Phil's Mods

[Phil]

I'm updating this post with a full list of mods, for ease of finding them as I get older and forget :)

___________________________
Phils Spyder Mods
======================
Additional front fuse panel
Mud Flap Lights
BrightSides front and rear
Kewlmetal Run-Turn-Brake light http://www.kewlmetalstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=633
Double Play Unit
12vdc dash convenience outlet
AEM Voltage Meter
TricLed TricFenderz - Amber / Red
Front DayRunners
RTGloRyder http://www.gloryder.com/can-am-spyder-accessories.php
Custom Dynamics - Various Stingerz LED sticks (Purple) http://www.customdynamics.com/
Black Magic Remote LED Control
DRL Cornering Lights with TDR control
Puddle Lights & switch
Master Accessory Power Switch & relay
LED Licenseplate light
LED Frunk Surround
LED Fendertip lights
LED Seatglow light
LED Trunk lights
LED Glove Box light
LED Under Dash light
Dimmers for Dash & TricFenderz lights
~~new 07/23/11~~
HID Headlights
LEDs under rear fender
LEDs (purple) as 'eye lashes' above headlights (01/02/12)
Backup/rear view Camera (01/02/12)
-------------------------------
Bluetooth Receivers
Bluetooth Transmitter
4 Channel Audio Mixer
---------------------------
Extra WAGO LeverNuts (power distribution)
Billet Axel Covers Front end Dressup Kit
Green Filter
Swaybar
Elka Shocks (7/2011)
Utopia Backrest (6/2011)
Fog HIDs
Gizmo Mount Bracket
Küryakyn Widow Pegs
BRP Chrome Mirror Accents
BRP Chrome Exhaust Accent
~~~~~NEW 11/11/11 RT622 Trailer~~~~~~
Interior while LED halo of light
Front and back lid halo of Purple LEDs
GloRyders for trailer wheels(DIY, not stock)
Battery- 12ah to power trailer lights while not connected to bike (12/28/12)
~~~~~~~~ MISC ~~~~~~
Lambs Wool Gel Seats - http://www.amspecialtiesusa.com/gelpad.htm

================================================





Here's a pic of my RT SE5 PE as it looked when I started the mods:


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsA-11-27-10.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsC-11-27-10.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsB-11-27-10.jpg


Some of the things I'm working on:

Redo the power distribution to power the current and additional LEDs.
Adding quick disconnect so frunk can be easily removed, even with all the extra LEDs.
Redo mounting of the Fog HID ballasts
Add many more purple LEDs to frunk
Add purple LED that accents fog housing
Add master on off switch & relay for new power buss (see #1)
Add TricFenderz LEDs
Add mud flap LEDs (wire into turn signals)
Add dimmer for TricFenderz
Add white LED strips in glove box and under dash
Add dimmer for glove box and dash lights
Add 'puddle lights' under mirrors
Add wiring and separate switch for puddle lights
Add RunBrakeTurn LED strip to back of bike
Redo previous Bluetooth work to 'mix' audio from all Bluetooth sources rather than having them fight for supremacy order.
Seems like there'd something else??!!!

I'm fortunate to be one of the guys to have a heated garage with good working lighting and tool boxes. Took me a bunch of years to get tot this point, but I'm very blessed. So, I can take my time and do things the right way.

Stay tuned....

[SpyderWolf]

Sounds like a great winter project list. I wish you the best in getting it all done, and being able to show it off.

[Phil]

I'm almost finished with all of the mods. The list grew a bit. Again, I'm not a paint or mechanical guy and I do work for a living, so... the mods are mainly electrical and done on weekends. I'm proud to say that in 5 weeks of work, I only blew 2 fuses!! Yea me!! And when I blew them, I knew exactly what I did and knew exactly which fuse to replace.

Descriptions below pics....


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TheGarage.jpg
This is garage bay #3 where the fun takes place. I've set up the workbench (all from Sam's Club) so I have plenty of outlets and power supply for my netbook. You'll see my Brother label printer. I find putting tags on the wiring helps me remember what I did after the fact. One of the early things I did was to get a battery tender and so I don't kill the bike battery while I'm working on it, I keep the tender plugged into the 12v accessory outlet in the trunk. Works VERY well.

