Dual Sporting a 2001 WR426???

[Motrheadcrzy93]

Hey guys I just found this site and wow im impressed! I'm having some trouble trying to figure out how to properly convert my bike to the street. It is the stock WR426 without a battery and it has the head/tail lights of course. I was looking at the Tusk Enduro Kit:

http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/vehicleSelectProd.do?prevVehicleType=2&prevMake=8&prevModel=532&keyword=tusk+enduro+lighting+kit&vehicleTypeId=2&make=8&model=532&applyFilter=Change+Vehicle&year=2001&navTitle=Electrical&navType=type&webCatId=20&webTypeId=193&prodFamilyId=26723&stockId=&listingId=&uri=%2FproductDetail.do

The only thing that is sketchy for me is the fact that I have to run it off of only a rechargeable battery pack. It also does not allow me to turn on the headlight which is run through AC power by the bike which I am still trying to find out if all lights are required to be able to turn on without the bike running to pass inspection.

Has anybody ran into this same issue and possibly solved the problems of

1. A way to recharge the battery just like newer WRs?

2. Lights running without startup?

3. Can I use the stock head/tail lights?

And if anybody happens to know the illinois requirements exactly for this that would be great because i've heard many different things. Any tips, ideas, whatever would be appreciated thanks!

[Kawidad]

I'm not really sure about this specific kit, but I'll reply to the general concept of dual sport conversions.

What you do is to float the ground on the stator combined with a new regulator/rectifier you convert the voltage from AC to DC. You do not run the bike off of the battery. The battery is to power the lights without the bike running, which is a DOT requirement. Most of these kits include a new switch gear that allows you to run the bike with or without lights and a separate switch setting for the high beam. As to using the stock lights. Yes you can, but they won't be DOT legal. There is no brake light and no high beam.

[Thaulass]

Just go to the Baja Designs kit,, it gives you everything you'll need.

[montymyers]

Have you had success with your project? I have the same bike and successfully added the Tusk Enduro kit about a year ago. I am now working on getting the battery to charge using the stator. I've made a recent post on this. While it's awesome to be street legal and titled, charging the battery is definitely sketchy.

[Birdy426]

As KawiDad says, this is really pretty easy...for horn and turn signals, and to charge a battery, you need to convert the stock AC output to DC. Pick up a regulator/rectifier to do that (replace the stock regulator with the regulator/rectumfinder). Trail Tech and Baja Designs both sell R/Rs. To get the max DC output from your stator, you will need to float the lighting coil. Trail Tech used to have a How To on their web site, and so did Baja Designs. Not sure if they still do, but if not, send me a PM and I can walk you thru it. Anyway, the DC output from the R/R will both power th lights/horn/turn signals and charge a battery. On my WR426, my son's WR250, and my plated WR250 2 stroke, I used small 2400miAH NiMH batteries. They are available from several places on the interweb, ane fairly cheap, don't have the "memory" problem that NiCads (Baja Designs) have, or the overcharging and fire problems that LiIon/LiFE batteries have, or the weight/bulk of lead/acid gelled electrolyte batteries do. On all three bikes, I just zip-tied the batteries in the airbox kinda like Baja Designs does intheir kits.

As far as using the stock lights, the lights themselves have provisions for hi beam in front and brake light inthe back, but no wires to them. In addition, the lenses aren't "DOT" approved for highway use. A technicality, but something tobe aware of. Here in Cali, I've nevewr been checked...

[montymyers]

On my '01 WR426F I already have the Tusk kit installed and working fine off a battery. To enhance this setup, I'm planning to try the approach Birdy426 is talking about next week to mod the stator to float the ground and install a new regulator/rectifier from TrailTech. It's my understanding that this will convert the headlamp to also run off DC as well.

Here's where I could use some help/guidance as well. Has anyone seen definitive instructions for the "float the ground" stator mod on for the 01/02 WR426? I've seen similar models described but not these specific ones (e.g., on Baja Design's website). Does the '01 WR426 stator have only one coil (i.e., for lighting) or multiple coils. I just don't know what to expect when we crack this baby open. Thanks.

[Birdy426]

Here's where I could use some help/guidance as well. Has anyone seen definitive instructions for the "float the ground" stator mod on for the 01/02 WR426? I've seen similar models described but not these specific ones (e.g., on Baja Design's website). Does the '01 WR426 stator have only one coil (i.e., for lighting) or multiple coils. I just don't know what to expect when we crack this baby open. Thanks.

I wish I had pictures...basically, the lighting "coil" has several poles that are wire wrapped. It's one long wire connecting the coils on the poles...one end goes to the yellow wire in the wire harness, the other end is soldered to the stator base plate. You need to run another wire down the wire harness to the coil. Unsolder the end of the wire that's soldered to the base plate, and solder it to the wire you just added to the harness. Cover the solder joint with shrink sleeve, and route the wire so that the flywheel won't rub it once everything is installed. Basically, you have now "floated" the lighting coil off of the chasis ground. The original yellow wire from the stator and the wire you just added go on one side of the regulator/rectifier, and a black and red wire will go to the positive and negative sides of the battery. On the trail tech R/R, there is a blue wire that is negative for the battery, and the black wire goes to negative for your lighting. As I understand it, that makes sure that the lights are powered as primary and any left over juice going to charge the battery rather than the battery being primary and the lights getting what's left. If you do float the ground, you need to be sure the case of the R/R is isloated from the chassis ground. That's why the B-D kit installs the R/R in the air box. On mine, I put the T-T R/R in the original location, but used grommets to isolate it. On my son's 250, the previous owner installed the B-D kit, so it's in the air box. I put an aluminum strap over the original location to retain the cables/wire harness that were routed under the original regulator.

I'm not familiar with the Tusk kit, but if you are currently charging a battery with it, it must already have a R/R as part of the kit, doesn't it? You may not need to buy the T-T unit...just float the ground and isolate the R/R...

Here's a link to Trail Tech's instructions (with some very good photos) for floating the ground on a Banshee...WR's are very, very similar http://gallery.trailtech.net/media/instructions/lights/stators/AC-DC_Banshee_Stator_Conversion_Instructions.pdf

and a link to the T-T wiring diagram for their R/R... http://gallery.trailtech.net/media/instructions/lights/regrec/010-ELV-71.pdf

Hope that helps...

[Baja Designs]

Thanks for all the posts guys.

Like many of the other guys have said we offer full dual sport kits with everything you need, if you wanted to make it work with stock headlight/tail light we could subtract the price.

Let me know if you have any questions

Thanks

Mike

[Sparky527]

If i want to install the trail tech r/r do i need to float my ground