Cycra Guards - Modified with LED Turn Signals - How To

Last summer I installed a Trail Tech 8” race light on my XRR and started trying to figure out where to re-locate the front turn signals to. I couldn’t find a place where they wouldn’t look like crap so I ended up just leaving the front turn signals off completely until I could come up with a better solution, which brings us to now.

Last month a friend ordered a set of Zeta hand guards with built in LED turn signals for his WR250R, I really liked the built in blinkers on the Zeta’s…… but I like the looks and wind protection of the Cycra guards better. I placed a call to Langston Racing and ordered up a set of replacement LED turn signal units for the Zeta guards with the idea of modifying my Cycra guards to accept them.

I installed the first LED unit into the left hand guard (right above the metal bar) using the left blinker assy and ran into a problem. After looking at the Zeta guards on the WRR a little closer I realized the guards are molded with an angle built into them where the light is installed; the lights themselves are compensated for this angle to make the blinker strait. When I installed the lens into my Cycra guard it looked great until I went to bolt up the lights to the lens and realized that the lights would be pointing at the sky….Hmmmmm. (Pictures below)

This left me with two options: First install the left LED unit under the left metal guard (this works since the curve in the guard is going the other way, I already ruined the first guard at this point so I fabricated an extra hole under the bar to test it out) or install the right LED unit onto the left guard above the metal bar so it will be upside down and at the correct angle. I wanted the light above the metal bar and since I had already fabricated the hole in the left guard for the left blinker that mean that my nice yellow guards were now shot….GRRRRR…

Soooooo…..After getting the original white guards back out I set to work again to install the LED assemblies.



First set the orange lens on the front of the guard and trace it out with a fine tip marker. Make sure it is laid out just like this picture if you are installing the lights above the metal bar (It should be rotated 180 deg if you are installing the unit under the metal bar). You want to have the bottom of the lens protrusion even with the taper crease in the hand guard so that the lens matches the
curve of the taper and looks “factory”.



Next I drilled two holes inside the traced area, one on each end. Then I used a small saw blade and a couple of files to finish off the hole.



Here’s the hole ready for the blinker assy. You will need to take a file and bevel the bottom and top edge of the hole so the lens will sit at the right angle (strait ahead). Looking at the front of the guard you will need to taper the bottom edge down(outward) and the top edge upward(inward). File a little then test fit, you may need to do this a few times.



Here’s the lens installed in the guard. Sweet!



In this shot you can see how the bottom tapered edge of the lens follows the curve in the guard, that’s why you want to cut where I mentioned earlier. Nice tight fit.



Inside shot. This is the actual LED light unit. It’s really small and out of the way, Nice!



Here’s a picture of the lens by itself. You can see how it’s angled for the Zeta guards. I really should have caught this before I ruined my yellow hand guards



Both units installed on the bike (Excuse the missing headlight, more mods in progress ). I think it looks great, nice and clean! They are really bright for a small LED unit. Notice the yellow guard sitting on the belt sander; you can see the two different holes in it that I mentioned earlier.



Here’s my first attempt. This is with the left blinker assy installed in the left guard. Looks good so far.



Dang….Here you can see the problem. This setup would have been great for signaling airplanes but not much good on the road. The little holes in the back of the lens are where the LED’s slide into. Well, back to the white guards for now.

Overall I’m really happy with the results. The Installation/Mod is a lot easier to do than the write up makes it sound; it should take about 30-45 minutes to install a set from start to finish now that I know the drill. If I hit a branch and break a guard or light unit it won’t take very long to replace it.

Thought I would post up this how to article in case other people are looking for a solution to the front blinker problem and like the Cycra guards, and possibly save them from ruining a set of plastic guards in the process. I’ll post up a vid of the turn signals in action when I get the rest of my mods finished up.


UPDATE: After installing the blinkers I found out that they will not work with my Baja Designs blinker relay (Old Style Round Unit) because of the lighter load. I thought they would just blink faster but they will not light at all. If you do this mod you will either have to add a load resistor to the circuit or install a Electronic flasher. I tried my friends flasher that he bought for his WR and it worked great, you can get it at: http://www.customled.com/PRODUCTS/FLASHER_RELAY/flasher_relay.htm

OR......



You can go down to your local auto store (Shucks in my case) and buy this Electronic variable load flasher for $4.99. Bought one today and it works great, flashes now at normal rate and you can't beat the price! Sweeeet

Makes it a plug and pay deal.

UPDATE: Here's a short vid on the Blinker in action, along with my 100W race light.



and a link to view it full screen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OodSJ9kNvFc&feature=channel_page

Hodakaguy

+1 nice job.

That is WAY cool!

I am impressed!

Thanks for the comments. I was wanting something real clean looking and I think this will fit the bill. Should have my headlight wiring finished up soon, I'll post a few more new mods then .

Hodakaguy

Hodaka - I was planning on getting a set of Zeta's with flashers, but after reading this I think I might go with the Cycra mod. I guess my question is how to the mounts fit up to your ProTapers? I have a set of ProTaper EVO's on my 650R and CR250. On the CR I have G2 guards and they don't clamp the bars very tight. Where the clamps mount is in the part of the bar where it has already transitioned closer to the 7/8 diameter. I just didn't want the same on my XR.

jdubb75 wrote:Hodaka - I was planning on getting a set of Zeta's with flashers, but after reading this I think I might go with the Cycra mod. I guess my question is how to the mounts fit up to your ProTapers? I have a set of ProTaper EVO's on my 650R and CR250. On the CR I have G2 guards and they don't clamp the bars very tight. Where the clamps mount is in the part of the bar where it has already transitioned closer to the 7/8 diameter. I just didn't want the same on my XR.

The Cycra's mount up great to my pro-tapers (Windham bend) and my neighbors (CR High Bend), nice and snug fit. I have the standard clamp mounts. I really like the guards.


PS: I updated the bottom of the original post to include info on the Flasher unit.

Hodakaguy

The bike is off the stand for now.....

I updated the bottom of the original post to include a short vid of the blinkers in action, and a shot of my 100W race light.

Hodakaguy

Hodakaguy wrote:The bike is off the stand for now.....

I updated the bottom of the original post to include a short vid of the blinkers in action, and a shot of my 100W race light.

Hodakaguy

Hodakaguy:

Very impressive! I love that light, especially with the hooligan "OFF" switch.

Does the light function with the engine off? This would be cool if the bike was down on the road at night.

I have the light wired on a AC circuit so the engine has to be running to make the light function. The small DC battery of the Baja Designs system would only light it for a few seconds anyways if the light was wired DC. The Ricky Stator has two 100W legs, I'm running one leg to a AC voltage regulator, through the switch to the light. The other 100W leg goes to the Baja Designs voltage regulator/rectifier to convert it to DC and run the tail light, turn signals ect.

I like having the ability to turn the light off during the day while I'm on the trail. With the 100W bulb installed it's VERY bright. I've got the light angled down on the street and within a couple seconds can reach up and re-aim the light for off road use.

Hodakaguy

I have been emailing Forrest with Wheeling Cycle Supply about the replacement flashers and he has now added them to their site and can be ordered online.

Bump this just so I won't have to scroll down while I'm doing mine! Thanks again for the footwork and documentation.

BUMP just to show off that I got mine in the mail finally, 45 min start to finish!! I used a hot knife rather than drill and saw like you though, not as clean but suits me fine. Thanks for the Idea!!

Wow! This is the cleanest, brightest, best looking setup I've seen.
Can you do a newbie a favor and show how and where the electrical hookups are made? Seems like you need a place to hide the electronic flasher ... Thanks!