Getting lighting back on my 2003 EC250

[SideshowBob]

This thread is dedicated to the pursuit of functional lighting to get my 2003 EC250 road legal in NH (where I own property and pay taxes).

Road Legality in NH-
-Headlight w Hi/lo
-Tail and Brake Light
-Horn (bike horn)
-Mirror (easy)

What I know-
-Bike has a 2k3 Ignition
-I have a second set of 2003 EC handle bar controls (complete)
-I have a Hebo/GasGas headlight
-Not much else

Also have this thanks to this awesome site-

My plan right now is to buy a tail light brake light combo and slap it on there....



I need help ID'ing wires/plugs. I stared at the wiring diagram for a while to no avail. These were all wrapped in electrical tape under the seat next to the CDI, so I know they aren't critical.

All three from top-

Four prongs-

 

[SideshowBob]

Weird Plug-

Three Pronger-

 

[slocalspode]

I'll take a stab at it.
Weird three prong'er = turn signal flasher
4 bullet connectors = turn signals
flat 3 prong connector = tail lights, brake light.
See if this helps.

I did this to my 300 to try and make it road legal.

added a rectifier/regulator and a battery after doing the floating ground mod
to the 2K3 stator.
Hope that helps.
Jeff So. Cal.

 

[SideshowBob]

I'll take a stab at it.
Weird three prong'er = turn signal flasher
4 bullet connectors = turn signals
flat 3 prong connector = tail lights, brake light.
Hope that helps.
Jeff So. Cal.

Helps a lot! I figured when I started staring at the diagram again the flat 3 plug was rear lighting. I don't need turn signals for road legality, so those are going right back into a ball of electrical tape.

 

[iancp5]

Why the battery?

 

[SideshowBob]

Some states over here in the colony require the lights to be operational even when the bike is not running for street legality.


State regulations on road legality vary pretty widely. NH is very minimal, which is awesome.

This motto is no joke-

 

[slocalspode]

Iancp5: "Why the battery?"
Two reasons. First one like SideShow said, Is legality. Ca. requires
the lights to be able to operate independent of the motor running.
Not that they ever check for that. It is just one of the rules.
The other is personal safety. I had a close call on my (other GasGas).
The one without a battery.
I'll paraphrase (copy) the post with my story. It came on page 5 of this
thread: "HOdo I go DC on my ec300"
http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1859
--------------------------------
I agree also, but if you have read the whole thread. Some of us like
the abuse of trying to wire in a battery and go "Full street legal"
Let me relate a little story that happened to me a couple weeks
ago.
I was getting on my bike after leaving work. It was after 6:00PM,
so it was dark. A friend stopped to talk to me while I was getting
the bike unlocked and started. This put a kink in my routine of
unlocking the bike and turning "on" the gas. Saying goodnight
I fired up the bike and started home. I get to the first LARGE
intersection, pull up to the red light and sit. BTW, I live in Los Angeles
near the LAX airport. Just as the light turns green and I take off, the
bike sputters to a stop and dies. Leaving me right in the middle of
two main streets. No lights..nothing. I can't reach the petcock with
my gloved hands. I kick like a fool while a flood of LA traffic flies past
me in their rush to get home. All I could do was wave my arms and
pray for good luck as I pushed the bike across the intersection dodging
cars till I got to the curb. Frightened the crap out of me. Thus my motivation
to get my GasGas'es equipped with a battery and a switch to allow me
to run all my lights without the engine running.
---------------------------------------------------------
So there are benefits of having a light that does not require the motor
to be running.
Like down a steep hill in the dark on a tight single track. Touch the
rear brake a tad too hard, kill the motor, and you are in trouble fast.
-----------
SideShow, Good luck in your street conversion.
Jeff So. Cal.

 

[SideshowBob]

If I rode on the road for any reason other than to get to trails or for any extended period I would def consider something similar to that.

 

[iancp5]

Jeez I wouldn't even dream (nightmare) of riding an enduro bike through London at night!

 

[Ud_luz]

Iancp5: "Why the battery?"
Two reasons. First one like SideShow said, Is legality. Ca. requires
the lights to be able to operate independent of the motor running.
Not that they ever check for that. It is just one of the rules.

My CA legal factory legal 525exc does not have lights that work with the engine off. The horn and turn signal do but no running lights.

 

[SideshowBob]

So... more help needed.

My bike is together enough to fire, so I was playing around with the wiring and hooked up the headlight I got with the bike. Someone wrote the colors of the wires on the light and I used that. No lights. I think it is either the partially smashed left handlebar control or just the bulbs are both shot (I can see the running lamp bulb is shot).

Can someone take some pics of the wires going into their headlight for me or list the order?

Also maybe pics of the resistor area on the left side near the rear brake res... there was a yellow to yellow connection unplugged there.... not sure why but the bike ran with or without it....

