KLR 650 Modifications

[Qaz]

What does the Doohickey do on the KLR and what happens if it is not replaced?

[Offcamber]

Originally Posted by Qaz

What does the Doohickey do on the KLR and what happens if it is not replaced?

http://www.klrworld.com/index.php?op...144&Itemid=227

I'd reccomend buying parts and tools from Eagle Mike...http://www.eaglemike.com/

[IDRIDR]

Thanks all for the replies. Yes, will be checking power draw for all of this equipment compared to stator output. Also thinking of putting the axillary lamps on some type of on/off/on switch (e.g. on with city light or low beam / off / on with high beam) with switch controlling a relay. Now it seems I'm getting into four relays, and was trying to minimize that.

Originally Posted by XDragRacer

TPI sells a "plug 'n' play" dual-relay harness for KLR's; requires one hot wire connection to battery (fused lead) and one frame ground connection proximate to headlight connector.

You could use this for your scheme; use city lights circuit for control voltage to low beam relay; tap off high and low beam power leads for your other circuits.

Harness is intended for trick "Canadian" headlight bulb (sold by TPI also), which I found highly effective. Don't see a need for simultaneous high and low beams myself with the trick bulb, but YMMV. Assume reflector could stand the heat from simultaneous high and low beam filament activation; assume chosen harness battery hot wire fuse will handle simultaneously current from high and low beams, grip heaters, auxiliary lights, and auxiliary power outlet load.

Might check overall wattage against stock stator output; might be pushin' it!

I looked at the TPI also and that's a consideration. It looks like it connects to battery + & -, not frame (may have been different before). Does the trick TPI bulb do anything extra for high beam? Description sounds like its more of a low beam benefit.

Are you also using the TPI non-USA headlight switch?

Originally Posted by GO_OUTSIDE!

I would rather have heated grips than 2 filaments burning in my headlight.

I see this too, but depends on when and where.

Originally Posted by GAS GUY

The heated grips should get its own relay.
Are you going to have a switch or rheostat for the heat control?
Generaly, if you run any kind of amperage through a switch they wont live long.
Use the heated grips switch to trigger the relay,and run the amperage to the grips through the relay.
You can also get mini relays,if you want smaller.

The grip heat kit is the inexpensive Tusk brand without rheostat. I know, I know, this is a cheap piece of equipment, but honestly, I've used the same model on the KLX for two years now and for the price I've been happy. Is there a rheostat someone would recommend, and if so, I suppose a switch controls the relay and a rheostat between the relay and heater elements.

Where can I get mini relays? Is this a Radio Shack thing?

[GAS GUY]

The grip heat kit is the inexpensive Tusk brand without rheostat. I know, I know, this is a cheap piece of equipment, but honestly, I've used the same model on the KLX for two years now and for the price I've been happy. Is there a rheostat someone would recommend, and if so, I suppose a switch controls the relay and a rheostat between the relay and heater elements.

Where can I get mini relays? Is this a Radio Shack thing?


I am not for sure on the rheostat,but I bet that they are made to handle the amps and probably would not need a relay,unless you wanted a relay triggered by" switched" power in case you forget to turn the dial off and run the battery down.(no manual switch)
Check auto parts suppliers for the mini relays.
If I get a chance later I will try to post up a comparo pic of a standard and mini relay.

[IDRIDR]

Originally Posted by GAS GUY

...unless you wanted a relay triggered by" switched" power in case you forget to turn the dial off and run the battery down.(no manual switch).

Yes, I would do something like leaving the rheostat on and killing the battery. The grip heater needs to go on switched power. I'm thinking the power outlet wouldn't need switched power (e.g. phone charger). The grip heater on the KLX uses a SPST switch ordered from digikey; I didn't use the Tusk switch or the resistor for low heat setting. It's just on or off. A rheostat would be preferable for the KLR where more road miles are expected.

[fleshpiston]

As long as we're on the subject of electrics (which I completely suck at) I want to replace the ignition cylinder/key with a single on/off toggle switch. How would I go about this? Is it as simple as all hot wires to one side of switch and ground to the other? Will this blow stuff up and start fires and kill kittens?



.

[IDRIDR]

Originally Posted by fleshpiston

As long as we're on the subject of electrics (which I completely suck at) I want to replace the ignition cylinder/key with a single on/off toggle switch. How would I go about this? Is it as simple as all hot wires to one side of switch and ground to the other? Will this blow stuff up and start fires and kill kittens?

I did this on my KLX and I'm assuming it could be done on the KLR also.

[XDragRacer]

Originally Posted by IDRIDR

I looked at the TPI also and that's a consideration. It looks like it connects to battery + & -, not frame (may have been different before). Does the trick TPI bulb do anything extra for high beam? Description sounds like its more of a low beam benefit.

Are you also using the TPI non-USA headlight switch?

Trust me, on my harness, the ground wire lead is near the headlight bulb connector; you could run a lead back to the battery negative terminal, but . . . I think Mr. TPI intended a frame ground near the bulb.

(The two relays (for high- and low-beam) pick up their control voltages through the existing headlight wiring and switchgear; the bulb is powered through the new battery positive connector and harness relay contacts, and grounded at the frame ground described.)

The high beam of the trick bulb is more intense and better focused than that of the OEM bulb; however, the most dramatic change (as in night and day) is with the low beam.

You will need no additional relays nor switches with the circuit I proposed (low-beam relay control voltage from city lights, if you want constand low beam on with ignition switch; tap low beam power lead for heated grips, tap high beam power lead for auxiliary lights. Caveats remain regarding simultaneous activation of high- and low-beam filaments, fuse ratings, power budget.)

