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'06 KLE headlight fixed!!!
Evening all,
Spent a couple of hours this arvo fixing my KLE's shortcomings after converting to a HID setup. As you all will be aware the '06 model has indepenant lights, one for low beam and one for high. For the princely sum of $15.85, which purchased some wire, heatshrink and a relay (I had some wire cutter/strippers and solder/soldering iron and various connectors lying around) I converted the independant lights to a genuine hi/low beam setup. This is due to the number of homicidal/suicidal kangaroos in my neck of the woods at present, especially after dark, and the latent warm up time of HID globes. Basically the fix is done by tapping in to both the high and low beam circuits and inserting a relay which runs power directly from the battery (fused) to the low beam once the high beam is switched on. I figure that the draw from a single 55W globe is not so much less than 2x 35W HID's since they only draw 2W each once warm. Tested it tonight and it worked like a beaut. Might take some pictures and draw some mud-maps if anyone is interested.... Cheers Ian |
Some pics would be great. I am still toying with the idea of keeping my KLE and doing some ADV mods to it and buying a quad as a toy ot buying a KTM or BMW when I return home from working OS.
The more I read about what other KLE riders in the world are doing with thier bikes, I am really seriously considering keeping the KLE. Have you seen Adventure MX KLE 500 :thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1: Happy riding |
Hey where in NSW are you??
I just relayed my high beam, will also set it up to run low beam. The stator puts out about 230W so there would be no issue running two halogens even, as long as its through a relay from the battery. |
Jimmy101,
Am in Gulgong... No real need for pictures of the install, but it works like this... Run a fused wire from Battery +ve along the existing wiring loom up to the heatlight region, this wire goes to the supply side of the relay. Next you need to tap into both the low and high beam power feed wires behind the headlight (before the HID conversion wiring) so that the mod works even after the HID is removed. The switched battery power from the relay is wired to the LOW beam power feed wire. The high beam power feed wire is taken to the relay and used as the exciter wire to pull the relay in when the high beam is switched on. All that is left to do is earth the remaining leg of the relay. Doing it by numbers is simple enough: pin 87 to low beam feed pin 30 to fused battery +ve pin 85 to ground pin 86 to high beam feed Relay just gets cable tied to the headlight support bracket and wiring neatly taped/tied up. Cheers Ian |
I like to keep my relays under the seat - each to their own, but seeing as your tapping into the plugs up there I suppose its a good spot. Thanks for info.
By the way all Narva do a relay with a 30 amp blade fuse in it!. very neat solution as you dont need to attach any in-line fuse. Most Repco shops have them in AUS. |
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Being a renowned tight-arse Kawasaki owner I was saving on the cost of copper wire (doing my bit for the planet you know!), and used a "recycled" fuse holder for the wire close to the battery... Cheers Ian |
Question for Ian
Gidday Ian :)
You mentioned on here you did a HID conversion on your KLE... got any details? With fitting my fog lights as I mentioned in another post I have come up against the limitations of the KLE alternator output and will be replacing the 55w bulbs with 35's. How do you find the headlights woth the HID setup? I read once that HID conversions don't work well going into a reflector designed for halogen bulbs but I do like the idea of lowering the headlight wattage cheers Tracy |
I am certain I wrote something up on it here - or it might have been on the ADV rider site...
Anyways bought a cheap set from ebay (about $140.00) from memory, ultra-slim ballasts are the ticket! http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1815.jpg Inside the box http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1818.jpg Comparing the globe focal points - they match! http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1849.jpg Made up a nice mounting plate below the instrument cluster http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1853.jpg http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...IMGP1854-1.jpg Wiring is direct from the existing loom, although now modified as per the posts previous... New globes in existing holes http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1855.jpg Before Low beam http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1847.jpg After Low beam http://i322.photobucket.com/albums/n...8/IMGP1851.jpg The light is a much brighter light cutting through the dark better than std. I suspect that the KLE reflectors work better than most for this purpose. It is also imperative that you are aware of headlight aiming, as these lights tend to be a little harsher on oncoming drivers if you are carrying a larger load on the bike. You will get "flashed" as they appear to be much brighter to other road users. I live in a 'roo infested area and we have the highest incidence of insurance claims for kangaroo strikes in NSW. To date the lights have more than paid for themselves in locating roos ahead and allowing me to stop/slow/avoid them. I will be taking them with me if I replace this KLE with another, and the conversion will work identically with the KLR as the lights are the same :clap: Cheers Ian |
Thanks
[QUOTE=Jameseye;244622]Jimmy101,
pin 87 to low beam feed pin 30 to fused battery +ve pin 85 to ground pin 86 to high beam feed Relay just gets cable tied to the headlight support bracket and wiring neatly taped/tied up. I know it is an old post but still relevant. Thanks Ian for the heads up on this. Bought an '07 KLE500 for my eldest and have been annoyed by the poor lighting. Have done your suggested fix to have both high and low remain on when switched to high beam. Also have mounted LED driving lights separately wired and relayed to fit with law and minimise strain on charging system. Love the ide of running HID high only so as not to get the attention of the law. Again thanks for sharing. |
Must have Jonah'd me with the last post; the low beam ballast has shite itself and I have another on order (and my haven't prices dropped!) $20 for a locally stocked ballast via ebay :clap:
This is without doubt the best mod for the KLE in terms of night time ridability and safety (being seen) Cheers Ian |
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