brighter lighting

[dsmitty]

we do a lot of night riding. The stock lighting on my '93 is ok but i'd really like a much brighter headlight. I don't want to spend a fortune. What are the options? Starting with the cheapest fix, (like a higher watt bulb), up to around $500 i.e. stator and/or coil, dual 50 watt etc. What is the brightest set up using the stock stator and/or coil? Forgive me if I sound like a newbie. I've been riding for 40 years, I just not a mechanic and I never learned this stuff. Only what i've learned by reading the other "lighting" threads on here. Thanks for any help.

[RustyStuff]

You can do the Higher watt lighting coil for $10. All you need is a spool of 18 GA magnet wire ( rated to 200*C+) and a few hours of time.

Pull the flywheel, remove the lighting coil. Unwind old wire, rewind with as much new wire as will fit under the flywheel. If your doing A/C lighting still, keep the original ground. If you think you ever want to have D/C, then "float the ground" by adding another wire ( off the opposite side of the coil) and Then use that wire as your ground.

Then you can run as bright a bulb as you want( well, within reason).

Easy. There's some great photo write ups on here about it.

Then there are the New LED bulbs or HID bulbs. I think the LED's are probably better, much simpler than most of the HID's. Not sure if doing this requires to to run D/C or if they will work off the stock A/C system.

[Julien D]

You only have 35 watts to work with out of the stock lighting coil. You can rewind it yourself, or go with the 65 watt coil from Steahly Offroad.

[KDXGarage]

http://www.rickystator.com/product/stat ... coil-89-on

same part for 1989 - 2006 KDX200 / 1997 - 2005 KDX220R / 1991 - 1994 KDX250

[dsmitty]

Thanks guys.

[ohgood]

rip off the lights plastic mount and wrap it in Velcro, then put some Velcro on your helmet and strap the battery to your chest protector.

it's really hard to beat light output for $20, and its pointed where you're looking instead of where the bike is....

also if you kill the engine while still moving... well you get the idea ;-)

[ohgood]

I rewound my coil this afternoon. I was surprised just how hard it was too keep the coils lined up, and how few would fit with the rotor installed. since I guessed to close for clearance it shorted and I get to do it over again tomorrow. no big deal, just tired fingers. I'm thinking I'll jbweld the finished coil lightly at the end to make sure it doesn't come undone.

[ohgood]

OK, rewound again without making contact with the rotor this time (yay!) and my AC direct from the stator is around 9-10v(AC) and when revved hops up to around 17-20v(AC).


the stator is not connected to the kdx stock VR at all, which is surprising, as I thought I would see 35-55v(AC).

back to the wiring game, I bought a Rectifier at my local hardware store, and it outputs around 10-20v(DC) which works well with my LEDs.

should I float the ground now, out just keep the lights on a completely separate circuit all to themselves with no VR in circuit?

hmm.

[dsmitty]

took the advice bout the velcro helmet thing. not bad. i went one step further. I took an old TV antenna, JB welded it to my helmet and duct taped the light assembly to the antenna on my helmet. I have a medieval knight suit that I use for a chest protector. I welded a bracket on to the back of it for the battery. good set up. only thing is the headlight was not any brighter. I think I'll try wrapping the coil for more volts, then take two hand held spot lights and chicken wire them to the ends of the TV antenna on my helmet. Now that should work

[Mr. Wibbens]

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