 

[flybars]

Iancp5: "Why the battery?"
Two reasons. First one like SideShow said, Is legality. Ca. requires
the lights to be able to operate independent of the motor running.
Not that they ever check for that. It is just one of the rules.
The other is personal safety. I had a close call on my (other GasGas).
The one without a battery.
I'll paraphrase (copy) the post with my story. It came on page 5 of this
thread: "HOdo I go DC on my ec300"
http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1859
--------------------------------
I agree also, but if you have read the whole thread. Some of us like
the abuse of trying to wire in a battery and go "Full street legal"
Let me relate a little story that happened to me a couple weeks
ago.
I was getting on my bike after leaving work. It was after 6:00PM,
so it was dark. A friend stopped to talk to me while I was getting
the bike unlocked and started. This put a kink in my routine of
unlocking the bike and turning "on" the gas. Saying goodnight
I fired up the bike and started home. I get to the first LARGE
intersection, pull up to the red light and sit. BTW, I live in Los Angeles
near the LAX airport. Just as the light turns green and I take off, the
bike sputters to a stop and dies. Leaving me right in the middle of
two main streets. No lights..nothing. I can't reach the petcock with
my gloved hands. I kick like a fool while a flood of LA traffic flies past
me in their rush to get home. All I could do was wave my arms and
pray for good luck as I pushed the bike across the intersection dodging
cars till I got to the curb. Frightened the crap out of me. Thus my motivation
to get my GasGas'es equipped with a battery and a switch to allow me
to run all my lights without the engine running.
---------------------------------------------------------
So there are benefits of having a light that does not require the motor
to be running.
Like down a steep hill in the dark on a tight single track. Touch the
rear brake a tad too hard, kill the motor, and you are in trouble fast.
-----------
SideShow, Good luck in your street conversion.
Jeff So. Cal.

That happened to me a few years ago Jeff. We started back a little too late, and it got pitch black pretty quick. I killed the bike, and was lucky I was just at a crawl when it happened. I was able to get her stopped, and kicked back to life. It could have been ugly. An eye opener to say the least. Also, the 35 watt headlight is unsafe to ride at night. I went ahead and got a 50 watt right away, just in case I ever got caught out in the dark again. My XR has just enough juice to run with a 50 watt bulb. I also installed the glass lens to keep it from melting.
Thanks to everyone of U for sharing this important information! When I eventually get my GG 2 stroke, I will need to have/make it street legal also. Not that I understand everything said, but it makes it so much more doable for the novice. Bob.

 

[SideshowBob]

Can someone take some pics of the wires going into their headlight for me or list the order?

Also maybe pics of the resistor area on the left side near the rear brake res... there was a yellow to yellow connection unplugged there.... not sure why but the bike ran with or without it....

Cancel that! No help needed, it was the bulbs!

Now I just need to-
Get a bulb
Wire a tail light
Fix the brake light relay for the front brake


So, can someone help me out with the relay for the front brake?

Specifically, what wire(s) do the relay plug into behind the headlight? Colors would be great, pics would be totally awesome!

 

[SideshowBob]

Update-

I now have tail and headlight with high low. However my brake light isn't working.

Tips for troubleshooting?

Should I try replacing the sender, do those go bad?

 

[SideshowBob]

Update-

I now have tail and headlight with high low. However my brake light isn't working.

Tips for troubleshooting?

Should I try replacing the sender, do those go bad?

Anyone? Bueller?

I would love it if someone could show me the wiring for the front brake sender.

 

[jostby]

unplug the front brake switch and use a paperclip to jump the wires together (harness side of course). I think the connector is near the steering head. The brake light should come on with the bike running of course.
A good Digital Volt-Ohm Meter (DVOM) will have a continuity function (beeps when connection is made). So you can also test the switch portion with that or the ohm meter function. You should have continuity (beeps) when you pull the brake lever. Only use continuity or ohm functions when the component you are testing has been removed from the circuit (no power to it) or you can damage your meter.
As a side note, my '00 has only 1 brake light switch mounted on the front master cylinder.
My kids has only 1 switch and it is mounted on the rear brake master cylinder.
For a wiring schematic do a search, there are several good ones floating around on this site.

 

[SideshowBob]

unplug the front brake switch and use a paperclip to jump the wires together (harness side of course). I think the connector is near the steering head. The brake light should come on with the bike running of course.
A good Digital Volt-Ohm Meter (DVOM) will have a continuity function (beeps when connection is made). So you can also test the switch portion with that or the ohm meter function. You should have continuity (beeps) when you pull the brake lever. Only use continuity or ohm functions when the component you are testing has been removed from the circuit (no power to it) or you can damage your meter.
As a side note, my '00 has only 1 brake light switch mounted on the front master cylinder.
My kids has only 1 switch and it is mounted on the rear brake master cylinder.
For a wiring schematic do a search, there are several good ones floating around on this site.

Huh. Bike is an 03 and the lighting was removed when I got it so I assumed there was a front and a rear switch, but maybe there was only a rear. I have a rear in the rear master.

I will try your trick with the rear to see if it's the sender itself or the wiring.

Thanks!