After I get things cleaned up, I'll be adding slat board plastic hanging system. I have it in the rest of the garage for our gardening tools and its great stuff.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-UpperWindDef-1.jpg
Part of the LED mods I did included adding Purple LEDS behind the upper wind deflectors. An accent I've done over the years is to light glass or plastic from an edge. Depending on the material, it then looks like it is glowing on its edges. I've used purple 95% of the places. All of the accent lights are tied into a Street Magic remote (love it)
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-UpperWindDef-2.jpg
After I get it out on the street, I may add a purple lighting gel in front of the LEDs to mute them a bit. I need to see them in comparison to all the other lights. I'll have to go back a figure out where I found these particular thin LEDs.

More to come......

[Slybird]

Certainly looks beautiful. I've often wondered how one could improve on the looks of a Timeless Black RT-S....but you sure hit the nail on the head, my friend. :thumbup: I'm jealous!!

[JimAlpha]

RT Looking good. Love the garage too!

[Hawk Eye]

Nice looking mods, and great looking garage.:2thumbs:

Pete

[SpyderWolf]

Wow! If I had a place like that to work on my Spyder I might not ever get it put back together. :D Great job on the mods so far. :thumbup:

[Motavar]

Nice man nice! Good to see a tricked out RT.

[Phil]

Wow! If I had a place like that to work on my Spyder I might not ever get it put back together. :D
HA! Well, I finally got everything finished tonight and got it all back together. NO leftover screws:ohyea: and only one push pin left. Only took 6 weeks. AND... it started and ran just great. I ran it around the block to be sure all was functioning and that nothing would fall off :roflblack:

Every house we had owned for 23 years had zero or near zero garage space. We moved into this home about 14 months ago and when we first saw the garage, I was in love! 1500 sqft. We've been blessed.:pray: I'm very thankful.

I'll work on posting all of the other mods and final pics ASAP.

[TicketBait]

very nice Phil, gosh 1500 sq ft is the same size as my entire place, that's just your garage:bowdown: Did I hear Garage party at Phils :yes:
oh and nice lighting on the spyder too! :ohyea:

[Phil]

I spent HOURS researching this. I now know more about Bluetooth than I ever wanted to know. And I realize that I now know less than I thought I knew. This solution is about the only way I could figure out how to make this work. I AM interested in any other ways to make this happen!! I want to also give a HUGE thanks and deep appreciation here to all of those that have gone before. The pioneers like Lamonster, Scotty, Mark, others. You guys figured out lots on the RT and gave me the confidence that me, a software geek, might be able to do the mod thing. THANKS!! :clap::clap:

My requirements were to be able to SIMULTANEOUSLY listen to the bike audio (I'll call it the FM), audio from my TomTom, listen for iPhone things like incoming TXTs and email, AND have intercom to my wife's helmet. I know... I'm in a 12 step program for being picky. I first tried to use the Bluetooth in each helmet as the connection point. Nope. It has to do with there being a Bluetooth priority order that is fixed and cannot be adjusted. My iPhone would always link to the helmets first when I really wanted the bike FM first. That meant seeking a different solution.

The helmet system I purchased several months ago was the SENA SMH10-
http://www.bikeintercom.com/images/sena_home.jpg
Some don't like it due to the size. I LIKE is because of its size. REALLY intuitive and easy to use 'jog wheel'. Anyway... back to the story.

I laid out this solution-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderBluetoothStereoAudio-B.jpg

So I ordered all of the pieces, hoping it would work. I finally got the courage one day to open all the boxes and dig in. After several hours, I had this:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/AudioExperimenting.jpg
Big mess, but it was the experiment that worked. To make this work, I needed Bluetooth units that could be powered from the bike's 12v so I wouldn't have to keep charging, replacing batteries, etc. I also needed a mixer that would power the same way. The ONE item that I could not find (believe me I tried) was a Bluetooth TRANSMITTER working from 12v to take the mixer output and send it to the helmets. PLENTY of receivers, but only 2 transmitters. I already had the Sony guy, so Sony it is... for now. Here's the Transmitter:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/BlueToothTransmitter.jpg

I decided to mount the Bluetooth receivers under the seat:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/BluetoothReceiversUnderSeat.jpg
I really thought a lot about this location for the receivers. The units are pretty well sealed so there's no issue being close to the tank. I wanted them somewhat accessible in case of needing to re-pair with another GPS, etc. They are held in place by Velcro, AND... my best friend- black Gaffer tape! Kinda like duct tape, but MUCH prettier and nicer to handle. REALLY strong stuff. It's used by audio guys to keep mic wires in place on floors, etc. I used it a lot for quick, easy ways to tack wires in place on the bike.


