The second mod on my ratty old 750 was to clean up the tail end. I liked the unit they sell on DucatiMonsterTailChop.com but I thought I'd cheap out and buy one from eBay for A$28. Unfortunately it didn't have the sequential turn signal and flashing brake light features like the DMTC one, but it's still good. I also had to buy some load resistors (8.2Ω 25W - about $2 each from Element14) so that the turn signals don't flash super fast (the LEDs draw a lot less power, so the relay things a globe is blown). Wiring them in was simple - if you know how to strip and crimp wires, with a bit of resistor soldering and heat shrinking as well.
I discovered that the existing wiring under my seat was a mess - I think someone had played around with the tail assembly before. I don't think it's the stock one. Anyhow, I was determined to clean up the back end, but I didn't like the look of the tail chopped Monsters. I think they need that little tongue out the back to look balanced. So, I removed the whole frame that held the indicators and licence plate mount/lamp. I didn't want my plate obscuring the tyre, so I mashed it in under the tail light (it has downward facing white LEDs to illuminate the plate. The plate look a bit dodgy and is undoubtedly non-compliant, but neither are these indicators or my exhaust...
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22956939/images/LED-tail-cleanup.jpg)
Quote from: Brutto750 on November 08, 2014, 02:17:52 AM
The second mod on my ratty old 750 was to clean up the tail end. I liked the unit they sell on DucatiMonsterTailChop.com but I thought I'd cheap out and buy one from eBay for A$28. Unfortunately it didn't have the sequential turn signal and flashing brake light features like the DMTC one, but it's still good. I also had to buy some load resistors (8.2Ω 25W - about $2 each from Element14) so that the turn signals don't flash super fast (the LEDs draw a lot less power, so the relay things a globe is blown). Wiring them in was simple - if you know how to strip and crimp wires, with a bit of resistor soldering and heat shrinking as well.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22956939/images/LED-tail-cleanup.jpg)
- A much easier and cleaner method to correcting the flash rate is to use an LED compatible relay. It took me a bit, and I actually only lucked into it but the Novita EP35 does the job beautifully.
- That eBay/Amazon China tail light is a pretty good value imo. I've had 3 of them, one broke twice, the other 2 are still doing the job for me on my 2 Monsters; one black/smoked, one clear. A couple tips to save you a potential headache;
There are 2 weak points; one where the lens assembly affixes to the body, the other where the mounting posts exit the unit in the back. The lens is held on by a combo of friction and a thin bead of silicone from whatever Zheijiang factory it originated from and can pop off. I reinforced it with extra clear silicone and it never gave me an issue in 3 years of fairly abusive riding (wheelies and stoppies :-). The other weak point, where the posts exit, one of the posts can snap off taking a piece of the back plate with it because the plastic is fairly brittle. You have to re-use the OE setup that deployed the rubber grommets in the mounting holes with sleeve bushings or it will eventually break.
I gotta say...not a fan of your license plate setup. It looks like a temporary arrangement someone would do in an emergency situation, kinda cheesy imho. A much better alternative would be the "stealth" setup DMTC and TPO sell only DIY. Like this;
(http://www.ducatimonstertailchop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Stealth-bikes2.jpg)
Or alternatively, moving the plate back a couple inches and replacing the OE plate light with a small LED makes for a nice subtle improvement, like this:
(https://tpoparts.com/cat093//image/cache/data/183_1-640x480.jpg)
Make sure you do some good vibration canceling mounting on it. Rubber or foam so it isn't rigidly mounted.
I just had mine from 3 years ago break all 5 wires on the circuit board at the joint, one of the threaded mounting studs pulled out, and the internal mounts holding the circuit board center inside the housing.
Yeah, the plate is on the edge of reasonable, but you can always tell the officer it's so the helicopter can identify you more easily!
i put on an R6 integrated tai light on mine, never liked the monster tail light, looks too dated
pretty simple, just as any other, its just few wires...with tail chop it was matter of same mounting pretty much, some L brackets and thats it
(http://i60.tinypic.com/2ymf20x.jpg)
Nice. ^
Yeah, not totally happy with the plate setup. It is just temporary until I can make up a bracket. I've got to balance having it visible from behind without obscuring the view of the tyre too much. Thanks for the tips on the light assembly - I've got some rubber isolation in the mounting holes, but I might beef it up.
Quote from: Rudemouthsky on November 08, 2014, 07:47:53 AM
I gotta say...not a fan of your license plate setup. It looks like a temporary arrangement someone would do in an emergency situation, kinda cheesy imho. A much better alternative would be the "stealth" setup DMTC and TPO sell only DIY. Like this;
(http://www.ducatimonstertailchop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Stealth-bikes2.jpg)
LOL, I always thought this setup looked like the license plate fell off on the road and gum was used to stick it to the under tray. [laugh]
hahaha, that would get me pulled over in IL in like 10 mins.
i dont wanna give them any reason to stop me, even tho all my papers are in order....
Quote from: DucHead on November 08, 2014, 05:15:42 PM
LOL, I always thought this setup looked like the license plate fell off on the road and gum was used to stick it to the under tray. [laugh]
It is kinda hit or miss..the plate has to be in really pristine shape and there can't be visible Home Depot hardware or zip ties in order to pull it off. It tends to look either really slick or what you said.
That plate location in Cali will get you about ten minutes down the road.
Quote from: DucHead on November 08, 2014, 05:15:42 PM
LOL, I always thought this setup looked like the license plate fell off on the road and gum was used to stick it to the under tray. [laugh]
(http://il-ducatista.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ss2r-12-e1384289457423.jpg)
Stu's turned out nice.
I had my plate like that on Stu's black bike for 4 years in Ga., mounted up against my shock so it could be seen from a car behind. My bike came w/ it that way. Several cops I asked said its' no prob. since they could see it from behind. About a year ago I got pulled over 3x within 3 months in North Ga. Suddenly they started enforcing it. Each of the 3x the cop looked at my tag and said that tag made me appear like I'd run from the cops. I mentioned I'm in my 40's and have a wife + 2 kids @ home :) I avoided a ticket for it ea. time (but got other speeding tickets 2x), with 3 warnings for the tag. After that I relocated my tag to homemade L-brackets under my tail light.
I think the old plate position helped me get pulled over. I don't need more help.
I got out of 2 speeding tickets just by showing up @ court when the cop didn't.
Here in Cali that plate is a doom location I would get pulled over by every cop that cared to bother. Despite all the mods to my bike (in fact because of them) I even have the required red reflector under my plate.....
Especially bad with all the stunter squids raging on the freeways lately.
I started feeling very nervous every time I went out for a ride, so I finally got around to grabbing some spare aluminium plate from work and bolting it under the "tongue" and bending it to support the plate.
Then I had to get rid of the big blocky turn signals from the front, so I fit some tiny signals from a place called Third Gear near Melbourne airport. Plenty bright enough, after flirting with some cheap "rear peg" sticky LED strips from eBay. Tip: if they have to take a photo in a dark room to show the amber colour, they're probably going to invisible during the day...
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22956939/images/plate-bracket.jpg)(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/22956939/images/tiny-turnies.jpg)