What is the consensus on which tail light (smoked) is the best as far as brightness and cost? I have done several searches and haven't come up with much.
Maybe a link to a useful thread?

 

You want the best but the cheapest? No such animal.
The best would be a BAL
Any Chi-Com knock off would be the cheapest.
Try Ebay.

 

Check out products available from Custom Dynamics. I have bought several lighting products from them including their PRO Beam LED replacement tail light for my RGU. Super bright. And CD customer service is superb. Are CD products the cheapest available? I don't know, probably not the cheapest, but I don't mind paying a fair price for a good product and if I have any problems I know CD customer service will bend over backwards to please me. So, if I ever want additional lighting products and if CD makes what I want I'm not even going to check on any other brand.

 

Yep ... Custom Dynamics and BAL are excellent choices ... I have a BAL and picked it up here on the Forum from another member for less than half of retail

 

My choice is Custom Dynamics. I run turn signals and a smoked lay down tailight/brake light. HD Daymaker out front. The LED's from CD are very bright. Worth the money to be noticed.

 

I didn't mean cheapest in the sense of Rock Bottom price . I'm meant most bang for your buck. Not some overpriced crap like Harley sells. I don't mind spending money if you get good value for it if you know what I mean.....

 

I have Custom Dynamics on mine and the quality looked as good as factory (maybe better, time will tell).

 

Have had CD and a BAL1.
BAL1 wins hands down! Super easy to program the "strobes" and the intensities, all done externally using a magnet.

 

+1 on Bad *** Lights (BAL). Ive used them on both my RGC and my fatboy. I found the one for the fatboy on EBay new as a "open box" for 1/2 the price. Also BAL has some on the site from time to time as "outlet" that were open box item for display and are still warranted and sell for $69-99 (almost 50% off)

 

I currently have two Bal-1 tail lights and one CD tail light...

They are both well made, very bright (much brighter than OEM), and easy to install...

I tend to give the nod to CD, only because I am not a fan of all the fancy strobe/flash options.... I just wanted an LED replacement tail light for the OEM tail light... no fancy patterns

The Bal-1 is $199 and already contains all the fancy stuff you can select easily.

The CD tail light is $159.95, and then you would have buy an additional module to add all the fancy stuff for $89.95

So... If you want the fancy flashing, the Bal-1 is a better deal... If you don't want the fancy flashing, the CD is the better deal...

https://www.customdynamics.com/vehic...aillight-units

https://www.brightasslights.com/site...art&Itemid=124