Modern Buddy

Today I worked on my new Genuine Buddy 50, hooking up the amber running lights AND added a white LED light to each side of the Kangaroo pouch, which some of your refer to as the glove compartment. I guess that you guys are not marsupial edumumcated.

I didn't have and and wouldn't have found the female connector for the running lights at Home Depot, so I stopped off at Pepboys and bought a box of wire taps by 3M. They call them "Quick Connects".

I "tapped " off the four wires from the amber lights, to obtain two black (ground/-) wires and two "hot" wires (I used red wires for the tap wires).
I used the nut of the horn as my "ground", having attached a ring terminal to a black wire. To that I attached the black wires from the amber bulbs.

For the "hot" side of the circuit, I tapped off from an orange wire (too difficult to access the yellow wire), using a red wire . To that red "hot" wire, I attached the two remaining leads from the amber lights.

I also added stick-on white LED lights to the same access points (that is, to the red wire which I tapped off the orange wire, and to the black wire which I had attached to the nut behind the horn, which is usually me.

I used wire nuts (because squirrels don't like them) to gather all black wires together and all redhot wires together. Then I wrapped electrical tape around the wire nuts and the wire bundle going into each nut, for extra security.

Zip ties and duct tape secured everything.

So now, I've the front sides of the Buddy lit up, to help people see me better - the rear sides and license plate frame are already lit up with strobe lights, some of which can be recharged via USB, and others by a change of button cell battery.

I'm looking into purchasing a rechargeable fart machine to keep dogs from chasing me.



And if you believe THAT, you're sillier than I.

Mike

Just in case anyone is wondering WHICH orange wire I used as my "hot/+" source, it's the easily accessible one which goes to the USB port.

I tapped off that, and to the tap wire (I chose a red wire since they don't come in my favorite color, plaid), I joined all other "hot" wires, from the amber lights and the new LEDs, via an an appropriately orange-colored wire nut.

Just thought I'd expound upon that as a Public Service Announcement, which,
in this case, I'm providing to youse guyz at no charge. Cuz Mikey likes
you.

Mike

Talking about lights on my Buddy 50, I've now three USB recchargeable
strobe lights, two button-cell strobe lights, four running lights, plus the headlight and tailight, when I'm on the move.

That's eleven - to help keep me safe. Every little bit helps.

PLUS, I wear a long sleeve high vis shirt under a ANSI 2 certified safety vest of a different color than the shirt. And, reflective tape on my helmet.

MikeR,

I just bought a 2012 GB 170i Pamplona (replacing the 1987 Honda Elite that needed more work than it was worth).

So far this bike is a blast, but I am concerned with visibility and I am thinking about doing something similar to what you have described. Any before/after pics of the bike or details images on your wiring mods?

I wear a reflective safety vest and was thinking about putting LED strips on the back and sides -- I can get strips that have on/off/flashing controls for cheap on Amazon or Alibaba. Sew a pocket into the vest for a power supply (I use an Anker as a source for phones/nooks/ipads).

If I just do the vest, then I don't muck with the wiring in the bike, but doing what you describe sounds better looking

Comments?