LED License Plate Light Combos (Running, Brake, Signal, Lamp)

Way back in 2016, when humans were still using flint to build fire and DJs looped Thomas Edison phonograph samples, we motorbikers faced an ongoing conundrum. You've probably already guessed it: LED license plate combo mods and the modern motorcycles that are resistant to them. If you're chasing a clean LED license plate signal solution, those 2am cold sweat nightmares on the matter are about to be no more.

This issue got personal for me just one bike ago when my EBay ordered tail tidy, promising factory fitment (by both EBay and questionable seller kUhZtUm bYk pErTz), crammed the rear turn signals into my factory luggage. Fixing the sitch meant ordering 1.5" metric spacers. This led to an innovative fireworks display but we'll get to that in a moment.

Now, this is the paragraph where I would suggest a "best Robin could find" product for anyone goin' full TLDR. Problem is, the bulk of our options stem from foreign business upstarts that dissolve before their products reach our shoreline. That's why my opinion on modular DIY solutions being the better investment is pretty verbose and with that, it's time to dial in the balance between a "complete package" and "bit-by-bit" purchase.

The Meat Of The Matter

Thermodynamics. Sometimes they're exactly the desert rave party light show they're cracked up to be. I have, in the past, found myself in a situation where an aftermarket exhaust points output directly into my rear/right turn signal.

Mind you, the culprit bike's properly repositioned tail tidy placed turn signals in their designated locations. But the result of my third party exhaust firing off gas and carbon into my (R)ick side lantern? Multiple cases of moltant blinker fluid.

To better explain, my turn signal would get fogged up with still-flammable ash coming from the exhaust. Over time, that builds up until it looks like gunpowder. Continued, direct heat cooks up the screw which holds its lens in place. Eventually, the surrounding plastic melts or, when I enable the signal for a right turn, ignites it, blasting it to Kingdom Come. Entertaining? Sure, but the fireworks force me back into the dark ages via old timey hand signals.

Questions to a most trusted hive mind are met with "go back to stock" responses ... but why should I? I love the look and sound of a Max Torque can. The stock component was terribly bloated and I'm happy it's gone.

Having dreamt up a few signal relocation efforts, they always arrive at "over thunked", employing chaotically engineered hardware store shelving parts. I mean, we all love how a good wall brace looks on our motorcycles but once the handlebars need a door knob, it's time to double back. Then, my less-is-more dosage kicked in.

One Solution Is A Running, Brake And Signal Integrated License Plate Mount.

The concept is to use as little material as possible while doing more than enough work to properly notify anyone following us. A single component with six (6) wires would feed into the ground, plate, running, brake, left and right signals. That's all that's needed so long as our LED license plate upgrade actually does the job.

By "actually", I'm suggesting those cheap/aftermarket flush-mount signals we see on mid-sized sport bikes barely function as reflectors, let alone a notification of intent.

On point, I'm exploring license plate brackets that offer a side order of disco ball. Something to project an unspoken truth about that "old man Earl" uncancelled turn signal. Bothered or not, at least you saw it.

Below are a few products to consider. If none meet the need, keep reading as DIY remedies won't require the soldering iron. Each is a contender for a clean LED license plate build.

Fully Integrated, Single Purchase

In this day and age, pre-wired and fully contained vehicle LEDs aren't hard to come by. Why American made versions are so expensive is anybody's guess but I predict it's a matter of patents, licensing and warranties. That applies doubly to an LED license plate swap.

On the patent side, some are physically reduced to the smallest possible footprint, blinding but pocket sized. Then there's licensing, which comes with a free bag of FCC regs, safety standards, lab tests, SDoC, follow ups, rule of origin and quality control. Warranties might mean having a lawyer on retainer.

Cost can be subjective, though and in our case (as riders), be reminded that we're sort of a niche cult. This article aims to keep it all under $100. Bet ...