[IDRIDR]

Originally Posted by XDragRacer

Trust me, on my harness, the ground wire lead is near the headlight bulb connector; you could run a lead back to the battery negative terminal, but . . . I think Mr. TPI intended a frame ground near the bulb.

(The two relays (for high- and low-beam) pick up their control voltages through the existing headlight wiring and switchgear; the bulb is powered through the new battery positive connector and harness relay contacts, and grounded at the frame ground described.)

The high beam of the trick bulb is more intense and better focused than that of the OEM bulb; however, the most dramatic change (as in night and day) is with the low beam.

You will need no additional relays nor switches with the circuit I proposed (low-beam relay control voltage from city lights, if you want constand low beam on with ignition switch; tap low beam power lead for heated grips, tap high beam power lead for auxiliary lights. Caveats remain regarding simultaneous activation of high- and low-beam filaments, fuse ratings, power budget.)

Thanks X.
I trust you on the harness - just that I read today what TPI said about the harness negative connecting to the battery. Works either way...

One question remains though...do you (or anyone else around here) also use the non-USA headlight switch assembly? Turning off headlights all together isn't a bad thing at times.

If I go with the TPI bulb and dual-relay harness, it sounds like I have no need for both beams on at the same time. I ran both on the KLX and it made a nice improvement without any problems. Plus, there could definitely be power supply issues. I hear ya there.



Now for further thoughts....if I want the grip heaters on a relay and I follow the TPI setup (NOT using the city light for low-beam, but rather the regular low-beam lead to the TPI low-beam relay) then it sounds like I would need a separate relay just for the grip heaters. Correct?

[XDragRacer]

Originally Posted by IDRIDR

Now for further thoughts....if I want the grip heaters on a relay and I follow the TPI setup (NOT using the city light for low-beam, but rather the regular low-beam lead to the TPI low-beam relay) then it sounds like I would need a separate relay just for the grip heaters. Correct?

First, I do not have the "Euro" switch, permitting lights off and ignition on; a useful capability IMHO, e.g., when cranking the engine with a "low" battery; when riding at near idle in a parade or heavy daytime traffic, etc..

You may want a relay with your heated grips; however, IMHO, an additional relay would not be necessary with the TPI dual-relay harness for power considerations (since battery power is switched directly to the headlight by relay), but . . . switching may give you a fit.

Previously you said you wanted low-beam on continuously; then--you could tap the low-beam hot wire to power your grips. If you connect the TPI harness "as built," you will lose low beam power when switched to high beam. Consequently, if you tapped the low-beam power lead for the grips, when on high beam, you would lose grip power.

Wire 'em BOTH (high- and low-beam power leads) together? You'd need a diode arrangement to keep from simultaneously powering high- and low-beam circuits, I'd imagine.

A separate switch and/or relay might be a better way to go with your grip heaters, physically and absolutely isolating the heater circuit from the lighting circuit.

[IDRIDR]

Originally Posted by XDragRacer

Previously you said you wanted low-beam on continuously;

Correct. But I'm talking myself out of that. If the TPI bulb is really that much better, I should go that direction.

Originally Posted by XDragRacer

Wire 'em BOTH (high- and low-beam power leads) together? You'd need a diode arrangement to keep from simultaneously powering high- and low-beam circuits, I'd imagine.

I can see that solution...

Originally Posted by XDragRacer

A separate switch and/or relay might be a better way to go with your grip heaters, physically and absolutely isolating the heater circuit from the lighting circuit.

This solution just seems to make more sense provided there's room for the additional relay.

[GAS GUY]

Here is a picture of a mini relay side by side with a traditional 30 amp relay.
It is half the size.I'm not sure of the amp rating but I would think at least 5 amp.
It is used alot on todays automobiles.

[GAS GUY]

Originally Posted by fleshpiston

As long as we're on the subject of electrics (which I completely suck at) I want to replace the ignition cylinder/key with a single on/off toggle switch. How would I go about this? Is it as simple as all hot wires to one side of switch and ground to the other? Will this blow stuff up and start fires and kill kittens?



.

Not quite, but close.
First you have to look at a factory service manual writing diagram to see whats going on.
As an example, my 2008 diagram shows the switch having 2 switch functions .
There are only 4 wires involved.

White wire is power from the battery.
Brown wire feeds power from white wire to various components when switch is on.

Black/yellow is ground
Black/white supplies ground to the ignitor when switch is off.

That is just from glancing at a diagram, but before doing anything I would verify it on the bike with a test light or meter.

That being said, on this bike you could just connect the brown and white wires together and then leave the other 2 wires open and bypass the ignition switch and then just use the kill switch and starter button to operate the bike.

Then you could put a hidden kill switch somewhere breaking either of the two wires you spliced together.
You can even do it all without cutting the factory harness by doing the work at the connector, so it was reversable.

You also would likely have to have a switch involved for the headlight, to kill it.

This is for a 2008+ bike though, the 2007-bike will be different but similar.

[tommu56]

Originally Posted by fleshpiston

As long as we're on the subject of electrics (which I completely suck at) I want to replace the ignition cylinder/key with a single on/off toggle switch. How would I go about this? Is it as simple as all hot wires to one side of switch and ground to the other? Will this blow stuff up and start fires and kill kittens?



.

wiring diagram

printing instructions


soup to nuts about klr's


tom

[XDragRacer]

Originally Posted by tommu56

wiring diagram

printing instructions


soup to nuts about klr's


tom

+ 1; I'd only add this link to a Generation 2 wiring diagram:

http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/p...0corrected.jpg