How to Install LED Lights on your Bike

While all motorcycle models are in some way customizable, you’re probably looking to do at least a handful of style or performance upgrades on your bike that best suit your taste and needs. Whether you’re just looking for a few simple styling changes or if you’re the kind of person who lives for this kind of process, getting started can be both exciting and daunting. Sure, this is the moment many motorcycle owners dream of, but where to start?

If you’re having a hard time choosing an upgrade for your bike, Indian Motorcycle of Orange County would like to offer you an easy and useful starting point: LED lights. Not only do LED light strips add flair to your bike’s look, but they also keep you visible to other riders and commuters.

How to Prepare

Before you get started, you’ll want to make sure you have a game plan in place. This will prevent you from realizing something isn’t working or isn’t to your liking in the middle of installation, when backtracking is much harder.

Layout your LED light strips so they’re organized and easily accessible to you. You might even consider ordering them by size if you feel it will be helpful. You’ll also want a diagram that shows how each part works together. Sometimes, your LED light kit will come with its own diagram, but if it doesn’t, it’s handy to make one for reference.

Use the diagram to make sure you have all the working parts: the battery, the LED light strips, a fuse box, a switch, and spare wiring. We recommend masking tape to hold the strips in place during installation (masking tape is ideal because it won’t damage the paint). Velcro is also a good option for finally mounting the strips, as it will make moving them around and adjusting them easier. Also make sure you test your lights before starting. You can do this using a 9-volt battery or the battery on your bike. Replace all malfunctioning strips before you get started.

Map Out your LED Strips

Map out your LED strips using the masking tape on your bike according to how you’d like them to be arranged. This will help you adjust your initial installation vision and know if you need to trim them down. Make sure the strips are oriented so the wires point toward the battery.

Wire it up

Now for the installation. Gather the wires and plug them into the connector box (or “junction box”). This creates a single positive and negative lead. If your LED kit uses remote activation, wire the relay box between the connector box and the battery. These kits often come with their own fuses so you won’t need an additional installation. If your LED kit uses manual activation, you’ll need to wire a fuse boat into the negative lead. Make sure you also plan a spot to place the switch, preferably somewhere out of sight, but still accessible to you.

After all necessary components are properly wired, attach ring terminals to the positive and negative leads. Strip a half-inch of plastic jacket off each lead wire to expose the copper and wrap them around the connection point on the ring terminals. Then attach the positive lead to the positive terminal of the battery. Check that the system is turned off and attach the negative lead to the negative terminal.

You’re done! To make sure everything is connected properly, turn on the system and you should see your LED strips light up. If you see some don’t light up, double check the connections and that everything is setup properly. Once you’re happy with the outcome, replace the masking tape with velcro and clean up any loose wires. You’ll also want to gather any free-hanging wires and zip-tie them together.

And there you have it. Your first major styling and performance upgrade. If you’d prefer a professional do the installation process, or if you're ready for more customization, stop by Indian Motorcycle of Orange County and have a chat with our experienced staff. We’re in Orange County and proudly serve the areas of Santa Ana, Long Beach, and Los Angeles, California.