Older Gen1 owners you need to do this!

[Bill Seward]

Actually, I think this would be a good, inexpensive and simple mod for anyone, but older bikes would benefit more.

My '85 has the classic symptoms of an old wiring harness. Still works OK, but the headlight seems a bit dim, and there were recently a few issues with the main fuse overheating - not failing, just getting hot due to resistance in the original, and cheap Chinese replacement fuse holders.

I put a set of headlight relays from a company called Eastern Beaver. They sell plug and play kits, or just the components if you feel handy with a soldering gun.. Cost about $25.00, took an hour and the headlight is fricken BRILLIANT!!

That cheap voltmeter that always read a bit low is now wired to low beam for power and reads 13.9 - 14.0 volts, too.

Eastern Beaver also sells a fuse holder that is absolutely world class for about $4.50.. Get one for the headlight relay, and another to replace your main fuse holder (30A) if you have had any overheat problems or burning there...

Trust me on this.... You'll be glad you did!

 

[sdt354]

Good suhggestion for high resistance issues Bill. I'm doing this the day my light
isn't up to snuff. The voltage drop does become an issue with age. Tks.
Steve-o

 

[marsmax85]

Thanks Bill I will look into it . kinda like the name too eastern beaver

 

[wildweasel_pt]

:ttiwwp:

 

[Bill Seward]

Fred.. Go to Eastern Beaver's website to see what these items look like. Both relays fit into the headlight bucket.

 

[jfeagins]

Fred.. Go to Eastern Beaver's website to see what these items look like. Both relays fit into the headlight bucket.

We wanna see how you secured the relays inside the headlight bucket to keep them from bouncing around Bill.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

We wanna see how you secured the relays inside the headlight bucket to keep them from bouncing around Bill.

One of the questions yes. I know their stuff as i bought from them in the past.

 

[Bill Seward]

I didn't. Everything fit tightly, there's no room for anything to vibrate. I had to lightly push the headlamp in to line up the screws. No rattles. I'm not sure there is a way to zip tie the relays..

 

[robmac]

I used the beaver relays on my 88, they make a huge difference to the light output. I've also got LED indicators and with the resistors for these I couldn't fit everything (relays, resistors, wiring etc) in the headlight bucket without a fair bit pressure on the screws holding the headlight.

In the end I pushed both relays through the top access hole in the headlight bucket where they sit quite securely and are invisible too. Not sure how much heat the relays put out but I figured they'd cool a fair bit better there too.

 

[maleko89]

We wanna see how you secured the relays inside the headlight bucket to keep them from bouncing around Bill.

I had this kit on my old bike. Relays won't fit in the bucket very well. I had mine under right neck cover.

 

[Redbone]

I've been running the EB relays since '08 and they work great. In '09 I added a 55/100 bulb which is very bright. I also run LED turn signals with resistors, added this year, and have now tucked the relays and resistors under the rh neck cover.
This is a great mod if you just want a brighter headlight, it was a marked change in lighting adding the relays.

 

[Bill Seward]

It did take a bit of trial and error to get the relays to fit in the bucket, but the little bit of pressure on them to get the light to fit into place isn't really all that much, and these relays are very well made. It wouldn't be too much of a job to extend the wires to the relays a bit to get them out of the bucket if necessary.

 

[Bill Seward]

So I took the Max out for a night ride last night... Incredible difference in light output. The other set I ordered for the Roadstar came in today, and they are installed and working fine...