Trail Tech Vapor; Yes or No?
- jad628
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Trail Tech Vapor; Yes or No?
Okay, rule out price. My question is directed at those who have some experience with the Vapor model. I plan on mounting it on my '95 KDX200 and running it off of internal battery power. I've heard about some issues with voltage when hard-wired and the battery seems fairly long-lived for someone like me who only rides occasionally and mostly in daytime. I do like the RPM feature as well.
What says ye?
What says ye?
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- TWMOODY
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With external power it works great on the KDX !
Using power from the KDX the tach is worthless.
Using it with just the internal batteries it will last
a couple months but you will have no back light
and other light functions won't work.
Don't bother getting it if you don't buy the billet
mount also as the supplied mount looks like it might
last a week or two before it breaks.
Using power from the KDX the tach is worthless.
Using it with just the internal batteries it will last
a couple months but you will have no back light
and other light functions won't work.
Don't bother getting it if you don't buy the billet
mount also as the supplied mount looks like it might
last a week or two before it breaks.
- 220ripper
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I've had mine on my 97 220 since the end of last season, I spliced it through my headlight wiring to provide power to the computer. Without running it to an external power source it doesnt have a fulltime backlight and the shift light indicators don't work ( not that you will really use those but the full time backlight is nice especially if you're riding in the trees). The battery in the computer will last you for a season give or take depending on how much you ride.
I havent bought the billet mount and have used the stock provided one, I agree with TWMOODY that the stock provided one is junky but I haven't bailed yet and am still using the stock one without issue.
the install is quite easy there are 4 connections that will need to be wired up:
Spedo: this imo is the most difficult one, it requires you to drill a hole in your front brake mount. Measure twice drill once.
Engine temp: cut out a small section of one of your coolant hoses and install the sensor- this part is quite easy
RPM- easiest of them all. Wrap the sensor wire around the spark plug wire
Power- run to battery or cut into bikes power supply.
total install time about 45 minutes
If I could do it all over again I would get the voyager. They hadn't come out with it when I purchased my Vapor, I saw one at the bike show and with the woods riding I do a GPS would come in handy. The vapor is still a tidy little unit!
I havent bought the billet mount and have used the stock provided one, I agree with TWMOODY that the stock provided one is junky but I haven't bailed yet and am still using the stock one without issue.
the install is quite easy there are 4 connections that will need to be wired up:
Spedo: this imo is the most difficult one, it requires you to drill a hole in your front brake mount. Measure twice drill once.
Engine temp: cut out a small section of one of your coolant hoses and install the sensor- this part is quite easy
RPM- easiest of them all. Wrap the sensor wire around the spark plug wire
Power- run to battery or cut into bikes power supply.
total install time about 45 minutes
If I could do it all over again I would get the voyager. They hadn't come out with it when I purchased my Vapor, I saw one at the bike show and with the woods riding I do a GPS would come in handy. The vapor is still a tidy little unit!
- TWMOODY
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220ripper wrote:I've had mine on my 97 220 since the end of last season, I spliced it through my headlight wiring to provide power to the computer. Without running it to an external power source it doesnt have a fulltime backlight and the shift light indicators don't work ( not that you will really use those but the full time backlight is nice especially if you're riding in the trees). The battery in the computer will last you for a season give or take depending on how much you ride.
I havent bought the billet mount and have used the stock provided one, I agree with TWMOODY that the stock provided one is junky but I haven't bailed yet and am still using the stock one without issue.
the install is quite easy there are 4 connections that will need to be wired up:
Spedo: this imo is the most difficult one, it requires you to drill a hole in your front brake mount. Measure twice drill once.
Engine temp: cut out a small section of one of your coolant hoses and install the sensor- this part is quite easy
RPM- easiest of them all. Wrap the sensor wire around the spark plug wire
Power- run to battery or cut into bikes power supply.
total install time about 45 minutes
If I could do it all over again I would get the voyager. They hadn't come out with it when I purchased my Vapor, I saw one at the bike show and with the woods riding I do a GPS would come in handy. The vapor is still a tidy little unit!
So the only time your back light works is when the headlight is on correct
other wise the tach goes screwy.
I moved my Vapor from my KDX to my KX450f and now that I think about it the back light is to bright for me even before dark and interferes
with my vision, like having the dash lights on full bright in the car at night.
I thought it was kinda cool when I bought it but looking back it was just a waste of money. I don't really ever look at the thing when I'm riding and the only real thing I use on it is the hour meter.
Last edited by TWMOODY on 06:42 pm Jun 06 2011, edited 1 time in total.
- TWMOODY
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The guys at Trail Tech fixed the problem then.220ripper wrote:backlight only works when the headlight is on... I trail ride during the daytime, it doesn't really matter if my headlight is on or not.... The tach never goes screwy whether the power is on or not
I had several contacts with them about this issue and they
could not fix it.
They even had someone bring a KDX in for testing and gave them a
free Vapor.
There is still a thread on here a few years back about this that I started.
Here it is- http://kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.ph ... ight=vapor
- SS109
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I don't have the Vapor but I do have the Vector and really like it. Like has been mentioned, tucking the wires took the most time. I used the factory odometer bracket to mount mine to. Drilled two small holes and used the supplied screws.
Youtube Channel: WildAzzRacing
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
AZ State Parks & Trails OHV Ambassador - Trail Riders of Southern AZ
Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
'11 GasGas EC250R
- 220ripper
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- jad628
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Thanks! I've e-mailed them and awaiting a reply.220ripper wrote:http://www.trailtech.net/912-500.html
I'm still curious why so many people talk about the headlight needing to be on before the unit gets power. If you splice into the power prior to the switch, isn't it hot?
- TWMOODY
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If you hook it up where its powered WITHOUT the light being on
the tach will go screwy, once the light is turned on the tach is ok.
The claim trail tech makes is that you can hook this up to ANY power source
( 12-100v ac/dc) and it will work.
I say BULLSHIT, the tach won't work properly on the kdx when the unit is powered with the lights turned off.
Far to much variance of voltage and AC ripple when the light is not turned on.
the tach will go screwy, once the light is turned on the tach is ok.
The claim trail tech makes is that you can hook this up to ANY power source
( 12-100v ac/dc) and it will work.
I say BULLSHIT, the tach won't work properly on the kdx when the unit is powered with the lights turned off.
Far to much variance of voltage and AC ripple when the light is not turned on.
- jad628
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That makes sense, and it's probably why they [now] carry a voltage regulator accessory for about $15. Worth every penny I bet.TWMOODY wrote:If you hook it up where its powered WITHOUT the light being on
the tach will go screwy, once the light is turned on the tach is ok.
The claim trail tech makes is that you can hook this up to ANY power source
( 12-100v ac/dc) and it will work.
I say BULLSHIT, the tach won't work properly on the kdx when the unit is powered with the lights turned off.
Far to much variance of voltage and AC ripple when the light is not turned on.