Rear light on 08 rsvr
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Category: RSV / RSVR / FACTORY
Forum Name: Technical Chat
Forum Description: Any technical problems or useful advise for other owners, remember this is just advice posted here, if you make something go BANG in a big way don't take anyone to court about it.
URL: http://www.rsvr.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=30325
Printed Date: 26 Mar 2026 at 22:56
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Rear light on 08 rsvr
Posted By: albrown001
Subject: Rear light on 08 rsvr
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2026 at 22:18
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Hi all I haven't really looked at it yet. Thought that I would get some ideas from everyone before I take a look at it. Front lights work fine. Indicators work fine. Brake light works fine. When I put the lights on the rear light is not very bright and when I put the brake on it goes even dimmer. This is with engine off. I have not tried it with engine on yet. Battery charged. Bike not been running for a while. Thought it could be an imbalance of voltages Any ideas? Thank you
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Replies:
Posted By: legend88
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 12:41
| Could be low voltage but my bet is a poor earth somewhere or a dodgy bulb holder |
Posted By: Spoonz
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 12:43
| They aren’t mega bright generally but being leds, the viewing angle is important as the light is brightest viewed directly from behind at car level. worth trying with the engine running as well to see what difference it makes. If you think it’s not up to snuff, then other than checking the earth is good and the connectors are clean, there isn’t much to fix as it’s a sealed unit |
Posted By: legend88
Date Posted: 12 Feb 2026 at 17:02
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Ah, as a Gen1 owner I hadn't realised they were a sealed LED so not a bulb holder then! |
Posted By: badapple
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2026 at 08:44
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Hi Andrew very long time! As above if its gone its gone only known a few to fail. I've got a couple of rear lights if you need one. ------------- I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2026 at 21:38
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Thank you for all the replies. I did quickly clean the connector block but that was all I tried so far. Didn't make a difference. Thank you for the offer of helping out with the light. That is most kind. It might be nice if I could borrow one at some point if I get stuck before buying a new one. That would be really helpful. Yes it's been a long time. The bike doesn't get out much as had problems with my back for a few years. Still, I love the thing. I need to start it and see if it makes a difference but it's a bit awkward running it where it is kept at the moment. I think that there are only a few earths on the bike. I can't remember... It needs some TLC. But I just keep it all wrapped up in this weather. Not sure what else to do. The poor old Aprilia has taken taken second place at the moment against the KTM off road bike I bought in 2016 because of my back. I have been riding that instead of the Aprilia. But still miss the Aprilia. It only did 350 miles last couple of years. Very sad
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Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2026 at 21:44
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Incidentally, while everyone is here. I put a lithium battery in it. The KTM also has a lithium battery in it. They are really good. Except in winter. Although I have not had a problem with either of them something keeps nagging me as even LiFePO batteries, as stable as they are could still catch fire. I have a nice AGM battery for the KTM already. Anyone got any thoughts about getting rid of the lithium in the Aprilia
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Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 15 Feb 2026 at 22:06
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What are peoples thoughts on stripping the paint off the top fork clamp and getting it polished? It's just a thought. If I can get one of them aprilia badges to stick back on it I reckon it might look really good in silver. What do you think?
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Posted By: legend88
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2026 at 10:04
Very 80's Streetfighter!  Seriously though, it can look good but two things I would consider: - To keep it looking good requires regular polishing unless lacquered over - The sun reflection (When we get some) can cause massive glare |
albrown001 wrote:Posted By: 426hemi
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2026 at 20:08
| Personally I’d scotchbrite the top yoke then get it clear cerakote’d, I’ve been running lithium batteries for about 18 years in my bikes and had no problems so far. |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2026 at 20:48
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Cheers for comment on Lithium battery. I know LifePO are very stable but I have seen many LiPo go up many times. It doesn't take much. I just think that the top triple clamp looks out of place now. Since I polished the frame.
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Posted By: 426hemi
Date Posted: 18 Feb 2026 at 13:50
| So you’ve took the anodising off ? I stripped my zx9r and scotchbrited it, very easy t look after and I use acf50 on it to stop any oxidation. |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2026 at 15:42
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No haven't done anything to it yet. Just getting peoples thoughts to see if anyone else has done it and what their thoughts were. My one is a sort of brown colour. It would look better in black I think when they anodised it instead of brown. I was thinking of stripping it. I think it would be hard to polish as it's cast and rough. You would have to sand it first. The bottom clamp is already shiny but not polished. So I was thinking of just stripping the coloured anodising off. Chemically brightening it and then clear anodising. It would match the bottom one then. Tell you what now, I will buy one off eBay instead of doing it to mine and see what it comes out like
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Posted By: 426hemi
Date Posted: 20 Feb 2026 at 15:54
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I use scotchbrite wheels you put in a drill or die grinder, they have a 6mm shaft and make it a hell of a lot easier. https://moleroda.com/product/abrasive-nylon-flapwheels-on-6mm-spindle/" rel="nofollow - https://moleroda.com/product/abrasive-nylon-flapwheels-on-6mm-spindle/ |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 15:21
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I ran the bike today. With the engine on… Sidelights - rear light bright Headlights - rear light not so bright. About half what it was Headlights / brake lights - rear light goes even dimmer. Brake light is fine regardless This is the same when engine is off. Engine on made no difference. The connection on the battery must be good otherwise the bike would not start. I will Google where all the earths are (unless someone can point me in the right direction) and give them and all the connections a good clean and see what happens  I have only just noticed this. Anyone else got a gen2? Does it do the same?
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Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 15:26
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Sounded nice by the way. I have missed it 😁
I just Google searched where all the earth points are. I will come back down the garage. Pull the bike out. Get the side panels off and have a look at them all.
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Posted By: Spoonz
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 17:34
| What is the voltage at the battery engine running ? |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 19:52
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12.7v at rest 13.8v at idle m8 reading on dashboardCompufire rectifier The voltage goes up to around 14. something when you rev it but I could rev it down the garage
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Posted By: Spoonz
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 20:52
| Without having someone else test their light reactions for comparison, I’m not sure you have a fault. But if anything maybe the rear light itself. I wouldn’t throw any parts at it without a comparison. |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 21 Feb 2026 at 22:53
| Cheers m8. Thank you. Yes I will service all the earths first and see what happens. Maybe it has always done it. I don't know. I have just never noticed it before |
Posted By: Spoonz
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2026 at 08:40
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The rear light has got some components in there that can fail. There is a regulator, a diode and a few other bits that can fail. The regulator holds the LEDs at about half voltage as a tail light and applies the full 12v when the brake is applied. It could be the regulator is less than 100% or the solder joints are failing etc etc. |
Posted By: albrown001
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2026 at 00:33
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Cheers m8. That is interesting. Maybe it could be the rear light then. |