gps2
XS650 Enthusiast
And what does it do? On my '75, it has green/white, yellow and black wires and is a small grey box about 2" long. Do I need it? If not, how can I bypass it?
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What is a Light Checker?
- Thread starter gps2
- Start date
bluebikerblan
Geezer
The light checker of the 75 B functions to "check" that the stoplight is operational and if not to inform the operator of same by a indicator light. Many people choose to remove this unit viewing it as one of the unecessesary "bells & whistles" that crept in over the years like the self-cancelling turn signal unit, the reserve lighting unit and the sidestand interlock unit of later years.
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gps2
XS650 Enthusiast
bluebikerblan
Geezer
Yes should be OK ...you may need a new power supply connection to the taillight
I've removed several (though not on the B however) and having done so I needed to provide a new power connection to the taillight [(yellow) in your case]. The G/W is to the indicator which you can then trace out as no longer needed. B being a ground.
I've removed several (though not on the B however) and having done so I needed to provide a new power connection to the taillight [(yellow) in your case]. The G/W is to the indicator which you can then trace out as no longer needed. B being a ground.
OK - I am reviving a '76 C-model and is does have a light checker - but I cannot find the hated Reserve Lighting unit anywhere.
Is it possible that my '76 does NOT have a Reserve Lighting module?
Is it possible that my '76 does NOT have a Reserve Lighting module?
....sorry - hit send too fast. I note from the wiring schematic above that the Reserve Lighting module is not shown (the diagram is for '75 "B" and '76 C-models).
Hmmmm - other sources indicated that ALL years of XS650's had this nasty little bugger lurking under the seat somewhere......
Hmmmm - other sources indicated that ALL years of XS650's had this nasty little bugger lurking under the seat somewhere......
cycleranger
Generally Ok.
My '76 C does not have the reserve lighting module. And you're correct, it doesn't show up in the B and C wiring diagram.
RLD was not part of the XS650 wiring until 1977. Also FYI, the RLD is neither hated or nasty IMHO! I have it on my 78SE and I think Its a good thing to have.
My '84 Heritage Special still has all the "extra electrical parts of dubious worth" that it came with.
Not that I reckon the bike needs them, I'm just scared of the major re-wiring job it may take to eliminate them.
Especially after reading all those posts that say "I took off (this or that mystery module) and now nothin' works; help?"
Not that I reckon the bike needs them, I'm just scared of the major re-wiring job it may take to eliminate them.
Especially after reading all those posts that say "I took off (this or that mystery module) and now nothin' works; help?"
Many complain the reserve lighting unit will fail, and what is the necessity of that, when it is obvious that your light has gone out when riding at night.
I say; if i'm riding at night and half way round a corner or just a dark night and the main beam goes and the reserve lighting unit does its job and switches over to the other main beam...................It just might save my life....................Now if i had bypassed it, the main beam cut out and i was in the same scenario, the chances of my brain would being able to recognize the problem and actually doing something about it, by using the Hi/Low beam switch, i would be across the road and through the fence before i could think.............. "whats going on"....................Why remove a safety feature if it is still working.
I say; if i'm riding at night and half way round a corner or just a dark night and the main beam goes and the reserve lighting unit does its job and switches over to the other main beam...................It just might save my life....................Now if i had bypassed it, the main beam cut out and i was in the same scenario, the chances of my brain would being able to recognize the problem and actually doing something about it, by using the Hi/Low beam switch, i would be across the road and through the fence before i could think.............. "whats going on"....................Why remove a safety feature if it is still working.
What the RLU does is flip the headlight to the other filament and light up the console's big white eyeball to let you know about it.
Didn't quite do the job on my XS11. If the low beam filament burns out the RLU turns the warning eyeball on as it switches to the high beam.
