiffy!!

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:53 am

That looks awesome! Not to mention the enhanced safety factor for night riding. Nice job.

I just did the deadlights to running light mod on my St. Tropez and ran into battery charging issues. How are you getting all those lights to light without the battery losing charge?

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:03 am

Skootz Kabootz wrote:How are you getting all those lights to light without the battery losing charge?

two words...

"L"

"E"

"D"

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:32 am

KRUSTYburger wrote:
Skootz Kabootz wrote:How are you getting all those lights to light without the battery losing charge?
two words...

"L"

"E"

"D"

Say no more...

UnionZac · Post by **UnionZac** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:27 pm

those look really cool! what are they running off of, power wise?

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:30 pm

SWEEEEEEEEET, KRUSTYburger! How did you ziptie these suckas in place? Or, more precisely, WHERE? I want to add pink running lights, heh.

eeyoremd · Post by **eeyoremd** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:03 pm

That looks very cool. I would like to put some orange ones on my Buddy.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:33 am

UnionZac wrote:what are they running off of, power wise?

Um, the under-lights as well as my amber running lights are hooked to the wires that go from the battery to the 12V outlet.
The wires are also separately hooked up to a switch that is mounted under the outlet... So they are not automatically
running during the day unless I turn them on.

polianarchy wrote:SWEEEEEEEEET, KRUSTYburger! How did you ziptie these suckas in place? Or, more precisely, WHERE? I want to add pink running lights, heh.

It was a little tricky, but I really just ran them along the frame, the right side of the scoot already has wires running to the back
which are held against the frame with adjustable clips. You can see in one of the top photos the lights in the back fit perfectly
between the frame bar and gas tank. Unfortunately for you they don't have pink, but there is red. I ordered them from
SuperBrightLEDS.com. This isn't the first time I've bought from them, they are a good business... Here's a link to the exact item I bought.
As you can see orange is the cheapest and other colors have different prices, which is weird, but they are still a good deal
in my opinion. I bought 3 strands and a handful of mounting brackets (I didn't use ANY of the brackets).

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:23 pm

krusty, you are amazing!! i am in awe!

gcrepe · Post by **gcrepe** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:43 pm

Very, very nice! And great job on rigging that up. I imagine you look very cool with your evening glow on!

mattgordon · Post by **mattgordon** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:19 am

KRUSTYburger wrote:so nobody likes my pimpin' lights huh?
oh well, I do and I guess that's all that counts... Now I can wear my sunglasses at night...

Very cool. I'm surprised someone out here in California hasn't done that...but now that you've broken the ice...I'm sure someone will!

Well done, and I like it!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 5:52 am

KRUSTYburger: Good job!

mattgordon wrote:
KRUSTYburger wrote:so nobody likes my pimpin' lights huh?
oh well, I do and I guess that's all that counts... Now I can wear my sunglasses at night...
Very cool. I'm surprised someone out here in California hasn't done that...but now that you've broken the ice...I'm sure someone will!

Well done, and I like it!

FWIW, it's illegal in CA. I have seen a couple people with similar kits or technically illegal lighting, and they've said they've never been pulled over.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:01 pm

I have ridden with it on past cops and they haven't done anything... and for an added bonus, while they're
contemplating whether the lights are legal, they pay no attention to the fact that I'm speeding!

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:49 pm

KRUSTYburger wrote:I have ridden with it on past cops and they haven't done anything... and for an added bonus, while they're
contemplating whether the lights are legal, they pay no attention to the fact that I'm speeding!

Probably looks something like this:

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:06 pm

ooo, I bet with a slow shutter speed it would! I better go make some friends real quick so I can get someone to take some action photos!

bigbropgo · Post by **bigbropgo** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:18 am

i noticed when you buy these lights they come in like 10-12 lights per unit.(im lookin at the lights on the tail sections) how many units are on the back? looks sweet !

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:03 am

bigbropgo wrote:i noticed when you buy these lights they come in like 10-12 lights per unit.(im lookin at the lights on the tail sections) how many units are on the back?

I see my link is broken, ah well... they come in strands of 24 LEDs (9.25 inches long) and 96 LEDs (38 inches long).
I bought 3 of the 38" ones, so the back is just one strand and then there is a strand on each side (that's well over 300
LEDs if you count my front running lights, and there is no noticeable electrical draw). The long ones that I bought
say "not for automotive use" but the exact same lights in the shorter sections are, so I just got 'em anyways. They are
encapsulated in clear rubber and waterproof and if you have a little electrical tape and silicon caulk, the wire
connections can be waterproof too.

EDITED TO ADD: The separations you are seeing in the photo are the zip-ties.

hyuuu · Post by **hyuuu** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:01 pm

damn..
that is so awesome, I'm a sucker for an ambient light type of setup.
If you drive fast enough at night, I bet that would look like a low flying UFO.

I.want.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:42 pm

KRUSTYburger wrote:...Except the one on the rear mudflap, it's a red brake light...

