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Dual sport question
Posted: 04:52 pm Mar 24 2009
by morbidphil0622
I am working the idea of converting my 99 kdx220 to a dual sport after I do my front end swap and I had a couple of questions.
Now obviously I have a headlight and tail light but how can I make the headlight have high/low beam function? is there actually any way to do this or do I need to buy a kit for it.
Also I was wondering how you would convert the tail light to act as an actual brake light ( brighter when brakes are applied ) or should I just buy a Baja Designs kit? If I do need to buy the kit what are my other options besides Baja Designs version?
I know these questions have most likely been asked and answered before but I have searched and found no results..
Posted: 05:01 pm Mar 24 2009
by barryadam
Baja Designs kit has everything you described. The KDX kit used to have a mechanical spring activated switch on the rear brake. I had them supply a pressure sensor that replaces your banjo bolt on the rear mastercylinder, which may be std now as that is what they use on the rest of the kits. They give you a small braket that relocates the reservoir out of the way, but see the posts on frame guards for a better mount.
You need a brake light with 3 contacts, 2 filaments. The stock KDX won't do it. Same with the headlight. Your state may require DOT lights, or tires, or ???
You can piece all of this together , or get a kit from BD, E-line, as well as others. Depends on what you want to do with it. Best to know exactly what your state regs are for conversion before you start. BD has a lot of that data available.
Posted: 05:12 pm Mar 24 2009
by morbidphil0622
My state requires that I have a mirror, horn, functioning brake light, high/low beam headlights for 250cc and above (I want high beams anyways), D.O.T. approved tires, and if the bike has turn signals they have to be working properly, otherwise you dont need them. After all of this is on I can have the bike insured, inspected, then I have to take my greensheet down to the D.M.V. and they will issue a new title and plates..
I just wanted to know the easiest way to go about putting some of this stuff on. I would like to take more of a custom approach rather than buy some kit if you know what I mean. Maybe I can take the setup off of a streetbike and use it?? although it might require more power or a battery..
Just trying to do my homework before I go buy a 500 dollar kit..
Posted: 08:34 pm Mar 24 2009
by ThePearl
I have an Electro sport kit on my KDX 200. Easy install, but I haven't got it charging the battery yet. Instructions are not that great and I'm not good at electrical so bad combo.
Right now I just keep my battery on a tender and that runs the brake lights & blinkers fine.
Posted: 08:31 am Mar 25 2009
by morbidphil0622
Would a hydraulic brake switch be better than one of the spring loaded manual switches or is it just a matter of preference?
Posted: 11:17 pm Mar 25 2009
by AtomicKDX
I got the fredette spring loaded mechanical rear pedal brake switch, and it works reliably and fine. It has a wire that is attached to the brake pedal that pulls on the switch to activate it when the pedal is depressed. But if I had the choice, I would rather have the hydraulic one...seems more robust than the plastic mechanical switch.
morbidphil0622 wrote:Would a hydraulic brake switch be better than one of the spring loaded manual switches or is it just a matter of preference?
Posted: 11:21 pm Mar 25 2009
by Indawoods
I have a hydraulic switch on mine and it is flawless...
Posted: 07:03 am Mar 27 2009
by Kurt Franz
Here is some good information:
http://farplaces.com/dual.htm
I have a dual sported KDX. You can do it your self and save a ton of money. I was going to buy one of those DS kits but once i researched it a bit I found out what a ripoff they really are with regards to the wiring harness. They charge you between 100 and 200 dolllars for parts that cost a fraction of that.
I spent about $120 for all of the items i needed to convert mine.
brake switch - 12
wires - 5
rectifier 3
battery 16
turn signals 30 - rear only (ohio does not require any at all but i wanted rear for extra safety with all of these bozos on cell phones these days)
rear license plate holder with license plate light 30
mirror 8
horn 10
handlebar switch 6 - used got on ebay off of klr 650
turn signal flasher - 5
other stuff
gps mount - 16
garmin gpsV - 75 found on craigslist
need to get
dual sport tires - 100
so..i figure for about $300 - 350 I will have all of this stuff.
I dont know what those kits cost, but i have a feeling that they are more than that..
just something to think about....
Posted: 11:38 am Mar 27 2009
by canyncarvr
Kurt:
What kind of electrical info can you supply for your setup?
A brake light, battery, rectifier, GPS, license plate light, etc...I'd like to see the setup that makes all that happen with 45W out of the light coil.