Alas that it's designed to switch on the high beam at a reduced power so as not to blind the oncoming traffic. The power to my XS11's high beam was reduced so much that the light was too dim to see with. Quicker than you can say "Damn you Joseph Lucas!" I turned the dipswitch to high beam so I could see down the road again. Of course if the high beam had burned out it'd have switched to the low beam no problem, so I'm in favour of having an RLU. Especially in daylight. If one of your headlight filaments burns out in daylight you just won't know there's a problem unless that big white eyeball is glaring at you
Didn't quite do the job on my XS11. If the low beam filament burns out the RLU turns the warning eyeball on as it switches to the high beam.
Alas that it's designed to switch on the high beam at a reduced power so as not to blind the oncoming traffic. The power to my XS11's high beam was reduced so much that the light was too dim to see with. Quicker than you can say "Damn you Joseph Lucas!" I turned the dipswitch to high beam so I could see down the road again. Of course if the high beam had burned out it'd have switched to the low beam no problem, so I'm in favour of having an RLU. Especially in daylight. If one of your headlight filaments burns out in daylight you just won't know there's a problem unless that big white eyeball is glaring at you
The RLD was first used at about the same time that the law required a headlight to be on during daylight hours. The main purpose of the RLD is to switch over to high when the low beam fails, which would not be noticed by a rider in the day time hours. I agree with 650skull, keeping the headlight on, during the daylight, could save your life.
I consider the RLD, Safety Relay, and even the Light Checker as worthwhile devices. However, the side stand switch, clutch switch and self-cancelling turn signals, I see no value in them. In fact the self-cancelling feature is dangerous, because it can often cancel before the turn is completed.
I consider the RLD, Safety Relay, and even the Light Checker as worthwhile devices. However, the side stand switch, clutch switch and self-cancelling turn signals, I see no value in them. In fact the self-cancelling feature is dangerous, because it can often cancel before the turn is completed.
Hi RG,
don't the RLD switch both ways, not merely switching to low beam if high beam fails?
In my only experience of the RLD doing it's job it switched to high when low burned out even if high did turn on to be really dim.
What's really helpful is the console's bright white warning light, especially in daylight. And in daylight is when your dealer is open
and you can more easily buy the correct replacement bulb rather than hoping you can find one at a late night gas station.
Agreed about the clutch switch but not about the sidestand switch. Some people ARE careless enough to try riding off with the sidestand down.
Although I'm iffy about the self canceller.
A careful rider with self-cancelling signals keeps an eye on the signal indicator so if the signal quits prematurely a thumbflick turns it on again.
OTOH a careless rider without self cancelling signals can leave them on for mile after endless mile while driving straight, inducing road rage, tailgating and horn fanfares from the guy following him.
Quite honestly Fred, I don't know if the RLD switches both ways H-L/L-H. All I know is that it switches from Low to High if required. Its a worthwhile feature, that's not needed very often, as in 24 years using motorcycles, I've never had a headlight failure.
I consider the turn signals to be an extremely important safety device. Every time I start the bike, I check that they are working properly. I want 100% assurance that after I select them on, they will stay on until after my turn is completed. There are 2 things that can prevent that happening. One is the self-cancelling unit, which is just not reliable, so it had to be removed from the bike. The second thing is low voltage to the stock flasher unit. I solved that by replacing the stock flasher with a Tridon HD12, which uses capacitor charge time rather than the cheap bi-metal stock unit. With the Tridon unit, my signals will continue to flash if the voltage drops to 12, or even 11 volts, which can happen occasionally while idling at an intersection..
I consider the turn signals to be an extremely important safety device. Every time I start the bike, I check that they are working properly. I want 100% assurance that after I select them on, they will stay on until after my turn is completed. There are 2 things that can prevent that happening. One is the self-cancelling unit, which is just not reliable, so it had to be removed from the bike. The second thing is low voltage to the stock flasher unit. I solved that by replacing the stock flasher with a Tridon HD12, which uses capacitor charge time rather than the cheap bi-metal stock unit. With the Tridon unit, my signals will continue to flash if the voltage drops to 12, or even 11 volts, which can happen occasionally while idling at an intersection..
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