C-Me Low Profile License Plate Brake/Turn Signal LED Light Bar

For those of us tired of wiring spaghetti and blinkers that ghost us mid-ride like a flaky Tinder match, the C-Me Tag Mounted LED Bar brings the drama-free glow-up we deserve. It's got 50 crazy bright LEDs packed into a low-profile light strip that nestles neatly behind our license plate like a mullet with a PhD. The bars are split down the middle, letting left and right turn signals do their own thing without calling in a wiring exorcist.

Choose your flavor. Go single-color if you like things simple (just red or just amber) or pick the dual-color integrated version for full-function red running/brake with amber turn. Either way, this ain't a cousin Eddie special with three blinking modes and a wire labeled "maybe ground?"

As for mounting, the C-Me light bar bolts to the top or bottom of any standard 4"x7" tag, playing nice whether you run a license plate frame or not. No weird brackets or duct tape engineering. Just use the stock bolt holes like a civilized-ish motorcycle operator, making for easy LED license plate fitment.

Wiring? Forget soldering in a windstorm. Also ignore the included Posi-Tap connectors. We here at TRO prefer Wago. Instructions are included, as some of us still need to triple-check how electricity works.

You can choose lens options, meaning clear, smoke or red (only available in the single-color red setup). All versions come with running light circuits to be used or minimalistically ignored. The 120-degree LED viewing angle ensures our signal won't vanish into the void just because someone's five degrees off our six.

Long story short, these deliver solid visibility. At a "decent" price and a universal fit that doesn't require ritual sacrifice, the C-Me plate-mount light bar earns its keep. Call it a dependable choice in a LED license plate configuration.

Keep 'Em Separated

If you're worried that a single light bar might not communicate the exacting details of your on-road battle strategy clearly enough, consider giving that ape drape a pair of earrings. The same C-Me brand offers a two-piece variation of the above. The only difference is that they mount vertically on the left and right sides of the plate, an LED license plate layout that still cleans things up nicely.

VrAre Universal B6 Dual License Plate LED Tail, Brake & Signal

Parallel to the C-Me lamps but at a slightly more wallet-friendly price, VrAre sells a three-piece brake/signal combo. We're talkin' independent L/R directionals and a base running/brake. My question to the seller, courtesy of their one and only (negative) review, is: Do they come with specific LED license plate instructions or not?

At the price they're asking, one would hope to receive a detailed explanation of how their simple three-wire schematic plays out.

The B6 boasts "burst flash", which is nice, assuming it's time-limit-temporary. Another longtime TRO favorite, Vololights, perform similarly with mixed success as it uses inertia to operate. VrAre only responds to rider input at the controls, making it more trustworthy by comparison.

"Waterproof" is a bold claim for any motorsports company to make about electronic items. Where "water resistant" means it won't require replacement for at least fifteen minutes, the former points to slogging through a heavy downpour into flood waters at the boat launch before a submarine rendezvous free of concern. While typically true of most low voltage automotive electronics, for VrAre to go out of their way to make mention of it says something.

Besides, the return policy is a predictable 30 days. That's a "yeah, yeah fine here's your money back" guarantee. Easy peasy, though just my luck it'll fry on day 31.

Additional specs skirt DC 12-24V, aluminum brackets and six "extremely" bright LEDs drawing just shy of 6 watts. As "extremely" isn't a luminosity unit of measure, we recommend buyers wear high-temp PPE before downgrading to Marty McFly's radiation suit and lastly whatever's hip on the streets. Assuming all goes well in improvised wiring, these answer the "see and be seen" call.

BlyilyB 12-80V Dual Color Red/Amber Combination Signal/Brake Module

I've spent weeks typing up this article and still can't pronounce their brand name.

If we want our rear lighting to do more than just quietly exist, this right here is a tail section's hype man. Like the C-Me, it's a three-in-one moto illumination buffet, meaning running, brake and sequential turn signals. All of it is stuffed into a single lamp you can bolt on without rummaging for that bin full of tangled RadioShack adapters.

