LED, Red or White?

[Guest]

Hi everyone! I am confused. I have read on websites that if you want to replace your bulbs with LEDs, you use a red bulb behind a red lens. I want to replace the 1157's in the back of my new trailer but don't know if I should use white or red (red lenses).
Also, while I am on the subject, is there a replacement bulb for the small round bulbs (bayonette) in the light bar? I think they are a size 57. (same question, white or red and amber?).

[Guest]

LED Tech is "the man" for LED replacement info, but I'll take a stab at your answer...

You should put a red LED behind a RED lens and an amber LED behind an amber lens. This is basically because the lens acts as a filter and it filters out light-waves that are NOT of the color of the lens. So, if for example you are using a white light source, you're filtering out every other color in the spectrum except the red which is the color of the lens. Basically if you use a red bulb behind a red lens, all the light energy is being passed through the lens.

Also, I have found (on other bikes) that LEDs are typically so much brighter than incandescent bulbs that the color of the LED can in some cases shine right through the colored lens. On my VStar, I had a dynamic cluster behind an amber lens. The red running lights and brake lights shined straight through the amber lens and appeared red, not amber. I've never tried an amber behind a red lens, I'd think given the darker color lens it wouldn't be quite as dramatic as the red behind amber.

Cheers

[Guest]

Thanks a bunch! Red it is. I need to get four 1157's and ten of the small running light bulbs, eight red and two amber. So using your answer, are there red and amber incandecent bulbs? Come to think of it, I have seen the amber but not red.

[Guest]

I've seen both red and amber, but usually they're just white.

[Guest]

I just noticed the picture of your trailer. That color scheme would match my limited perfect

[Guest]

Yes Doc it would. It was custom painted for the p.o. before the people I got it from. I saw the ad, called and went to see it during lunch one day. I pulled up and saw it behind their Harley and thought it was a nice trailer. I didn't think it was the one for sale because they listed it at $600. Turns out it was and I offered $500 and they took it! Apparently it has been in their garage for some time. I'll make you a deal. If you can find a Beige one in as good a shape, we can trade! At least it is the same general color...I mean browns and not Red or something. I can't believe what a new one costs. This one is just about new. It polished up great, the clearcoat is beautiful.

[Guest]

Yes, it looks very very nice. I will probably start looking for something to tow behind my 1200 later this fall. My daughter is going off to college next month and I think we'll spend more time camping on the bike

Right now the priority is to find something for my wife to learn on. I just found a CB350 on craigslist here in my town. Funny, I learned on a '70 CB175.

[redwing1984]

Hi all: just wanted to add my 5 cents. I replaced my lights with led's, behind a red lens I installed a red led and behind the amber lenses I installed the amber led's.
These are not as bright as would have liked them to be, so that being said I replaced all my 1156's and 1157's with white led's, the difference was amazing, the lenses did what they were supposed to do but with the white LED's, all my lighting is much more visible now.