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Thread: My xb12r front end hack

  1. #11
    Senior Member onetuford's Avatar
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    Nice work. I was thinking of doing a big single headlight on my 9R. My worry is the wiring crap. You don't think its too hot under the airbox for the ECM? And what about the bank angle sensor, same location?

  2. #12
    Senior Member Chicknstripn's Avatar
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    I was thinking of keeping the BAS up front. Many other, much more talented, Buellers have relocated the ECM BAS and fuse boxes to the airbox. Doesn't seem to have any ill effects. I'll be trying to do the same thing with just the fuse boxes and ECM.
    The other option is to replace the R wire harness with an S. That would definitely simplify things. But I haven't been able to locate an S harness that's in good shape and isn't over $100.
    I'll be going with a single headlight. Didn't really want to go that route but it's what will make the front end look the smallest.
    The whole minimalist thing doesn't seen to work with the stock firebolt lights.

  3. #13
    Senior Member Chicknstripn's Avatar
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    I needed something to motivate me during my wiring woes. This Saturday I'll have a full day to rotate my engine and do the best I can to relocate my wiring while trying not to hack into the harness.
    This headlight will be here next week. I figure that's motivation.
    http://www.amazon.com/SpeedMotoCo-Bl.../dp/B00IEC8TJU
    It's time to be productive!
    Last edited by Chicknstripn; 08-21-2015 at 09:21 PM.

  4. #14
    Senior Member mrlogix's Avatar
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    nice light, didn't notice in the amazon listing how many watts. Any idea?

  5. #15
    Senior Member Chicknstripn's Avatar
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    It's just advertised as low wattage LED that runs on 12volt system. I've contacted the seller to find out if it requires any resistors or anything to operate but from the reviews it seems it's just a simple wire job and presto, LIGHT

  6. #16
    Senior Member nicholas900's Avatar
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    Have you thought about using your factory headlights but turn them 90°s? I always thought that would look cool. Up and down rather than side to side lights. Good luck with that cafe light, but I think it might be too deep and the back will hit the frame nubs . I had to chop off the rear of my cafe bucket and "flatten" it out. It still hit the frame nubs so I ground them off. But I wantedy headlight set back as far as I could get it.

    I did a few mock ups with the factory light turned 90° and made a simple bracket that attached to the frame nubs. The light stayed in position as the bars were turned. Almost went that way but I was really going after a 50's- 60's cafe look.

    Good luck with your project. Stay outside the box!

  7. #17
    Senior Member Chicknstripn's Avatar
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    I was really liking the idea of the single headlight and no fairings, flyscreen or whatever. Now that I'm looking at the single headlight mocked up on the bike I don't like the dash set up. Here's a pic
    image.jpg
    I like the depth of the light and the look of the light. I don't like the way the dash looks. I think I might relocate the ignition and change my dash set up. And I'll be grinding off the original fairing mounts. Other than that I kind of like it.
    The wiring is still work in progress.
    And I'm still in the brain storming process for what I'm going to do for a solo modern tail/cowl. I want something similar to my yellow tail hack but all one piece and a little shorter.
    BTW the light only draws 3watts... mrlogix had asked.
    Thanks for the support insight and ideas.

  8. #18
    Senior Member nicholas900's Avatar
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    Hey CknStz, If I could offer any advise it would be to not cut your frame mounts off until you are certain that light is what you are going to use and get your wiring sorted. Its a "no go back" choice. I tried 3 lights and several mounting systems before I chopped mine, and also had my wiring figured out.

    The wiring is actually fairly difficult and is what I would tackle first. I hope I don't sound like I'm trying to school you. Just hate to see you wack off those mounts and decide later that its just too much work and you want it back to a normal Buell again.

    In any event if you want any other help or advise feel free to PM me. I'll offer any insight or knowledge I can. When I first was mocking up the single light I thought I could make the factory gauges work. No matter what I did I just couldn't get it to look nice. I might suggest looking into the aftermarket. I went with Dakota Digital, pretty sure Pur went with a Moto Gaget Mini.







  9. #19
    Senior Member Chicknstripn's Avatar
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    I'm picking up what you're laying down man! And I totally appreciate any advice you have to offer. Just so you know I already decided to do exactly what you suggested. I'm getting the wiring sorted first. The head light and dash is gonna stay the way it is. I don't care if it looks ugly. I'm ugly and my wife still loves me.
    Anyway, I'm trying to keep as much of the wire harness stock as possible but it seems like that's going to be near impossible! I've been unraveling the bundle and all I can say is my lord that crap is a mess. I've been labeling everything as I go. I take my sweet ass time with things. One because I'm an amateur and two because I don't want to eff anything up.
    BTW you have any pics of your wiring under your airbox cover/plate?
    Curious to know how routed that stuff.
    Once again, thanks for your input Nicholas

  10. #20
    Senior Member nicholas900's Avatar
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    Lol. Yeah. The harness is pretty nuts. Its not like you can just grab a hunk of wires and separate them, they all intertwine. If you take your fuse/relay boxes through your frame (tight but fit) you can orientate them similar to what I did. But you will have to splice in a new harness to back up front to your light and gauges. You will also end up with a thick chunk of wire harness right next to your front cylinder head. I ended up just making a new harness out of my existing. One tip to harness work is to mark them well. I cut up blue painters tape into strips and mark every wire with it. I like to put two pieces on close to each other, mark them with the same number and cut between them. I usually just use 1,2,3 and so on. I also write down the number and color wire in my notebook. Then you have double protection. When splicing in longer wires add the new wire and check your marks and cross it off you notebook. Sounds time consuming but way quicker than if you flub some up and trying to figure it out later.

    Its usually best to mark your wires well. Cut them. Locate the hard parts like fuse blocks and mount them. Then build your new harness to reach all your components, solder the connections and shrink wrap. It's difficult for sure.

    If you click my forum name then click visit home page it will lead you to my build. Its all in there. Its defiantly wort a read if your doing something similar.

    But my wiring under air box looks like this:




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