BLT Offroad KLR

[HenryJ]

Scored a used Corbin seat for a bill:


Only a few miles on it so far, but I think I am going to like it. I feel better sitting a little lower on the bike and can comfortably flat foot it at stops.
"L" can fit it too now. All part of my long term plan.

I also added a pad to enlarge the foot print of the side stand.



Drilled a couple small holes to retain it. I have plenty of replacement material on hand. It seems to be holding up pretty well so far (excuse the pun)

A little work to modify the bar end weights and the Moose handguards are in place



Those will protect the levers, my hands and keep the chill off a little better as fall aproaches.

I also picked up a used radiator guard...



and a waterpump bar.



Both were a little rough, but cleaned them up smoothed them up. Modified to work with the road bars and then black baked enameled. They offer a little more protection for those vulnerable areas.

Am going to change out the headlamp bulb for a lower watt and better light solution. The light that I have now is good, but I see a little dimming at idle. I think I can solve that with some power reductions and also improve visibility on both ends.

Slowly but surely I am getting this to its "Happy place".

[adventureduo]

Looking good! It's really coming together nicely.

[Cabrito]

Total score on the Corbin.

I've been trying to find one on the cheap.

Looking good.

[HenryJ]

Total score on the Corbin.

I've been trying to find one on the cheap.

Thanks guys!

I too have been looking and watching for a good buy on a seat. Basically any of the aftermarket seats would have been fine with me. They are so darned expensive though. I had made offers over $200 on a couple and each sold for higher than I was willing to spend.
This one popped up in a BMW shop for sale and I jumped on it. I was a little worried that I had been taken since I Paypal'd the money and heard nothing for five days. I emailed several addresses listed with no response. Finally I found a phone number and called. A death in the family had been the reason there was no response. The seat actually had been shipped and arrived on my door step a couple hours later.
It turned out great in the end, but gave me a couple gray hairs on the way.
The seat is nice. condition is very good with no blemishes. Black fits right in.
As wide as it is , it is a little tight on the Cyclerack, but I can live with it.

Next up is LED tail that strobes on the stop. [wolf voice]"Better to see me with my dear"[/voice]

The 100/80W headlamp offers plenty of light, but the HID on my truck have spoiled me. The halogen I have in there now does not have the same color light or crisp cut off that the TW200 has. I am very happy with that bulb. It does not dim on idle either.
My hope is that the HID will offer better color, better light and at less power.
Between the tail and the headlamp conversions I should save about 50 watts easily. I might even consider eliminating the running lights on the turn signals or converting them to LED as well. Hopefully the head and tail will do what I need for now.

Next up I need to try out the MicroTrak-RTG. I do need to have power conservation taken care first though.

[Cabrito]

Next up is LED tail that strobes on the stop.

I just did this. I didn't like the strop effect. It seemed to go on for so long even though it's only tree or four seconds. Mine starts with a few quick strobes and transitions to a rapid strobe before going solid. I was hoping for something without the rapid strobe at the end. For reference: I got mine at KLR650 dot com.

Do you know if the strobe types are legal in your state?

I'm not sure if it's legal in CA so I tried to ask a CHP motorcycle officer but he couldn't tell me if it was really legal or not. When I tried to explain them to him he asked why I would even want something like this, and felt like it would be blinding or distracting to the cars behind me. He said if he saw me with it he might pull me over to talk about it. I asked if he had ever noticed any on the road and he had not. I can't really remember ever seeing them around here myself. So for now I just have the LED without the strobe.

Let us know how yours works if you get one.

[HenryJ]

I think I did purchase the same as yours. Is it brighter than the dim bulb that was stock?

It is legal as long as it goes to a solid stop lamp. In fact the Oregon Motorcyle License study guide recommends flashing your brake light several times prior to braking. This will get the attention of the drivers following.
The Team Oregon Motorcycle Safety Training course also recommends flashing the brake prior to a stop.

The officer is correct that it gets attention. Distracting, perhaps but they do see it. I think if he reads up on the codes he will find it legal. How can they regulate the number of times your brake light flashes before you stop? Even without the strobe I might apply the brakes a few times to slow before I stop. I could see a problem if it were to just strobe, but going on solid after a time, I see no problem.
I have the halogen version on my TW200 and I like it. I wish it were just a little brighter. Hopefully the LED will do that for me.

I have seen lots of headlamp modulators , but only a couple tail lamp modulators. One I did see on a big full dress bike really got my attention. That is when I started looking for them.

A bike can really slow down fast when compared to a car. Yes even the under braked KLR I would like them to know for sure that I am on the binders

[Cabrito]

Henry wrote - "I think I did purchase the same as yours. Is it brighter than the dim bulb that was stock?"

It's brighter for sure. I do notice that depending on the viewing angle you don't see all the rows of LED's.

I've seen them in some videos of bikes on a dirt trail and they looked cool. Seemed like you could pick them out through the dust. It's really foggy where I live and we have lots of crazy traffic in and around San Francisco, so those are some reasons I wanted to try it out.

Maybe I'll go for it and switch to the strobe for a while and see if I get busted. I carry the stock bulb just in case the LED fails or I get busted for some reason.

The LEO that I spoke to also said that in his recollection it is not legal to modify the existing brake light, and suggested an aux brake light.

[HenryJ]

This one is the one they will likely reference: NHTSA PDF (steady burning lights)
My stance would be that the light is steady burning while applied. It does not continue to flash , that would not meet the requirements.

I can see how it could be argued either way. In Europe it would not be an issue. I think in Oregon it will be an easy win. Take a copy of the Motorcycle Handbook as proof of the legality.
California Motorcycle Handbook Print and carry a copy of the handbook, or better yet stop by the DMV and get one. This is a direct quote:

Brake Light

Your motorcycle’s brake light is usually not as noticeable as a vehicle’s—especially when the taillight is on. If the situation permits, help others notice you by flashing your brake light before you slow down. It is especially important to flash your brake light before you slow: * For a tight, fast turn off a high-speed highway.
* Where others may not expect it (in the middle of a block or at an alley).

If you are being tailgated, it’s a good idea to flash your brake light before you slow.

Do not argue with an officer. They are right in their mind. You will not win. A copy of that in hand and I think the judge will throw out the citation, should you receive one.

[Cabrito]

You've really done your homework on this that's for sure.

The NHTSA document makes it sound pretty cut and dry. No flashing lights allowed.

I don't think I would get a citation but maybe a fix it ticket.

What has your research told you about Oregon?

[HenryJ]

Here is another site that may be helpful: Motorcycle lighting laws

Oregon is pretty liberal. Our motorcycle handbook has about the same lines about flashing the brake lights prior to a stop.
Oregon does permit the brake light to flash:

(11) Brake lights for motorcycles may flash intermittently, provided that the brake lights do not override the rear turn signal function. [1983 c.338 §458 (7); 1985 c.16 §240 (7); 1985 c.69 §1 (7); 1985 c.71 §4 (7); 1985 c.393 §13 (7); 1985 c.420 §6 (7); 1997 c.492 §2; 2003 c.158 §24]

California does address this as well and does permit flashing the brake light: CA VEHICLE CODE SECTION 25250-25282

(c) Any stoplamp or supplemental stoplamp required or permitted by
Section 24603 may be equipped so as to flash not more than four
times within the first four seconds after actuation by application of
the brakes.

I do not know if that would superecede federal regulations. I am now pretty comfortable with the legality of it though