X-Challenge - Accessories/Farkles

[tbarstow]

Originally Posted by aprilian

Mine bent during trailering.

Do you use OEM or Hardware store bolts?
For the life of me, I can't seem to get the stock nuts to break free, any suggestions?
Thanks!

You probably bent the bolts in the bar risers. Take the top clamp off and take it to a machine shop. I also have an extra top clamp and bar risers if you need them.

To tie the bike down for trailering, grab the lower triple clamp only, not the handlebars.

[aprilian]

Originally Posted by tbarstow

You probably bent the bolts in the bar risers. Take the top clamp off and take it to a machine shop. I also have an extra top clamp and bar risers if you need them.

To tie the bike down for trailering, grab the lower triple clamp only, not the handlebars.

Wow, the bolts aren't undoable? what do I have the machine shop do to them? Cut the bolts above the nuts?

I'll give the alternative tie down point a try this year. PM sent.

[LTCOliverNorth]

Hope this doesn't violate any rules... I have a X-Challenge Touratech tank for sale in the FM:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=845078

[The Jester]

Not my prettiest job but....

Since I have moved job and am using the bike for a 100 mile round trip commute in the dark it was time to improve on the current set up.







Some of you may note that it is slightly larger and more upright than my original screen. It is pretty good for weather protection but the stock candle was really not up to the job. Just about workable on the dual carriageway when surrounded by other cars but as soon as I get on to the unlit local roads the, by now muddy, headlight is hopeless. Time to upgrade then.

I looked at LED auxiliary lighting but rejected this as more light is not enough. OK for off road but, for road riding, it is also important to shine it in the right places to avoid annoying other road users.

A couple of PM's back and forth and a late Christmas present arrived from Colebatch. An FXR projector with a 35W HID.

First job - Seal the unit. As they are designed for cars they are not weather proof. The gaps down each side are easily sealed with a bead of silicone. The gap at the top required a small plate while the bottom needed a box to enclose the solenoid for the hi/lo shutter. The metal is stainless sheet rescued from an old cooker hood - thanks Mark. It was easy to cut with snips. I'm using No More Nails weather-proof. You can also see the small hinges I attached with pop rivets to mount the unit. The bottom one to hold it and the top one for adjustment.





Next it was time to mount the unit. Mark came to the rescue again with some alloy sheet. Cut with a hacksaw blade in a jigsaw and bent in a vice. Attachments are the same as the standard headlamp so I can swap it back for dirt riding.



The screw above the lamp is for beam adjustment



A bit mad max, and that is before I connected it all up.

I need a bit of weather protection though....

There is plenty of space for the electrical gubbins though, although I still need to zip tie the cables to tidy then up. Wiring is a mixture of the ballast that came with the bulb from HID50.com and wiring from an earlier attempt with an H4 hi/lo HID bulb - it uses a diode to keep the bulb fired up when the main beam is triggered. I could make it a lot tidier by removing some of the connectors, such as the H4 bulb connector and soldering instead but would not be able to swap back to standard quickly.





The screen was trimmed with the jigsaw and a fine toothed blade. Don't use the hacksaw blade as it does not remove enough plastic and it melts back together. Needs a bit more work, particularly around the indicators but a bit at a time as yuio can't stick it back on if you take too much.

I ordered a few of the M5 C-clips as used by BMW to hold the top of the stock headlight. I want to pick up a couple more as the screen is currently only held by 2 bolts.

....and somewhere to mount the heating controls



Not the prettiest job but the weather protection works and the lighting... Let's just say that I never want to ride a bike at night again unless it has similar lighting. It gives a better beam pattern and more light than most cars on the road.

Still needs a couple of finishing touches - I will probably spray the alloy matt black to blend it in a bit and add some LEDs for the side light since I have the main beam switched.



And the screen - not made by me obviously, an ebay purchase. Originally from a 950 adventure.


Before you say it; I know, my shed needs a tidy.

[bronio]

Hi I've got complete rear wheel with sprocket and brake disc etc.

If some body interested I can send pictures just write me an e-mail on bronikowski.andrzej@gmail.com or private message.

