Installing a set of LED lights is a great way to add extra visibility and style to your motorcycle. It’s also a relatively inexpensive project that can be completed by anyone with basic DIY skills.
First, you’ll need to figure out where you want to mount the lights on your bike. This can be a difficult task, and it’s best to use masking tape to temporarily hold the strips in place until you have a better idea of where they will go.
Once you’ve figured out where to mount your LEDs, it’s time to wire them. This can be a fairly simple process and is typically done using a kit that comes with detailed instructions.
You can also choose to do it yourself and purchase all of the parts that you need for the project, but if you’re unsure about your ability to handle this type of task, a kit may be a better option.
Wiring up the lights is a pretty straightforward process, and it should only take you about an hour to complete the job. If you’re a beginner, it may be best to start with a basic lighting set-up that includes just a headlight and taillight, but if you want to add more features, like additional auxiliary lights, you will need to purchase an appropriate wiring kit for your specific bike model.
Before you begin wiring the lights, it is important to make sure that your wiring is in good condition and will not damage any of the electrical components on your motorcycle. This will save you money and headaches down the road when it comes to having to repair or replace faulty wiring.
To wire the LED light strips, you will need to determine where the negative and positive leads should go. You can use the diagram provided with your specific kit, or you can create a custom wiring diagram of your own to make sure that everything goes where it needs to be.
Next, you will need to crimp on or solder the supplied spade and terminal connectors to the ends of the positive and negative wire leads that you just ran. This will allow you to connect them to the LED light strips and test them to ensure that they are working correctly.
If you’re unsure about the polarity of your wires, you can try running them back and forth between each other to get an idea of how they are connected. If they are not connected properly, you will need to rewire the wires so that they are connected to the correct points.
The last step is to ground the wires by placing them on a metal part of your bike that can act as a ground. This usually involves using a screw that will be attached to a metal piece of your bike and then placing the wire ring terminal on that contact. It is important to sand this spot with heavy-grit sandpaper so that it is touching raw metal instead of painted surfaces.