Street Legal Conversion?

[highmark00700]

I just picked up an 05 wr450. This is my first wr and would like to street legal the bike, I figured it would be easy since it already has a battery and headlight from the factory. I did a search and cant quite find what im looking for as far as what has to be done to run a high/low beam headlight. One thread I found says you have to float the ground or buy a different stator, regulator/rectifier.  I'm debating on building a kit or buying a tusk or baja designs kit.

 

What are the limits for the stock 05 electrical system to keep the battery charged but still run high/low headlight and turn signals? Do you have to convert the system from ac to dc to run a high low headlight?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Baja Designs]

I just picked up an 05 wr450. This is my first wr and would like to street legal the bike, I figured it would be easy since it already has a battery and headlight from the factory. I did a search and cant quite find what im looking for as far as what has to be done to run a high/low beam headlight. One thread I found says you have to float the ground or buy a different stator, regulator/rectifier.  I'm debating on building a kit or buying a tusk or baja designs kit.

 

What are the limits for the stock 05 electrical system to keep the battery charged but still run high/low headlight and turn signals? Do you have to convert the system from ac to dc to run a high low headlight?

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi highmark00700

The stock electrical system of the 05 WR is 100W AC/ 20 DC. To run our kits it is required to float the ground on the stator this makes it an all DC setup with more then enough power to run the kit. 

 

We also offer 10% off for ThumperTalk members. Let me know if you have any questions

Thanks

Mike

BD

[beairmo]

Hi highmark00700

The stock electrical system of the 05 WR is 100W AC/ 20 DC. To run our kits it is required to float the ground on the stator this makes it an all DC setup with more then enough power to run the kit. 

 

We also offer 10% off for ThumperTalk members. Let me know if you have any questions

Thanks

Mike

BD

BD Kit works well on my 2009 WR450F..... Just a few lessons I learned.

 

1. Don't mount your right rear turn signal anywhere near the exhaust output. I switched to FMF muffler and my turn signal literally melted to the point it fell off. I upgraded my kit to the LED turn signals and like them.

2. I chose to keep the factory headlight instead of the replacement. Don't plug the stock headlight connector into the BD harness as it will put a slight load on the system and your battery won't charge. Took a while to figure that one out and BD support was helpful.

 

Other than that I recommend the kit. The instructions make it pretty easy. It does take some time to install though. Especially mounting the rectifier... had to file on the frame for 30 minutes.

[highmark00700]

Cool thanks for the info!

[Ride-n-Hard]

2. I chose to keep the factory headlight instead of the replacement. Don't plug the stock headlight connector into the BD harness as it will put a slight load on the system and your battery won't charge. Took a while to figure that one out and BD support was helpful.

 

what did you do instead of plugging in the stock connector?

[Eightball64]

I put the Tusk on my 07. Easy installation used stock head light nothing special had to be done. I will say the quality of the tusk kit is poor, but it will do the job. Tusk rear blinkers are a waste you can not see them.

[beairmo]

what did you do instead of plugging in the stock connector?

Sorry that was a bit confusing.

 

You plug the stock headlight into the new BD wiring harness that has a matching connector for the stock headlight.

 

There is another connector in the BD wiring harness that is unused. The confusing part is that it matches the Factory headlight connector that your are NOT using. They may have changed the kit so this isn't an issue anymore. I went ahead and plugged the two together and caused a drain on the system and my battery wouldn't charge. Unplugged it and it was fine.

[tcmII]

What state are you in?  I managed to get "Street Legal" here in MI by using the existing headlight and tail light with a hydraulic switch in the rear master cylinder.  The existing tail light is a dual filament socket and bulb, so I added a couple of wires to the existing headlamp circuit from before the switch so the brake light works lights on or off.

[KennyMc]

I have had the Baja Designs kit on my '07 WR for 4 years without any issues. The instructions were easy to follow. I sent the stator into them to float the ground. For $30, easy decision.

