Hey everyone, A buddy and I are working on a 1972 Honda CB100 motorcycle. It currently has a 6 volt battery and (I assume) a 12 volt stator (alternator). Can we simply install a 12 volt batter and change the bulbs out? The dreaded PO installed a 12 volt brake light bulb that is VEEEERRRRYYYY dim. We have looked around exhausting all our resources for conversion kits etc, with no luck. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Does it have electrical guages too? If so you may have to swap them out or ask an electrical engineer what size resistor to put in there so they will function properly.

I dont understand the problem.
why not just put a 6 volt bulb back in the taillight?

It has only dial-type gauges. We are trying to convert it for a few reasons (though they may not bee good, so all suggestions welcome): First, we have some LED lights that we would like to mount behind the lens for the brake light, second, many of the bulb-sockets have been changed by the PO to hold 12 volt bulbs.


If we could find 6 volt bulbs and sockets, would the lights be brighter than the 12 volt bulbs running on a 6 volt system?


Thanks!

quote Originally posted by psychosurfer: LED lights that we would like to mount behind the lens for the brake light.

LEDs will work fine on a 6V system...you will just need to keep in mind that you'll need to modify your resistor values and the amount of LEDs you wire in parallel (probably half as many), if you're used to powering LEDs on a 12V system. Find a good LED circuit calculator online and you'll be golden.

quote If we could find 6 volt bulbs and sockets, would the lights be brighter than the 12 volt bulbs running on a 6 volt system?

Yes they would, as the bulbs are designed with a different thickness/material filament to burn hotter with less forward current. The 12V bulbs will be dimmer, because they are designed to handle more voltage, and thus more current (assuming a similar resistance from the filaments).

Whatever you do, just remember that V=IR and you'll never really have any issues.

What 1986 Fiero GT said

plus

quote Originally posted by psychosurfer: many of the bulb-sockets have been changed by the PO to hold 12 volt bulbs.

on the cars i've worked on the sockets for 12 volt and 6 volt light bulbs are the same.

Thanks everyone for the great info! We are going to put it all back as close to factory as we can. Any suggestions on places to buy 6volt bulbs? TY!