The showmanship starts the second you flick on the running lights. A four-cycle red "breathing" effect screams "premium" without crossing into Times Square. On brake, it strobes sharply four times before going solid red. Before the turn, amber animations communicate smoothly. All of this while still getting the point across to even the most lane-drunk SUV driver.

Durability-wise, it's sealed up pretty tight. IP67 waterproofing meets a glue-sealed housing. Voltage weighs in at 12-80V DC, meaning it'll run on pretty much anything. The brains of the operation are fuse friendly 2835 LEDs bright enough to signal outer space.

Install is refreshingly painless: M4.5 screws, 69mm spacing, half a meter of wiring and a hookup chart that even the "I once reversed my battery terminals" crowd can follow. Black is ground, yellow and green are signals, white is the position light and red = brake. That's it.

This unit stands out, cleans up your tail section and cuts down on excess parts without turning your bike into a glowstick. It's rare that something all-in-one doesn't compromise. Unlike vaporware, the BlyilyB (sheesh) looks and feels ready for the long haul. If the C-Me and VrAre lights are respectable dinner guests, BlyilyB is the one that also brings dessert and refills your drink without being asked. It's a smart way to consolidate a signal infused LED license plate without clutter.

Let's Get Modular

Be strong, rider! Ordering any of the aforementioned products means we can just as easily buy unassembled versions and double sided VHB tape. If we forego the combinations, integrations and animations, building an LED license plate complete with running/brake light bar and L/R signals is a better-than-affordable breeze.

For the red, True Mods offers a 5-inch, three-wire, dual intensity light strip that comes in a bang-for-the-buck two pack. That length is perfect for 7" plates and the 3' lead means we're sure to make it to our power source. 15 high-intensity LEDs are jacketed in a nice, tidy shell, silicone sealed for a confidence inspiring IP68 rating. As any minimalist would hope, they're low profile, measuring 1/8" thick and 1/2" wide. Flexibility is worry free, meaning they can be shaped to suit just about any mounting point.

The skinny on DIY LED turn signals says Nilight's 6-5050-SMD has us covered. As with the True Mods unit, they're waterproof and flexible, allowing for creative installation. Equipped with 6-5050SMD high lumen chips, Nilight sets the bar for visibility and security. Long lifespan, low consumption and all of the other diode related yadas still apply. One hot + one ground = "Eh! I'm toinin' hee-uh!"

Conclusion

Turn signals that don't fry themselves into oblivion, brake lights that actually announce braking instead of smoldering and enough LED wizardry to keep even the most distracted motorist from claiming they "didn't see you". Whether you're the type who wants a plug 'n' play, all-in-one solution or the tinkerer who prefers rolling your own from strips, tape and a dash of garage-born optimism, the takeaway is the same. Visibility shouldn't be an afterthought. It's the part of the bike that says "I exist" louder than a wide-open exhaust ever could. Whichever path you pick, a well-executed LED license plate setup raises your odds of being noticed.

In chasing down these options, I've found that simple usually wins. Integrated bars and modules clean up the tail, kill the clutter and stop us from inventing medieval bracketry in aisle seven of Wallyworld. Meanwhile, modular bits give the budget-minded rider a clear path to safety without compromising style. Neither path requires a NASA budget. All you need is the will to wire it correctly, test it once and hit the road without the smell of molten ABS plastic haunting the ride.

One important thing that many fail to recognize, however is that LEDs don't play by incandescent rules. Slapping them in without thinking about resistance or current draw can make your bike blink like it's on speed or worse ... not blink at all. That's why before you start splicing, I highly recommend reading our companion piece about diodes, resistors and relays. It'll keep you out of the hyperflash trap. Well, that plus save you from another round of midnight rewiring.

What LED License Plate Solutions Do You Use?

There are plenty of motorcycle friendly LED products on the market. Which ones do you prefer and why? Your input is invited. Leave a comment and/or write an article!