How did you turn the mud-flap reflector into a brake light Krusty? I really like that idea. Great safety mod and looks damn nice too...

bigbropgo · Post by **bigbropgo** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:29 am

im gona do this in red. it looks friggin sweet. im glad it comes in longer sets. the less connections the better.

Asburyjer · Post by **Asburyjer** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:13 pm

I found the site that you bought these from, and I'm wondering which one's you got. I'm really interested in these for my scoot.

Thanks
http://www.superbrightleds.com/light_bars-flexible.html

hyuuu · Post by **hyuuu** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:01 pm

that's like, freakin amazing
that's even better than any reflective tape, it's not against the law right? I read somewhere that in certain states you can't add under lights.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:23 pm

Thanks for the compliments! You would have to check to see if it's legal in your area, but as long as they aren't flashing you should be safe.
The item I got was "WFLB96 series 96-LED Waterproof Flexible Light Bar", about midway down the page you linked to. There's 3 of them
on my scooter, orange is the cheapest color (other colors cost extra for some reason).

Latch · Post by **Latch** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:03 am

thats looks awesome!

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Sat Sep 12, 2009 1:09 am

Thanks man! It's funny you brought up this thread cuz I just finished adding a couple more lights tonight.

Here's the rear with my new round red light on the mudflap
(my sticker came off so I had to cover up the discoloration).

Here you can see how the back lights up when I hit the brakes.

Also added some little LEDs on my front fender. I got them for my dad before his
wreck and he gave them back to me after. They are actually lighted license plate
bolts, but they fit right in the slots for the front fender screws!

And it's kinda hard to tell, but I put a string of yellow lights right behind the battery box
so it gets brighter right in the middle of the scoot and fades out to a darker orange.

I really wish you could capture what it looks like in real life, the photos are a little off.

wifiducky · Post by **wifiducky** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:59 am

i was going to do this with my scooter but in green then again idk if i can do it :/ im not very good with wiring

well seeing im on the subject maybe you can help me i was thinking about getting the same as you but adding the Universal Remote Control System but im new to any lighting and such so im lost haha how would i go by adding the lights to my battery??

please and thank you

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:22 am

Every light I've added on my scooter I have wired to a switch (except the added brake light, obviously that's wired to the brake wiring). My switch is wired to the 12v outlet & mounted just behind it. It's easy enough to reach, I don't see why you would need a remote... I should also probably mention that I never use my 12v outlet so if you do use yours you should have your switch directly wired to the battery rather than the outlet because when the lights are switched on the outlet may or may not have enough power to light the lights and whatever else you have plugged in.

I would always recommend putting lights or anything on a switch so you can leave it off during the day and they will last longer. Also if you wired them straight to the battery without a switch, the surge of power when you start the scooter would burn the lights out even faster... Just some things to consider, I'm no expert, just sort of DIY trial & error.

Also, a friend of mine did the green LEDs (same kind I got) under their Vespa S, and it looked awesome! The green is even brighter than the orange. Plus the way the Buddy panels are shaped, it blocks a lot of the light. Good luck with your project!

wifiducky · Post by **wifiducky** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:36 am

KRUSTYburger wrote:Every light I've added on my scooter I have wired to a switch (except the added brake light, obviously that's wired to the brake wiring). My switch is wired to the 12v outlet & mounted just behind it. It's easy enough to reach, I don't see why you would need a remote... I should also probably mention that I never use my 12v outlet so if you do use yours you should have your switch directly wired to the battery rather than the outlet because when the lights are switched on the outlet may or may not have enough power to light the lights and whatever else you have plugged in.

I would always recommend putting lights or anything on a switch so you can leave it off during the day and they will last longer. Also if you wired them straight to the battery without a switch, the surge of power when you start the scooter would burn the lights out even faster... Just some things to consider, I'm no expert, just sort of DIY trial & error.

Also, a friend of mine did the green LEDs (same kind I got) under their Vespa S, and it looked awesome! The green is even brighter than the orange. Plus the way the Buddy panels are shaped, it blocks a lot of the light. Good luck with your project!

thanks ill keep all that in mind

i just dont want to kill myself when i try to install XD all i need is to die before i get to show it off

dorby · Post by **dorby** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:48 am

DSC09149 by dorbyruck, on Flickr

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:36 am

dorby, do you work on these for a living or are all these sweet rucks yours? whatever the case your posting up some pretty darn sweet pics

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:11 am

Yeah, that white & blue is minty~fresh!

dorby · Post by **dorby** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:01 am

thank you for the kind comments! i started modifying ruckus last year and im hooked.. i have been doing a few builds for friends to join in on the ride..going to keep building and see where that leads =)

Tam Tam · Post by **Tam Tam** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:44 am

after seeing the Buddy with the LED underlights....well, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. So, I now have white electropods lighting up the underside of Blackjack Sally....and it looks kewl!!!
Had I not seen your pics, it wouldn't have occurred to me, so thanks for the inspiration!
I even picked up a few led strips to further highlight a few more areas, provided her electrical system can handle it lol

Tam Tam · Post by **Tam Tam** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:28 am

here's the walk...Electrified Sally. Thank you, Krustyburger. I must admit that until I saw your lit up buddy, I never would've made the connection to light up my scooter like that. But when I saw yours, man, I couldn't wait to light mine up.

