Headlight Upgrade

Night riding is great fun if you have some moon to help. The biggest problem with recreating the Team Honda race setup for lighting is you'll be without the ability to see ten feet to the side when you are turning and looking for stuff. Hence the helmet lighting is a great option. The big lighting kits will require a big stator too. The helmet stuff is usually battery powered.

Riding at night can be a little more challenging than I would have expected before doing it. If you are riding with a group you'll have lights going everywhere and that effect is really tiring on your eyes and the parts of your brain that process that visual data. There are a lot of areas in your peripheral vision that are without data and then suddenly they randomly start flashing data on and off. Really taxes your brain I think. Plus, if you aren't making first dust then you'll be surprised at how the dust from other riders reflects light - way worse than during the day.

Finally, you should consider getting some of those cheap flashing red lights like bicyclists use. Put one on your helmet and maybe two more on your tank or somewhere protected but unobstructed. If you have a sudden yard sale and the power on your scoot goes off, you might be difficult to find without something flashing.

Tuscon is spectacular. If I lived there I'd definitely be doing a few full moon nights of riding all night every year. Man, I bet those saguaro cactus would be super spooky when you are flyin by them in the dark! Perhaps not too close to the border though ... I grew up skiing at Parker and love that area from Mead to the border.

Let me know if you try it and what you think. If I lived closer I'd loan you my light. I have the BD 8" HID but have it aimed in-between close-in and race-horizon. If I ever get to ride at night again I'd like to have a bike powered helmet setup too.

You might go out to a local night race and see what you think of the lighting setups. Everybody, me included, thinks you're gonna be a lot faster at night than you end up being in reality ... Perhaps same is true for the daytime :~)

I'm glad you mentioned the helmet light. I've actually got a "head lamp" with a belt clip battery compartment that's pretty darn bright. It, and the upgrade should work fine until that wonderful day I upgrade the stator and plunk down the large green for an outstanding lighting system.

10-4 on the new challenges of night riding. But what are GOOD aspects?

Tucson is indeed, spectacular! Even from the center of town, one is no more than 30-40 minutes from a cool trail, leading into the unique Sonoran Desert. The number of riding spots is mind-boggling. If you find yourself here, drop me a line. I've got a spare XR600R.

Faster at night? Not a chance!!!

Dave

Is there a bulb swap you can do to improve the existing light?
(cheap, that is)

Off the Grid wrote:Is there a bulb swap you can do to improve the existing light?
(cheap, that is)

Focker has a good suggestion earlier in this thread.

Dave

Doin any night riding yet? Not silly enough to ask for photos but if so how's it going?

Bump wrote:Doin any night riding yet? Not silly enough to ask for photos but if so how's it going?

Hey Bump:

I've only done some slab, and short trail rides at night, thus far (nothing noteworthy).

I'm in the process of thinking out an evening/night ride around the backside of the Catalina Mountians, though.

The local quad doods do this night ride quite often, but it would suck to be stuck with them. Massive amounts of dust, blinding lights, slow movement, dead qwads and crazy staging areas come to mind....

I'm not afraid of night shots anymore. I got me a SB-400 flash for my cheepo Nikon D40!

Dave

PS: Any, all Tucson/AZ riders please report back on doing a night ride through the Catalina range, or the Santa Rita's!

I just wanted to add that my "new" pig came with the A-3603 bulb mod (high and low beam contacts soldered together for 50W).

On dark trails, it's scary dim. Not as scary as stock, but still bad. It's not lacking juice, either. It only "competes" with two LED tail lights.

Back to re-reading this thread and upgrading.

Dave

I'll keep a lookout for you too. what are your parameters and budget? Email me.
I have the BD 8" HID but am moving to the Halogen. The HID doesn't create shadows and detail I can see.

Dave P wrote:I just wanted to add that my "new" pig came with the A-3603 bulb mod (high and low beam contacts soldered together for 50W).

