REAR LIGHT ENHANCERS

Buyer's Guide of Rear Light Enhancing Devices

By Wayne Dowers

Editor's Note: Wayne collected a series of comments from list members who had experiences with the different brands of rear light enhancers.

From: WAYNE DOWERS <WDOWERS@prodigy.net>
Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000 11:46:08 -0400

List is as follows, number in parenthesis is the number of respondents using the product (total number of responses was 11):

• Hyperlites - www.hyperlites.com $49.95-69.95
  LED brake light fixture with modulation function. (2)
   
• Signal Dynamics - Back off - www.signaldynamics.com no price available
  Brake light modulator spliced into existing wiring harness. (1)
   
• Lite Buddies - www.scooterville.com $45.95 - 65.95
  Puts LED fixtures in your turn signal housings - they show as red through the lens. (2)
   
• Tailblazer - www.kisantech.com $59.95-79.95
  Brake light modulator. One model replaces the brake lamp itself, others are splice in. (3)
   
• Run-n-Lites - www.run-n-lites.com $27.95-57.95
  Makes turn signals into running lights - check local laws about amber lights. Red dye for your lenses is available. (3)
   
• Lifebrites - www.lifebrites.com $45-49.50
  LED brake and running lights. (2)
   
• Tailgunner, Rumplite, Hotshot & other models - www.kriss.com $110+ depending upon model.
  A wide variety of brake and tail and turn signal enhancements. All are spliced into wiring harness. Very good website with demos of each. (1)
   
• SOS Priority Lites - no website found, Sound Off Recreational, Hudsonville, MI (616) 669-0232 $39.95-69.95
  Can be found in Dennis Kirk, Chaparral catalogs. Makes turn signals into brake and running lights. Higher priced model has a modulating function. Amber lenses brake and running may be illegal in your area. (0)

Most people used a combination of products. The most common was Lite Buddies or Run-N-Lites used in conjunction with a brake light modulator like the Kisan product.

With the LED products aiming of the LED fixture is important because the light is a focused beam. If the fixture is not aimed just right then its effectiveness is significantly reduced.

Product-by-product

The Kisan products were highly praised and one of the more popular.

The Kriss products were considered expensive but worth it by one respondent, but another said he had heard of customer service problems with Kriss. Kriss is the most expensive products on the list but also the one with the most variety.

Run-n-Lites were popular with no negative comments. Run-n-Lites is a BMW specific product with kits just for BMWs.

Litebuddies were popular, as with Run-n-Lites, the Litebuddies have BMW specific kits.

Back Off - used by one person, no negative comments, I've seen this product available at larger non BMW motorcycle dealers.

Hyperlites were preferred by 2 people, no negative comments given. These seem to be readily available at larger motorcycle dealers (non BMW, too). BMW specific kits are available.

SOS - no one responding was using this.

My personal preference:

On paper I like the Litebuddies because the fit into stock signal housing, they show red so there is no legal problem anywhere. I plan on using these in conjunction with the Tailblazer bulb replacement from Kisan, which installs without any wiring modification into the existing brake light socket. With this the bike remains stock looking.

Wayne Dowers
98 R1100RS

Maintainer: BungeeBob Durrstein
Last Update: Monday, December 04, 2000