I'm curious how the battery charges if there isn't a regulator. ..although...you didn't say the battery DOES charge, so maybe it doesn't?
From the link:
The EPA doesn't regulate the end user in this regard.
The EPA may not...but the DEQ in the state of Oregon sure does!! And so does the DMV in the state.
Posted: 12:55 pm Mar 27 2009
by Kurt Franz
canyncarvr wrote:Kurt:
What kind of electrical info can you supply for your setup?
A brake light, battery, rectifier, GPS, license plate light, etc...I'd like to see the setup that makes all that happen with 45W out of the light coil.
I'm curious how the battery charges if there isn't a regulator. ..although...you didn't say the battery DOES charge, so maybe it doesn't?
From the link:
The EPA doesn't regulate the end user in this regard.
Here is how I did it:
I bought a 12V 1.5 amp battery - it is small enough to fit in the air box
First and foremost you dont do anything to the ignition circuit - just the lighting circuit - which is the yellow wire coming from stator. The KDX already has a regulator on it - it has to in order to allow the lights to work - otherwise they would blow due to fluctuations in the ac voltage from the stator.
Basically you are taking the power from the stator - going directly to the regulator (the grey heatsink lokking thing under the seat behinf airbox) and from there going to the rectifier - which converts the AC to DC. From the rectifier you go to the battery.
Then power everything from the battery instead of directly from the stator. The stator will keep the battery fully charged.
I found that my lights were a bit brighter and nothing dimmed when I hit the brakes or put the turn signals on.
I useed zip ties to fasten the battery to the inside wall of the air box.
The rectifier i placed next to the regulator.
The turn signal switch is up along the frame.
Took a while to figure it out - but it seems to work well and it is nice to have rear turn signals for the ride and then take them off when I get to the trail head.
Does that help clarify it at all? You really need to have the wiring diagram handy when doing it. The website I referenced in my post was where I got my inspiration for doing it.....
My GPS is battery powered and is not powered from the system - but it is a small draw regardless.
I installed the battery because I wanted turn signals and the horn. Prior to this I still had everything else that I referenced just running off of the stator.
The EPA may not...but the DEQ in the state of Oregon sure does!! And so does the DMV in the state.
Posted: 01:41 pm Mar 27 2009
by canyncarvr
I understand.
A full-wave bridge is going to drop about 1.5V across the two diodes that are forward biased one each part of the input AC cycle. I've never hooked up a bridge to the Kaw regulator to see exactly what comes out the other side...figured with things as meager as they are, losing another 1.5V wasn't likley going to be helpful.
BUT...the battery is the unknown. Will it charge sufficiently to have the reserve necessary to supply power when you NEED it..for as LONG as you need it? It might.
Which gets me back to thinking about hooking up a bridge to see what happens.
Thanks!
..a bit of capacitance added to the circuit would help the battery a good bit. The battery would see less ^^^^^^^ and more ---------- (with reference voltage like this _________ ).
Posted: 03:20 pm Mar 27 2009
by Kurt Franz
canyncarvr wrote:I understand.
A full-wave bridge is going to drop about 1.5V across the two diodes that are forward biased one each part of the input AC cycle. I've never hooked up a bridge to the Kaw regulator to see exactly what comes out the other side...figured with things as meager as they are, losing another 1.5V wasn't likley going to be helpful.
BUT...the battery is the unknown. Will it charge sufficiently to have the reserve necessary to supply power when you NEED it..for as LONG as you need it? It might.
Which gets me back to thinking about hooking up a bridge to see what happens.
Thanks!
..a bit of capacitance added to the circuit would help the battery a good bit. The battery would see less ^^^^^^^ and more ---------- (with reference voltage like this _________ ).
All that would be necessary would be to vary the size of the battery.....i have the small 1.3 AH battery - but you could get a 5 AH which is not much bigger........
it's all fun right?
Posted: 03:28 pm Mar 27 2009
by canyncarvr
Time to warm up the o-scope I guess..............
My interest isn't dual-sport. Can't do that in this state. Actually, the state DMV is pulling licenses from 'legal' bikes that have BEEN licensed for years. If there are no specs listed for your bike for sniffer testing (meaning it has one'a those 'not for use on public road' stickers..you can pay to license it. Then the DMV will send you a letter telling you bring your plate back.
Anyway..I'm interested in getting a better light output at idle speeds..from a batt that's been nicely sucking amps at higher engine speeds.