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XJ11 Instrument panel bulb replacement

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  • #1

    XJ11 Instrument panel bulb replacement

    The light is out on the tach side of the instrument gauge & I need to replace it (or however many are in the cluster). I'm thinking LEDs would be bright enough and would have good longevity. Any suggestions on what's known to work well & where to get them?

    Thanks!
    82 XJ1100 Maxim "hurricane"- DEKA EXT18L AGM battery , NGK BPR6EIX spark plugs, Green Dyna coils, Sylvania SilverStar Ultra H4 bulb, 139 dB Stebel Nautilus air horn, Home-made K&N air filter based on an original paper filter frame, new piston rings, Barnett Clutch Springs, SS braid/Teflon brake lines, TKAT fork brace, rebuilt calipers, master cylinders, new brakes, reupholstered seat, lotsa little things and so many answered questions here.
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  • #2
    WWW.superbrightleds.com is where I got led bulbs for my gauges. There were 2 in each gauge. Don't remember which bulbs it was that were needed.

    I went with red leds and they are still brighter than the white incandescents that were in there.
    Nathan
    KD9ARL

    μολὼν λαβέ

    1978 XS1100E
    K&N Filter
    #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
    OEM Exhaust
    ATK Fork Brace
    LED Dash lights
    Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
    Green Monster Coils
    SS Brake Lines
    Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

    In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

    Theodore Roosevelt

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    • #3
      Not sure about the color on the XJ instrument lights, but the XS used amber lights, not white. I learned my lesson when I bought white LEDs from superbrightleds.com. They are plenty bright, but they just look funny. I just bought new amber ones to install this weekend. The LED's in the XS are BA9 bulbs. Here's a link to their page.
      1980 XS850SG - Sold
      1981 XS1100LH Midnight Special (Sold) - purchased 9/29/08
      Fully Vetterized and Dynojet Kit added, Heated Grips, Truck-Lite LED headlight, Accel Coils, Irridium plugs, TKAT Fork Brace, XS850LH Final Drive & Black SS Brake lines from Chacal.
      Here's my web page devoted to my bike! XS/XJ User's Manuals there, and the XJ1100 Service Manual and both XS1100 Service manuals (free download!).

      Whether you think you can, or you think you cannot - You're right.
      -H. Ford

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      • #4
        The different color is an important thing I guess. I know the change from tungsten 100W light bulbs to the low watt CFL helical ones was significant to me & between the two there was a huge difference using indoor 35mm film, with that the right color temperature is important.

        My thinking is that back when the XS11/XJ11 was made there was only the filament bulbs to use and you could change bulb tint or brightness but brighter meant short longevity. Now there's LED that are bright enough to use, are very reliable and come in a variety of colors and might well be better than the original. I just don't know if one is better than another. Too bright would be distracting, too weak would be less pleasant to use.

        I'm looking for more attractive lighting with no loss of visibility. It seems like at this time the best chance for improvement is with LEDs.

        Thanks for the thoughts & suggestions.
        82 XJ1100 Maxim "hurricane"- DEKA EXT18L AGM battery , NGK BPR6EIX spark plugs, Green Dyna coils, Sylvania SilverStar Ultra H4 bulb, 139 dB Stebel Nautilus air horn, Home-made K&N air filter based on an original paper filter frame, new piston rings, Barnett Clutch Springs, SS braid/Teflon brake lines, TKAT fork brace, rebuilt calipers, master cylinders, new brakes, reupholstered seat, lotsa little things and so many answered questions here.

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by KA1J View Post
          The different color is an important thing I guess. I know the change from tungsten 100W light bulbs to the low watt CFL helical ones was significant to me & between the two there was a huge difference using indoor 35mm film, with that the right color temperature is important.

          My thinking is that back when the XS11/XJ11 was made there was only the filament bulbs to use and you could change bulb tint or brightness but brighter meant short longevity. Now there's LED that are bright enough to use, are very reliable and come in a variety of colors and might well be better than the original. I just don't know if one is better than another. Too bright would be distracting, too weak would be less pleasant to use.

          I'm looking for more attractive lighting with no loss of visibility. It seems like at this time the best chance for improvement is with LEDs.

          Thanks for the thoughts & suggestions.
          That is one of the reasons I went with red. The bulbs are plenty bright to see but red does not hurt your night vision.
          Nathan
          KD9ARL

          μολὼν λαβέ

          1978 XS1100E
          K&N Filter
          #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
          OEM Exhaust
          ATK Fork Brace
          LED Dash lights
          Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
          Green Monster Coils
          SS Brake Lines
          Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

          In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

          Theodore Roosevelt

          Comment

          • #6
            Gary,
            I too changed out all of my instrument bulbs with LED's from www.superbrightleds.com. Very easy to swap out and I experimented with several different colors before sticking with white/amber. The Red is really cool as is the blue. It's a simple swap, just pull the old bulbs and put in the new LED's and you're set.
            Jamie

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            • #7
              I settled on the green LEDs for backlighting, but blue sounds interesting...
              '78 E "Stormbringer"

              Purrs like a kitten, roars like a lion, runs like a gazelle (being chased by a cheetah).

              pics http://s1209.photobucket.com/albums/...tormbringer45/

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