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The Story Behind TST Nexus Turn Signals for Kawasaki Ninja Sportbikes
We’ve known for a very long time that the Kawasaki front turn signals could use some attention from the TST design team, and after years of TST fans screaming from their rooftops at our customer service team, intense research and design, and diligent manufacturing efforts, we are finally able to add some TST style to the front of your Kawasaki with our all-new Nexus Turn Signals. Here’s how we got there:
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First, we actually have to give Kawasaki some credit for their stock signal design. Yes, they look dated now, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Kawasaki stepped out of the box and created an in-fairing turn signal that set itself apart from the pumpkin style signals used by Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki. But, as the rest of their motorcycle design language evolved and pushed the limits to create a distinct Kawasaki style, their turn signal remained the same, and has become somewhat of a leftover artifact of good design work from years past. This aging part caught our eye as something that we needed to address, but we wanted to do it justice. We wanted to create something that embodied both TST DNA and Kawasaki’s design while challenging ourselves to improve upon both. We were still developing other parts for their lineup and taking cues from their new design to introduce elements that made our aftermarket parts cohesive with their new design language, but we hadn’t fully locked in on the front turn signals just yet with an idea that we felt did them justice.
Then we purchased our very own Ninja 400. This was a critical moment now because the problem was staring us in the face every day. Every time we were around the bike designing crash protection, fender eliminator solutions, or even just moving it out of the way so we could get into the toolbox behind it, we were faced with this old artifact of bold design that no longer looked the part, and now actually detracted from the Ninjas’ look overall.
Seeing the problem, day in and day out, while having the resource right there to perform R&D on was a no-brainer, and after a couple of meetings, it was decided – we were going to tackle this problem and bring some bold design back to Kawasaki’s front turn signals.
The goals were pretty simple: push our design and manufacturing skills, while improving upon not only the looks and functionality of the signals, but also to blend the TST and Kawasaki design language into a nexus of sorts (*wink). Sounds easy right? We wish, but progress never is.
We spent 2 years designing and redesigning draft after draft of signals. All the while, the updated Kawasaki motorcycle design was becoming even more prevalent as it spread throughout their model range, leading our design to become more cohesive and complementary to the motorcycles they would inevitably be installed on. As you can see below, we went through A LOT of stages of design, and progress isn’t always a straight line. We strived to improve upon each iteration, but looking back, sometimes we are forced to scratch our heads and wonder what we were thinking. In the end though, the TST engineering crew designed something we are all incredibly proud of. A design that is truly the Nexus of TST Industries and Kawasaki motorcycle design.
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But getting the looks nailed down only tells half of the story, because a turn signal has one basic job: emit light to indicate which way you’re turning. We could have designed a pretty lens and slammed some LEDs behind it and wished for the best, but that’s not what we do at TST Industries, because success is found in the extra mile, and we went an extra few just to be sure.
We designed a sophisticated lens array that utilizes reflective and refractive lens elements under a convex hexagonal-shaped dome equipped with hexadome lens elements. Each lens specifically angled to direct the light emitted from the LED under it to a specific space around the motorcycle, helping to ensure that drivers in front and beside you would see your turn signals. There are specifically shaped elements that direct light onto the ground beside the motorcycle to increase the size of your footprint on the road and increase visibility from those around you. We chose to use a black LED board and clear lens to maintain an incredibly bright light output while obtaining a stealthy look that doesn’t immediately stand out. The polycarbonate lens material was specifically chosen to provide a strong turn signal lens that is more resistant to cracking or breaking from road debris, while the poly-alloy texture-matched casing adds that extra detail that makes these signals appear as if they are factory-built components.
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We pride ourselves on creating sophisticated aftermarket parts that substantially increase functionality and style, while emphasizing the design of the overall motorcycle, not just the TST part. Counter to what some other aftermarket companies do, we actually don’t want our parts to be the first thing someone sees on your bike while it’s parked, because they should see the bike as a whole first, then find the subtle design themes and lines throughout the bike. Our goal is to enhance the overall look, with a maintained and cohesive design language and a build quality you would expect from the factory.
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As it turns out, Kawasaki used the same basic turn signal geometry and mounting points on a handful of their motorcycles. In fact, they used them on five different models, spanning multiple generations of each. So our new Nexus Turn Signals fit multiple Kawasaki sportbikes and are ready to improve your ride with an easy installation.
The OEM mounting points, plug -and-play wiring, and reuse of the stock hardware makes the actual signal installation pretty simple, but we know getting to the signals isn’t always easy. It also just wouldn’t be like TST if we didn’t provide you with a step-by-step installation video for your specific model, so we’ve got multiple videos currently available on our YouTube page and our website, with more to come in the following weeks to finish out the full application range. We’re working incredibly hard to not leave anybody out and guessing about how to safely remove their fairings and get those stock signals out, and the Nexus signals in.
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Now after months of teasing on social media, you can finally get your hands on our brand new TST Nexus Turn Signals by clicking this link and bring some boldness back to your Kawasaki Ninja.
