Okay, so I bought my bike second hand. And the rear taillight bulb that is in it some weird LED pancake thingy with NO markings on it whatsoever. The stem of it broke completely in half. Crap design. Too heavy is the pancake bulb part and yes it will crack in half.
I went online to look at the replacement bulb 92069A that is recommended.
I call several motorcycle shops including Kawasaki dealers.
No one can find this bulb!
Have I entered a morbid Rod Serling The Twilight Zone or what??
(I will put ANY bulb in the rear taillight that will work. Some guidance would be very appreciated!)
I used this company and bought a plug and play LED tail light that is now 2 years old and working great.
http://www.customdynamics.com/
http://www.customdynamics.com/motorcycle_led_bulbs.htm
and one of those.....
Thanks...
In the meantime, I just printed up an image of a 5 watt brake light bulb with two tabs (off set) and two filaments and went to local auto parts store. They cost about $2.00. I put it in and it works.... meanwhile I wasted an hour on the phone with Motorcycle shops in the area who could NOT find the bulb for my Kawasaki Drifter..... and those who thought they finally found it would have to order it.... and I might have it in a week..... or so.
This is just plain stupid.
LOL..pretty sure it is an 1157 taillight bulb that can get at any autoparts store.
The 1157 bulb is the stock bulb, but if the system has been changed over to LED's, complete with a load balancer, then the 1157 won't work.
your both right if it was wired in with a different socket, then perhaps an 1157 will not work. I have the same socket as stock and my LED is plug and play and has the offset knobs like an 1157 bulb......
On the LED bulbs-- I don't think the brake/tail light NEEDS to be wired with a load balancer to work -- just the turn signals would need to be. So if it's the brake light we're talking about a 1157 or LED 1157 would interchange.
A 2357 is also the same base as the 1157 but somewhat brighter.
The 1157 bulb is about the most common light bulb in the auto industry.
Wal mart has all the bulbs you need, except for the 25 watt H-3s....1157/2057 same thing, slightly different wattage...Standard automotive bulb since inception of 12v electrics, until they came out with the wedge bulbs...
Quote from: greenbarn on June 28, 2016, 17:02:54 PM
On the LED bulbs-- I don't think the brake/tail light NEEDS to be wired with a load balancer to work -- just the turn signals would need to be. So if it's the brake light we're talking about a 1157 or LED 1157 would interchange.
A 2357 is also the same base as the 1157 but somewhat brighter.
The 1157 bulb is about the most common light bulb in the auto industry.
Indeed, these BOTH work. I bought the 2357 before I read this post. Too bright. So I went back and bought an 1157. Works great!
Why does Kawasaki list a bulb NO ONE CAN FIND on all their online listings for this light and in all internet searches... And why do the searches performed by various motorcycle and automotive stores NOT show this easy to find bulb??????? This is idiotic.
On the other hand, I love this forum! The information here is valuable and helpful and saves time and money!Thank you, all!!!!
Awesome..glad you got it figured out.
Zoar, when you are in WI you will met some of the coolest people. Even Pilgrim is pretty cool and fun to be with. Looking forward to seeing him and you there........
Pilgrim is coming to Wisconsin? I do hope so...
8) if we hound and shame him into it he will have to go to defend his honour........
Zoar and Pilgrim at the event will add so much life to the party and they would be so cool to hang out with......
I believe that the 1157 defines the fitting (and is also known as the 108 if my memory hasn't failed). The European 1157 is 5/21 Watt, but the US standard bulb seems to be a higher wattage 8/26 Watt although I think brighter bulbs are available in the US.
Next time I go to the States I'm bringing a box back to the UK.
Quote from: Pete on July 09, 2016, 01:04:39 AM
I believe that the 1157 defines the fitting (and is also known as the 108 if my memory hasn't failed). The European 1157 is 5/21 Watt, but the US standard bulb seems to be a higher wattage 8/26 Watt although I think brighter bulbs are available in the US.
Next time I go to the States I'm bringing a box back to the UK.
Actually, I put in an 1157 AMBER colored bulb. With my RETRO rear turn signals and smoked out RED rear brake light lens it looks very very very cool. It looks like what one would think a 1939 Indian light set-up would like from the rear IF they had turn signals back then.
1157, 2357, 198 -- all the same base; all fit the same socket.
2357 is about 20% brighter than 1157 on the brake element. Unfortunately, life is only about 400 hours vs 1000 ( or something like that - can't remember for sure)
198 is a more heavy duty version than the 1157, but I think it's the same lumens as the 1157 (I'm not positive on the 198 info) I think the 198 bulb is the "OEM" bulb for a lot of bikes, and used in trucks and trailers. I think the base construction, filaments, etc are more 'robust'.
ZOAR: How about some pictures of those retro lights you have?? I'd like to see them both off and with the amber lights on, would be nice.
Quote from: greenbarn on July 12, 2016, 10:52:46 AM
1157, 2357, 198 -- all the same base; all fit the same socket.
2357 is about 20% brighter than 1157 on the brake element. Unfortunately, life is only about 400 hours vs 1000 ( or something like that - can't remember for sure)
198 is a more heavy duty version than the 1157, but I think it's the same lumens as the 1157 (I'm not positive on the 198 info) I think the 198 bulb is the "OEM" bulb for a lot of bikes, and used in trucks and trailers. I think the base construction, filaments, etc are more 'robust'.
ZOAR: How about some pictures of those retro lights you have?? I'd like to see them both off and with the amber lights on, would be nice.
I will need to take pictures after its gets dark tonight to get something that you can "see" the way it looks with brake on verses off, daylight pics reveal no difference even though your eyes can see it... so have to wait to at least tomorrow for me to post "cool photos of this enhancement and retro-fying of my 2002 Drifter to look even more 1939-ish.
Looks good!
Quote from: greenbarn on July 12, 2016, 10:52:46 AM
1157, 2357, 198 -- all the same base; all fit the same socket.
2357 is about 20% brighter than 1157 on the brake element. Unfortunately, life is only about 400 hours vs 1000 ( or something like that - can't remember for sure)
198 is a more heavy duty version than the 1157, but I think it's the same lumens as the 1157 (I'm not positive on the 198 info) I think the 198 bulb is the "OEM" bulb for a lot of bikes, and used in trucks and trailers. I think the base construction, filaments, etc are more 'robust'.
ZOAR: How about some pictures of those retro lights you have?? I'd like to see them both off and with the amber lights on, would be nice.
Here are more pics day and night. Brakes off and Brakes on.
Looks good there, Zoar!
Quote from: greenbarn on July 13, 2016, 16:53:14 PM
Looks good there, Zoar!
I have been riding my Drifter after I finish my second "job" every night. It is like therapy. Wait.... it IS therapy.
Therapy is expensive .........but wind is cheap........Wind therapy works wonders for those of us that are pure of heart and have no evil intent, the rest of them out there will suffer..........
As stated, I changed the light on the Brake Light to amber. I did this because as the first post stated my Brake Light bulb failed and I researched the internet to find the Brake Light replacement bulb and that was a Twilight Zone experience... I did not do anything to the plinkers. They are as they came: retro-style plinkers. I dig them. A lot.
My other bike is a Ducati when I want a sport bike ride. I dig that too. That is the beauty of having choices and even liking two different things. I know: Amazing.