[mountaincadre]

To the Jester, thank god for someone else that has a garage that is like mine(i know where everything goes), oh and the screen looks good.

[Antti]

Jester,

how does your speedo and trips work with hids? Do you have pic about ballast and where is it located?
I haven't yet found way how to assembly hids without getting serious trouble with bikes speedo.

[The Jester]

Originally Posted by Antti

Jester,

how does your speedo and trips work with hids? Do you have pic about ballast and where is it located?
I haven't yet found way how to assembly hids without getting serious trouble with bikes speedo.

I know the problem you mean, the lamp flashes and the clocks go blank. With my first hid install (h4 hi/lo) I had this when I first switched on the ignition and after that, every time I had left the main beam on when the ignition was off. If I left it on low beam it was okay. I think it was something to do with the solenoid for high beam allowing the capacitors in the ballast to discharge. After a while it started tripping the clocks all the time.

With the new ballast it is back to only tripping when left on high beam.
The ballast is mounted on the back of the alloy plate with velcro but I don't believe it is down to mounting it too close as I had it mounted there without any problems using a second battery to power the light. This suggests it is likely to be a spike going through the wiring. I might try a car radio rf suppressor on the lamp wiring.

[ajmac]

hi i have just bought a Xc and have ordered the TT fuel tank and the TT large bashplate.
Can i still fit engine protection bars and who and where can i get some?
cheers al

[tbarstow]

Originally Posted by ajmac

hi i have just bought a Xc and have ordered the TT fuel tank and the TT large bashplate.
Can i still fit engine protection bars and who and where can i get some?
cheers al

With the big TT bash plate, you won't need the lower BMW crash bars, plus the big TT tank support is the radiator guard with supports for the front of the TT tank.

[jonnyc21]

Originally Posted by tbarstow

With the big TT bash plate, you won't need the lower BMW crash bars, plus the big TT tank support is the radiator guard with supports for the front of the TT tank.

Ya, I have both and that sums it up nice. :)

[Colebatch]

Jester, consider painting the top of the high fender black too ... If it lights up totally bright white when the light is on during the darkness, then that reflection will take away from your distance vision (it will dim your eyes)

The less white or reflective surfaces you have on the bike in front of the headlight, the better. (if it doesnt become too bright then dont worry about it )

[jonnyc21]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

Jester, consider painting the top of the high fender black too ... If it lights up totally bright white when the light is on during the darkness, then that reflection will take away from your distance vision (it will dim your eyes)

The less white or reflective surfaces you have on the bike in front of the headlight, the better. (if it doesnt become too bright then dont worry about it )

Interesting, I thought about blacking out my X once but didn't think about the reflective aspects of that high fender... I might just run a test on my by putting some black tape on it to see if that would help mine out a bit.

Thanks!

[Tammy]

Will the Moto shock fit the XC? Or is it shorter?
Thanks...

[The Jester]

Originally Posted by The Jester

I know the problem you mean, the lamp flashes and the clocks go blank. With my first hid install (h4 hi/lo) I had this when I first switched on the ignition and after that, every time I had left the main beam on when the ignition was off. If I left it on low beam it was okay. I think it was something to do with the solenoid for high beam allowing the capacitors in the ballast to discharge. After a while it started tripping the clocks all the time.

With the new ballast it is back to only tripping when left on high beam.
The ballast is mounted on the back of the alloy plate with velcro but I don't believe it is down to mounting it too close as I had it mounted there without any problems using a second battery to power the light. This suggests it is likely to be a spike going through the wiring. I might try a car radio rf suppressor on the lamp wiring.

This might explain the issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=NCqjSLUIkjk

This at least means that the system is not at risk of damage as the problem is being caused by a voltage drop as the ballast draws a much larger current on start up. Still inconvenient though. A sizeable capacitor across the battery may help maintain the voltage but it would need to be a very big capacitor. Better to fit the capacitor across the power supply to the clocks and fit a diode in line. The capacitor will provide power to the clocks, which require a minimal current draw, and the diode would prevent the capacitor discharging back down the wires to supplement the battery while it is powering up the ballast.

Good to see that my failed attempt at studying for an electronics degree in the late 80's isn't entirely wasted. Maplin's, here I come.