My care and feeding of CXs thread

[WD Forte]

Inspired by Teds confessions
( thankyou for sharing Ted, very brave of you)
I thought I'd share some of my CX bodgineering and experimending

As part of the CXs 'Continual process of development'
I always felt the rack and big ass Givi top box kind of overshadowed the tail light
This weekend I've fitted some leds to the recess in the lid and plumbed it in to
the tail and brake lights.
Its somewhat sunny at the mo and they look better, more visible
from 20-30 feet away than they appear in the pics.
With the higher voltage when the engine is running and at night, I'd expect
them to be even better/visible.

The tail light assembly was converted to led ages ago
with an arry of leds for tail and another two arrays fitted behind the reflector for brake lights

Todo:
Despite the box living on the bike 99% of the time
I don't want to hard wire it and will
devise a cunning plan for a quick release plug type thing
https://oi57.tinypic.com/2rgnk1i.jpg

https://oi60.tinypic.com/nxtafn.jpg
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[Ted]

Ooo... I'll be watching this thread!


With your rear lamp unit, did you put LED bulbs in it, or have you made LED panels and fitted them in the lens?

...and nice job on the box lights.

[WD Forte]

Taking pics of leds in near darkness with cheap camera
What can go wrong?
Anyway, you get the idea.


https://oi57.tinypic.com/15eu0yd.jpg
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[WD Forte]

[Ted]

I've got to re-familiarise myself with a soldering iron! Are your indicators LED, if so did you make panels for them?

[blurredman]

I agree that the rack and top box overshaddow the light, Sometimes I think it takes away the 'style' of the rear light by enclosing it. I've never taken the top box or rack from the CX unless I was pulling it apart.

However I never thought it necessary to do such a mod. The rear light on the CX is pretty good, not least because of the duel bulb setup and in all honesty, partly because the lense is 4 nice big edges. The light doesn't half get mirrored from the bottom of the box because of this either.


Interesting outcome though.
____________________
CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[WD Forte]

Here's the instrument panel I made in 2007 ish
which I want to upgrade this year.
Suzuki speedo backlit with orange leds.
Digital temp gauge and led voltmeter
HONDA badge has holes cut out and smt leds
behind
H- High beam - Blue
O- Oil - Red
N- Neutral - green
D - 'De fan is on' - Orange
A- Azzerd warnin lights innit?- Orange

The 'voltmeter' has 7 leds and as long as I see the top middle green
one on I know its charging at around 14v ish
yellow or red leds on tell me if its under or overcharging

The two leds on tails are highline indicator repeaters
Very hard to ignore

https://oi60.tinypic.com/1zx39zo.jpg

White led position lamp and Blue 'eyes' for Yoda
BMW Horns very loud !
Fork gaiters and screen from MZ ETZ250
https://oi57.tinypic.com/2nun5sl.jpg
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[Ted]

Soviet hat pin, LEDs everywhere... I really want to have a poke around your bike!

[WD Forte]

[WD Forte]

Another idea I had was to get rid of the thick cables from the switchgear that were strapped to bars and ran down to the headlamp.
Now apart from the recently fitted heated grips, all switch wiring run inside the bars.
I wanted full functionality ie all switches working so it was a job that needed some forethought and planning.
You can break electrical systems down into two parts
Power and Control
Most bike switches have to do both and thus use cables up to the
job of carrying the heavy current for light etc.
My switches only have to carry control signals so thinner wire
could be used.
____________________
bikers smell of wee