ted
Dum vivimus vivamus
(Note - Review with pics being submitted to the ON)
I bought my first BMW in 1994, it was a '88 K75S and I loved that bike. I put about 40k miles on it before I sold it (for more than I bought it) riding it everywhere from Meat Cove, NS to Key West, FL. Aside from removing the flapper and c-bars, the only real mod I did was to add Run-N-Lights.
You see the tail end of classic K bikes (aka the K75, K100, K1100 and the K1) are woefully "underlighted" with but a single running light, which lights up with an additional brake-only light when the brakes are applied. Run-N-Lights double that- with a new running light bulb socket that not only turns the old brake-only light into a running light, but adds two new type-921 bulbs as additional brake lights in the unused side compartments of the rear light cluster. I loved this on the K75S! When my good friend Larry Fears followed me back to DC from our local club's tech session where i installed them he liked them so much he ordered a set for himself that very night.
I traded the K75S for a new-ish K1100RS and adding Run-N-Lights was one of the first things I did. I crashed that bike and it was almost eight years before I bought another, a K75RT. Over the last few years I've owned the RT I've often thought about adding lights in the rear. LED lights are the new thing, but honestly nothing I've found yet does running and brake lights without having to do a fair bit of surgery. I recently came across the old running light bulb socket from my K1100RS and remembering how much i liked them set about to find if they were still sold. I thought they would be long out of business as has so many other companies catering to Classic Kbikes. The website was still up, but it just had a phone number. I googled a bit more and found there is still a complete website with all kinds of things, just for some reason inaccessible from the front page:
http://www.run-n-lites.com/AppGuide-Run-n-lites.html
I found what I wanted, the K-Tail-2, called and ordered them. Run-N-Lights is now being operated by Klaus at EMC in Tennet, NJ. Two days later they showed up, but were the wrong kind. I called Klaus and he immediately shipped out the correct ones, and I promised to send the wrong ones right back. Here is where it gets interesting... I mistakenly sent him a Bluetooth headset I was returning for repair (and UClear got the brake lights.). All parties got a good laugh at my expense and soon the packages were on the way to the right places.
I received the new, correct package two days later along with an unexpected surprise, $6 tucked in to cover the cost of my return. This morning I set about to install them. It took all of about 10 minutes with the only tool needed the little screwdriver from the toolset. The directions are clear and everything is plug and play. First I removed the two thumb wheels from inside the rear compartment to release the rear light cluster (some artful maneuvering is required for those with ABS-1). Then it is simply a matter of replacing the rear running light socket with the new one, unplugging some wires (the little screwdriver helps here) and plugging them back in to new places. Everything is color-coded, a nice new upgrade from the old versions. Then I added the two new brake lights, they just slide into place in the cluster, one on each side. Then I tested it, worked like a charm, and screwed the cluster back into place.
The cost is under $50 and the result is outstanding. Customer service from Klaus at EMC was also outstanding, couldnt have asked for better. As for ease of install, if you've ever changed your oil you're way overqualified. Each of the two type-921 brake side lights puts out 264 lumens, it really lights up! Best of all, aside from doubling the light output from the rear of course, is that it is an easy plug and play install which retains a totally stock look (that won't confuse your BMU or your charge light...)
Five out of five stars, get it if you are running stock and don't want to mess with LEDs. I shouldn't have waited so long!
(On a side note, Run-N-Lights also sells a whole host of LED light kits too if you are so inclined.)
I bought my first BMW in 1994, it was a '88 K75S and I loved that bike. I put about 40k miles on it before I sold it (for more than I bought it) riding it everywhere from Meat Cove, NS to Key West, FL. Aside from removing the flapper and c-bars, the only real mod I did was to add Run-N-Lights.
You see the tail end of classic K bikes (aka the K75, K100, K1100 and the K1) are woefully "underlighted" with but a single running light, which lights up with an additional brake-only light when the brakes are applied. Run-N-Lights double that- with a new running light bulb socket that not only turns the old brake-only light into a running light, but adds two new type-921 bulbs as additional brake lights in the unused side compartments of the rear light cluster. I loved this on the K75S! When my good friend Larry Fears followed me back to DC from our local club's tech session where i installed them he liked them so much he ordered a set for himself that very night.
I traded the K75S for a new-ish K1100RS and adding Run-N-Lights was one of the first things I did. I crashed that bike and it was almost eight years before I bought another, a K75RT. Over the last few years I've owned the RT I've often thought about adding lights in the rear. LED lights are the new thing, but honestly nothing I've found yet does running and brake lights without having to do a fair bit of surgery. I recently came across the old running light bulb socket from my K1100RS and remembering how much i liked them set about to find if they were still sold. I thought they would be long out of business as has so many other companies catering to Classic Kbikes. The website was still up, but it just had a phone number. I googled a bit more and found there is still a complete website with all kinds of things, just for some reason inaccessible from the front page:
http://www.run-n-lites.com/AppGuide-Run-n-lites.html
I found what I wanted, the K-Tail-2, called and ordered them. Run-N-Lights is now being operated by Klaus at EMC in Tennet, NJ. Two days later they showed up, but were the wrong kind. I called Klaus and he immediately shipped out the correct ones, and I promised to send the wrong ones right back. Here is where it gets interesting... I mistakenly sent him a Bluetooth headset I was returning for repair (and UClear got the brake lights.). All parties got a good laugh at my expense and soon the packages were on the way to the right places.
I received the new, correct package two days later along with an unexpected surprise, $6 tucked in to cover the cost of my return. This morning I set about to install them. It took all of about 10 minutes with the only tool needed the little screwdriver from the toolset. The directions are clear and everything is plug and play. First I removed the two thumb wheels from inside the rear compartment to release the rear light cluster (some artful maneuvering is required for those with ABS-1). Then it is simply a matter of replacing the rear running light socket with the new one, unplugging some wires (the little screwdriver helps here) and plugging them back in to new places. Everything is color-coded, a nice new upgrade from the old versions. Then I added the two new brake lights, they just slide into place in the cluster, one on each side. Then I tested it, worked like a charm, and screwed the cluster back into place.
The cost is under $50 and the result is outstanding. Customer service from Klaus at EMC was also outstanding, couldnt have asked for better. As for ease of install, if you've ever changed your oil you're way overqualified. Each of the two type-921 brake side lights puts out 264 lumens, it really lights up! Best of all, aside from doubling the light output from the rear of course, is that it is an easy plug and play install which retains a totally stock look (that won't confuse your BMU or your charge light...)
Five out of five stars, get it if you are running stock and don't want to mess with LEDs. I shouldn't have waited so long!
(On a side note, Run-N-Lights also sells a whole host of LED light kits too if you are so inclined.)
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