On dark trails, it's scary dim. Not as scary as stock, but still bad. It's not lacking juice, either. It only "competes" with two LED tail lights.

Back to re-reading this thread and upgrading.

Dave

I'll let you know when I emerge from my current state of confusion. The OEM glass lens and 55W bulb would probably suit my needs for moderate to slow riding, but I know a step higher would be awesome.

My first order of business should be buying an upgraded stator. DC power would be nice for my GPS, horn, phone, latte maker, cooled jacket, etc.

Dave

Keep an eye out for a used one. Or do it yourself. The done ones are expensive.

I'll have to find the link mon @ work but there's a thread out there where truck guys are modding the hella 500 driving lights with an e-bay 4300k HID kit - cheap - easy to do, and light weight. I'm going to do the mod and fab up a mount once I get a chance - building a house and doing alot of the work so the XR650R is kind of on the back burner for now.

I'll post the Hella 500 HID mod link mon.

I made a custom headlight using housings from a yamaha zuma, custom bracket I made and 90/100 watt bulbs from ricky stator. I also have a ricky stator 200W stator upgrade. works great, throughs out alot of light.

My kind of overkill!!!

If I am going to bother I figure I better go big.

05:

That's very cool and unique!

How was the stator upgrade and wiring? Easy, PITA?

Dave

It was not bad at all, the stator went in with no problems. no special tools needed to remove the stator like some other bikes. the Time consuming part was wiring in everything associated with the DS kit I made. I integrated everything in the factory wiring harness, as well as upgraded the power feed to the headlight to a larger gauge wire. I am running mine in single output config. so I have 200W of AC power to run the cdi box and the lights. eventually I will probebly run a rectifier so I can run a gps of the bike power but thats later. I also swaped out all the bullet connectors on the bike to deutsch connectors (waterproof, durable, easily de-pinned)

Sorry for the long reply,

Ethan

Ethan:

Thanks for the info.

I'm starting to believe I might be able to figure out the wiring, myself.

Here's the link - http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82281

ded6080 wrote:Here's the link - http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=82281

Cool! Thanks ded6080!

Dave

Dave P wrote:What's the max wattage I can go with the stock stator? I should probably just bite the bullet and drop a new stator in the pig, but times are a bit tough right now (damn it).

TIA!

Electrically Challenged Dave

Or buy the right wire and rewind your own stator for $20. My brother in-law did his, I'm waiting for my gasket to come and then he will do mine. All it cost me is dinner probably. :-)

Isn't there a guy on this forum from OZ with a claimed 350 watt stator? I'd call BD and ask them about going past 200. If no one else will perhaps I will. Kinda interesting really. Gosh that makes me seem dull...

modette wrote:

Dave P wrote:What's the max wattage I can go with the stock stator? I should probably just bite the bullet and drop a new stator in the pig, but times are a bit tough right now (damn it).

TIA!

Electrically Challenged Dave

Or buy the right wire and rewind your own stator for $20. My brother in-law did his, I'm waiting for my gasket to come and then he will do mine. All it cost me is dinner probably. :-)

Dave P wrote:Crit Rat:

When I ordered the glass lens from Honda, I asked them to add a bulb to the order if they had a perfect fit for the lens. So, I guess the answer is no. It did not come as a complete unit. It's a Honda part, though. I can't wait to try it out. Man, the stock bulb is horrific!

Do you have the bulb part number Dave?

Joe:

I only have the # stamped on the bulb.

It's a Stanley, #JA12V55W. On the back side, IL4.

Dave

Dave P wrote:Joe:

I only have the # stamped on the bulb.

It's a Stanley, #JA12V55W. On the back side, IL4.

Dave

Thanks Dave!

trail tech's lights are another option. I've got the hid version and they are amazing over the stock lights.

stock bulp on mine was a 35watt
i replaced it with a 45watt and it works nice
maybe i should try a 55watt.

a new stator is the best option i think