Blackshirt · Post by **Blackshirt** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 3:02 am

Bit of a necropost, but if I wanted to put these on my Stella cowlings, could I wire them into my turn signals? I'm thinking flashing ones for the turn signals and then solid strips for the deck.

blackratt · Post by **blackratt** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 4:37 am

i like your lights i have some green ones under mine
personally i like to ride at night and i think it makes me more visible
this is an old pic when i 1st put them on (pre paint)

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:33 pm

I asked the techs at SuperBrightLEDs what the difference was between the automotive and non-automotive flexible strips. Here's what I got:

Hello Pete,

The SE-WFLS would be my suggestion for your project. The WFLB96 is not setup to accept voltages over 12V where the wflb is setup to work in automotive use.

Thank You
Ryan Hall
Customer service/Technical support
superbrightleds.com

Apparently the SE-WFLS family can take higher DC voltages (like the 14 or so volts found in your typical auto wiring) compared to the WFLB series. The WFLB may eventually get surged-out. Something to consider.

In addition to strip lighting, I've also been looking at Joe-Florida's kits. He's got a 26-lamp scooter kit, and what sets his stuff apart is having individual LEDs that are a bit brighter, but especially each one has 3' of heat-resistant wire, which can be brought back to a central point pretty easily. The kit comes with lotsa connectors, zip-ties, LED mounts, waterproof switch, fuse holder, the whole enchilada. He's also got some nice EZ-Connect wiring junctions on his Installation Supplies page as well. http://ledaccentlights.net

So if I were inclined to go the Joe Florida way, I'd probably stick a couple lamps in each fender and use the other individual lamps in the other fun spaces - up under the seat/tank, that space between the front panel and the top of the front fender, inside the footwell engine grill, plus the pods underneath the frame. Or something like that

I might need to order more lights if I find more interesting places to hide 'em. Whadda ya think - green LEDs on my Italia?

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:02 pm

I know this is an old thread, but hopefully the two of you are still monitoring, as I know you are both still active on the forum.

PeteH. Did you ever order some Joe Florida LEDs and put them on your scooter? Looking at his website, they do look like they are an outstanding product with really good backing....plenty of great reviews.

KRUSTYburger: Nice pictures. I like how it turned out!

Also, perhaps you PMed Skootz Kabootz, but I'm curious too: How did you turn the mud-flap reflector into a brake light? Do you happen to recall what part you ordered? Was it LED as well (I read that you have it connected to the brake light)?

Also, you commented that you "added some little LEDs on my front fender. I got them for my dad before his wreck and he gave them back to me after. They are actually lighted license plate bolts, but they fit right in the slots for the front fender screws". I don't think I've ever seen those advertised anywhere. Did you wire those separately from your other LEDs so they are on all the time as running lights? Any idea if those are still available?

My new scooter is black so I want to make it as visible as possible.

Sorry for the lateness of the questions, but I'm thinking there are enough newbies on the post recently that they may not have seen this thread and might find it interesting.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:04 pm

Naw, I haven't done anything yet. I'm planning on driving over to SuperBrightLEDs to pick up some 1156 replacements to set up the deadlights as running lights, so hopefully I can get hands and eyes on some of their automotive LED strips to see how well they might fit and get a feel for durability.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 10:23 am

i really like this idea, think its neat

unfort for me i will never get around to doing it .maybe for some reason it seems fun when others do it. when i think of myself riding a scoot with all this light coming from beneath i get less excited

if i am riding it can i even see it? i like seeing it

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 1:53 pm

Nice!

I thought about adding a few green ones for night driving. From time to time I go clubbing on my scooter, and it would be nice to be a little more visible on the trip home when I'm the only sober one.

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:02 am

i realize this is a really old thread but can i just saym for the record,

dang.

i really want to do this to my next scooter.

SuperCyclone.81 · Post by **SuperCyclone.81** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:13 pm

+1 to the really old thread ^ but I also just found it haha. Anyhow, check my little toy out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tMgiuHz-9Y

<a href="http://s1059.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t42 ... 9e5861.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1645-1_zpsa89e5861.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1059.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... d.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t42 ... 8c43fd.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1647-2_zpsdf8c43fd.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1059.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t42 ... 51e10a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1648-1_zps7151e10a.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s1059.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t42 ... c4ff14.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1649-1_zps52c4ff14.jpg"/></a>

These were all taken before paint, Ill have to try to get some more with the new PJ and see if it makes it look any better!

Modern Buddy

Under-Scoot Lights [no more ambiguous topic name]

Under-Scoot Lights [no more ambiguous topic name]

Re: Under-Scoot Lights [no more ambiguous topic name]

thanks!

I talked the talk, so now...

led