[thumper_calgary]

I used the Tusk kit without floating the ground and it works fine. I posted a review of it, I think you can get away with less than the complete kit and it will give you the option of subbing in some higher quality parts. + 1 on using the stock tail light, it's way better than the bolt on thing that comes with the kit. Those things always look like they bust off in the first crash. I have considered ping full dc but sending my stator off in the middle of riding season is not that appealing, maybe this winter

[highmark00700]

After looking into things a bit more, I think I have decided to piece a kit together myself. I took my stock headlight off and it has a 55/60 watt high/low beam already. I will end up keeping the stock headlight, since most aftermarket halogen are only 35 watt and wiring a high/low switch inline. Unless I find a cheap 07+ style wr headlight Then I will upgrade, but it will only because I like the looks of them better. I really don't want to spend the money to convert everything to dc, so I will keep headlight, tail light halogen that will stay ac, and use led blinkers and hook them directly to the battery for dc. I wont be doing much road riding with it, mostly just to connect trails, so I prefer to keep the higher wattage stock headlight.

 

Thanks for the input guys!

 

One other thing. I have heard that you can put a ttr or something similar key switch where the old on/off button is. Is the ttr key a plug and play or do you have to splice wires?

[thumper_calgary]

Never heard that before but I suppose its possible. Check out the trail tech headlights. The wr light is not strictly legal

[highmark00700]

Never heard that before but I suppose its possible. Check out the trail tech headlights. The wr light is not strictly legal

Is the wr light not street legal because its not dot stamped on the light? If so, not many shops around here look for the stamping on your lights. My truck lights are aftermarket without dot stamping, but look like they are stock and I havent ever had any issues getting it inspected.

[Ride-n-Hard]

Is having a "key" on / off even required?

[thumper_calgary]

Is the wr light not street legal because its not dot stamped on the light? If so, not many shops around here look for the stamping on your lights. My truck lights are aftermarket without dot stamping, but look like they are stock and I havent ever had any issues getting it inspected.

Yeah exactly my situation. If they don't check then its fine. I think it's too small and doesn't have the cut off height. Off road lights spread more light upwards so you can see branches etc. whereas dot legal lights sort of cut off the beam so you don't blind oncoming traffic but if they don't check, whatever

[highmark00700]

Is having a "key" on / off even required?

Not required. More of a anti theft piece of mind while parked in town or wherever.

 

Yeah exactly my situation. If they don't check then its fine. I think it's too small and doesn't have the cut off height. Off road lights spread more light upwards so you can see branches etc. whereas dot legal lights sort of cut off the beam so you don't blind oncoming traffic but if they don't check, whatever

 

That's good to know. I hadn't thought of it as where the light is directed. I have 2 friends that just plated their ktm 300 xc's and they were able to use the stock headlight from them.

[Ride-n-Hard]

Any idea if we need to have the front brake lever activate the brake light? I'm looking into doing my '12 wr450. it already has a high low front bulb, both tail light and brake like led assy is installed. It is looking like for this bike I would have to add the handlebar switch assymbly and wire it all together. I just haven't figured out the front brake lever yet. I might be able to just "jb weld" on a micro swich to the perch.

[tcmII]

I'm in Michigan and only used a hydraulic switch in place of the rear brake banjo bolt at the master cylinder.  If needed you could to the same in the front.  If your hand guards get in the way you could put it at the caliper and run the wire up the brake hose.

 

[SurfaceToAir]

Any idea if we need to have the front brake lever activate the brake light? I'm looking into doing my '12 wr450. it already has a high low front bulb, both tail light and brake like led assy is installed. It is looking like for this bike I would have to add the handlebar switch assymbly and wire it all together. I just haven't figured out the front brake lever yet. I might be able to just "jb weld" on a micro swich to the perch.

Technically, a front brake light switch is not required in California. There must be one on the primary ( rear ) brake though.  Though this could be a deal breaker for some inspectors.

[KennyMc]

Technically, a front brake light switch is not required in California. There must be one on the primary ( rear ) brake though. Though this could be a deal breaker for some inspectors.

I wouldn't get too caught up in the brake&light inspection aspect. You don't have to do a "formal" one. A Statement of Facts will suffice as CA stipulates that if a licensed B&L facility isn't "conveniently" located, the SoF will suffice and any local shop can sign off on it. They don't have to be a licensed B&L facility.

They did this as there became fewer and fewer locations that kept their licenses current. I will try and find the actual verbiage, as I printed it out and showed my local dealer so they went ahead and signed off on the SoF form.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr4.htm

Edited August 13, 2013 by kenshaw720