What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
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19Delta
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What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by 19Delta »

So my son rode his first enduro yesterday, and he had a nice introduction to a tree. Thankfully he's not hurt, and the damage isn't horrible!

I want to keep a headlight. Is there any easy upgrades? I would like a brighter light, without upgrading electrical system. LED?

Anybody have ideas? Image

Thanks guys!

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mudmonkey
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Re: What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by mudmonkey »

If you're looking for a cheap option you can get the 'alien' style universal headlights for around £20 here in the UK (you must have a cheap US equivalent). It probably works out cheaper than just replacing the standard cowl!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Apico-Ali ... XQR-dREUEc

If you're looking for something much brighter you might want to consider an upgraded lighting coil, Ricky Stator offers 85w lighting coils so this is your best option (someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i think 35w is standard, so if you do end up just getting replacement lights that are more powerful they may actually turn out to be dimmer as you only have 35w available).

I haven't seen too many led headlights around, but the other option is you could switch to an led tail-light, it would put less draw on the lighting system leaving more available for the headlight (if that makes sense! lol)
mudmonkey
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Re: What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by mudmonkey »

Alternatively you could rewind the coil yourself....
http://www.kdxrider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10226
Dekon
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What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by Dekon »

I have this one on my '89. It does come in green

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-Dirt-Bike- ... Tj&vxp=mtr

Just go on ebay and search KDX headlight and find one you like.
ohgood
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What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by ohgood »

19Delta wrote:So my son rode his first enduro yesterday, and he had a nice introduction to a tree. Thankfully he's not hurt, and the damage isn't horrible!

I want to keep a headlight. Is there any easy upgrades? I would like a brighter light, without upgrading electrical system. LED?

Anybody have ideas? Image

Thanks guys!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
man he must be sore today after that. yikes

I gave up on finding a cheap and durable light for hard enduro on my drz after multiple lens replacements. since then I replaced the stock headlight with two 18w LED bars, in the same location. they have been excellent for over two years of tackling trees, and shrug off hand-sized rocks/roost, all while drawing much less power than incandescent. (longevity/durability report)

when the kdx was made street legal, legal, I ordered another pair, made my own bracket, and wired it to the stock harness. after much fiddling with different bars, pods, etc I went back to that same LED bar, and added a gy6 (scooter voltage regulator, cheap, eBay) and a 1.3Ah battery to the circuit. with the battery, killing the engine on a long downhill doesn't mean being plunged into darkness. I can even run a small air compressor (Walmart) or leave it on for half an hour or more for trailside repairs or setting up camp. I might have gone to far when I added a plug to charge my phone, since dirty bikes are supposed to be simple! ;-)

here's the single bar in question, don't let it's daytime looks fool your, it's plenty! (18watt 30 degree)
Image


and the completely overkill setup (two 27watt round 60 degree pods with one 18watt 20 degree spot) I used until I realized out just want needed:
Image


for led you won't need to Rewind the stator (I did anyway) but the battery makes a HUGE improvement both in smoothness (the DC provided from the gy6 regulator rectifier) in light output and usability.
mudmonkey
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Re: What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by mudmonkey »

Sounds like a great idea! At what point in the circuit do you add the battery? Do you have a link to the type of battery you used?
ohgood
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Re: What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by ohgood »

I replaced the stock RR with the gy6 RR because I suspected it wasn't working properly...

so the red and yellow stator wires go directly to the gy6 RR, then the +/- leads feed the battery, and then the lights. it's very simple to do, you're basically replacing the headlights feed with your own wire. https://www.batteriesplus.com/battery/s ... laa12=1.3f

that's the battery. i hung it under the left subframes rail.
cornishwrecker220
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What should I replace busted headlight housing with?

Post by cornishwrecker220 »

UFO plastics make a universal headlight called ``Ghibli` & its identical to the OE Kawasaki item ( I have one & it works well )
As for upgrading the headlight , unless you ride at night & don't expect too much from the 35w bulb then it works ok....I have been doing some night rides with friends & we have all purchased `Cree` T6 XML 7000 lumens bike lights with a 3hr rechargeable battery , I have attached mine to the bar pad with the battery & its great, & powerful too !!! :grin:
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