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needed red bulbs to ride

billyd1

billyd1

Active Member
I just wanted to share this kinda neat little discovery. My brother's nightster has the smoked rear lenses installed which of course act as both marker and brake lights. He needed a new bulb and they have to be red with those lenses. Two local auto parts stores didn't have the red ones just clear and amber so he thought why not use a red sharpie on a clear bulb. Works better than the ones he had on there, brighter and cooler looking red! So far so good!
 
Hobbit said:
this does work as i have done it before now, but it will cause the bulb to over heat and eventually and burn out quicker then before.
Do HD not sell them? would have thought that if there needed for your state that they would sell them?
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We were just down the street of two auto parts stores and did it that way for convenience. The bulbs were only 4 dollars and change each I believe plus the sharpie Which still has alot more life in it:) I guess we'll find out first hand about the life of the bulbs (which were the long life versions). My brother commented about how short his first red bulbs lasted that came with the smoked lenses.
 
needed red bulbs to rid

I am the little brother that bought the clear bulbs and colored them red with the sharpie. So far they are working great. Will make sure to post how long the bulbs actually lasted. I have discovered another site that sells all those wild lights with LED variations. It is Customdynamics.com. All kinds of neat things on that site for you bike.

The reason for the sharpie and clear bulbs was because I was out and about riding and needed a quick fix for the existing problem of not having tail lights that were red. It was one of those "fly by the seat of your pants" ideas that worked at the time and solved the current problem. The cost was actually 4 dollars and some change for the two...not each. I was just happy to have the tail lights legal and not attract attention from the 50 in the local area. That is basically why I did what I did... Just one of those things that if it ever happens and you cannot find red bulbs, the red sharpie works great and makes it better then a stock red bulb. I will be sure to post how long the bulbs lasted with the marker on them. :s
 
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Re: needed red bulbs to rid

UPDATE: I have discovered that after about a days worth of riding, the red sharpie fades from the heat of the bulb thus making the once red looking bulb become more of a light amber color. Remember, this was just a quick fix until I could order and receive new red long life bulbs for my tail lights. I ended up having to recolor the bulbs after about 12or 14 hours of riding time. Bottom line, it works if you have no other options at the time and need red bulbs.
 
Before you go ordering a bulb online, consider that Every H-D Dealership I've been in carries Kuryakyn, and the average shipping price that I found online for a bulb is 8 to 10 bucks, on top of the 6 or 7 for the bulb. I had the Harley shop order my red brake light bulb and it added up to 8 something after tax.
 
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