Can you modify the turn lights on an xciting 250 to be running lights?

[CommuterScooter]

I've thought about adding some aftermarket running lights on my 2009 Xciting 250 but thought it would be easier to just modify my turn lights to be running lights also.  Has anybody done this and how simple is it to do?

Thanks

[JustWantToRide]

Yes - you just need to wire in a product called "magic blinkers", a separate power line and fuse.  The extra power line is used to power the turn signals as driving lights, and they they have relays that use the power from the turn signal wire to turn off the driving lights.  Your turn signals will be on as driving lights, and blink off as turn signals.


http://www.customled.com/products/magic_blinker/magic_blinker.htm

[ChandlerScoot]

Thanks for the link. I may try that for my 500. Pretty nifty product!

[racewalker]

Yes - you just need to wire in a product called "magic blinkers", a separate power line and fuse.  The extra power line is used to power the turn signals as driving lights, and they they have relays that use the power from the turn signal wire to turn off the driving lights.  Your turn signals will be on as driving lights, and blink off as turn signals.


http://www.customled.com/products/magic_blinker/magic_blinker.htm



I burned 2 sets of those out on my DT300. Not heavy enough to carry the leds in the mirrors. You can do the same thing with  automotive relays. Same wiring, feed 12 volt to the normally closed contact and connect the led or bulb to the other side. Feed the flasher wire to the relay coil.

[JustWantToRide]

They were heavy enough to carry the stock bulbs in my Vstrom with no problem and the DT LED's should draw less of a load.  I've got 4 I plan on wiring into my X when I get the time (single parent syndrome = no spare time).  I would think the mounting location and power source would more likely be the culprit than anything else.

I'm going to use the 2 power leads from the unused marker lights in the front, and put a new fused line to the rear with a relay on the license plate light.  On the Xciting's there is a lot of room to mount them where they won't build up heat.  On my Vstrom I wired them in and then zip tied the wires up - leaving the units in the open.

[CommuterScooter]

JustWantToRide, thanks for the response.  This looks like the way to go for very little money and a relatively easy mod.  Since you have done this before and I only know enough about wiring and electronics to mess something up, I'm confused at what point in the circuit you add these.  Is it between the turn signal light and the signal modulator or before the turn signal modulator?

[CommuterScooter]

Just bought a set, I'll let you know how it goes.  For now I'm just going to do the front and if it seems worth it I may change the rear lights also.

[JustWantToRide]

Between the turn signal bulbs and the turn signal flasher relay (the modulator as you called it).  

My recommendations:

1)  Put it on the frame side of the connector for the turn signal so that it stays on the bike if/when you remove the bodywork.  
2)  Get yourself some posi taps from easternbeaver.com to do the connections.
3)  Add an LED voltmeter to your dash so you can make sure you aren't using more juice than what you have available:  
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/13/123/8115/ITEM/Kuryakyn-LED-Battery-Gauge.aspx
4)  If you do a lot of sitting in traffic then either consider replacing the bulbs with LED's or adding a switch to toggle between normal power and power from the magicblinkers (with all 4 on it's an extra 40 watts of draw - which is why I'm not switching my headlight to the Euro version with the 2 additional bulbs).  This fits in the round hole under the right front of the seat.  
http://www.altex.com/Square-Bezel-Round-Rocker-Switch-SPDT-On-On-30-16210-P146367.aspx

If you're tall and want a bit more room - then search my posts for the Xciting 500 seat modification and bar risers.  Cost me a total of $18 and made a big difference.  I posted instructions and pictures.  Probably next week I should get around to installing my magicblinkers and I'll post pics of that, and I've got a stebel horn to install too.

If you switch to LED turn signals then you need to know that they are 7507/BAU15S style - not 1156's.  Also - use an LED flasher relay rather than a load balancer.  
http://www.customled.com/products/flasher_relay/flasher_relay.htm

[CommuterScooter]

Well I installed my Magic Blinkers the other day and I'm very pleased with them!  I now have running lights that add a fair bit of safety to my bike for little effort and not much cost.  They were fairly straight forward to install and the instructions that came with them are easy to understand.  It took me about an hour to install and anybody with half a sense more in electronics or mechanics could probably to it faster.

A couple of points I came across in my installation:

1) I need a load optimizer as my blinkers now blink twice as fast, not a big deal though.
2) I found a great use for those extra lights to the sides of the headlight, they became my constant power source for the Magic Blinkers.  Plenty of wire to work with and since the power wasn't being used I figured I'd tap into them.
3) Get some Posi-Lock wire connectors like JustWantToRide suggest.  The Magic Blinkers come with some crimp connectors but don't seem very secure for the long haul.  Also you may want to pick up some click together connectors like the ones that already exist for the blinker lights so you can re-wire them and do a proper job. 

I'm definately going to re-wire everything with some better connectors and add some wire to lengthen some of the connections.  I was excited to get them in and see if they worked

[JustWantToRide]

Hey - I need to correct myself.  The front turn signals are the European BAU15s bulbs with the offset pins - but the rears are the normal 1156 bulbs.  Why the mix - I don't know.  When I ordered my BAU15S LED bulbs they actually sent me 1 1156 bulb and 3 BAU15S bulbs.  I ground off one of the alignment pins on one of the BAU15s bulbs - and so far it works fine in the rear turn signal.  1.38 watts used instead of 10, and it is noticably brighter than the stock - probably because the stock has the stupid amber cover...