After lots of trial, here's the mounting I selected for the audio mixer:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/AudioMixer-1.jpg
The inputs are on the left, the volume controls (faders) in the middle, output on the top right and power mid-right. I drilled a 3/4" hole in the top of the side trunk to get all of the cables to and from the mixer. The hole leads to the relatively empty space near the battery. THAT's where the real cable mess is. I really tried to make it neat, but....

Costs-
Mixer- about $79
Bluetooth receivers- about $89 each
Bluetooth Sony transmitter- about $50
Fun designing it then seeing it work- priceless.

I still have SOME things that I'm not sure about but willing to live with. Like, if I get a call, I can't answer from the headset. No issues for me. I don't really take l-o-n-g trips on the bike and so this is not an issue. IF I need it, I can quickly pair the iPhone directly to the SENA unit. 95%+ of the time, I'm interested in music or my Sirius/XM app on my iPhone.
LOTS more details, but we'll stop here.

More pics of more mods to come!

[Phil]

AKA- Cleaning up the wiring.

When I first added LEDs to the front of the bike, I made a big rookie mistake. I ran each light wire back to the main bike. That would be about 8 of them. THEN I read more here in SpyderLovers and realized that the frunk can come off easily for service needs. Cha... right I thought. Easy for the big pro guys, not me.

Well, listen up newbies.... it IS easy. You unplug about 4 cables (except in my case it was a LOT more complicated), take out 6 (yes SIX) bolts, take out about 4 phillips screws from the skid pan, and LIFT it off as one unit. Ok... it really helps to have a way to lift the front end to get to the 2 bolts and the skid pan screws. I lifted it off with just me, so I'd put its weight at about 40-50 pounds.

Here's the way it looked right after I removed it and put it on a work table for 'the operation':
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-FrunkBefore.jpg
Kinda hard to see but there are wires from LEDs everywhere, like bad hair. My goal was to get it down to one, weatherproof plug. While in there, I converted the fog lights HID about a month earlier, the hard way without taking off any parts. Kinda like changing the plugs through the tail pipe ;). Anyway, with the frunk on the bench, it was really easy to clean up the mounting of the ballasts and wiring:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-HIDfoglights.jpg
IF you want to do this, be REALLY careful removing the big black dust cover. I broke the little plastic tab at the bottom TWO times at great cost. I ended up changing how the covers mounted to get around the issue.

Next job was to rerun all of the LED wires to one side of the frunk and connect the single plug:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-FrunkAfter-1.jpg
As you might guess, I also took the opportunity to add more LEDs. Like the upper wind deflectors, I used the small LED strips and attached one to the front edge of each fog light. Again, the idea is to get them touching something transparant and let the LED light 'flow'. It also reflects VERY nicely off of the chrome in the fog lights and adds a glow that you ask- where's that coming from?!

As I progressed, I tested all wiring and lights. Here's how:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/2011Mods-FrunkAfter-2-Test.jpg
The battery is from my leaf blower. I probably used this method 150 times as I made all of the mods. You can kind of see the LEDs making the fog lights glow purple. EXACTLY what I wanted. Here's the bike side plug:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/FrunkPlugBikeSide.jpg

Taking the frunk on and off, is NOW a 20 minute job, not 60.

More pics of more mods to come...

[NancysToy]

Impressive! Great job. :thumbup:

[Roger]

WOW!! now i am embarrassed with my wiring job cause i usually take any extra lenght of wire and wad it up an zip tie it out of the way in case i need extra for later but i don't think i need an extra 3' of it. Like Scotty said very impressed.

[Phil]

Thanks for the comments guys. I am humbled given what all you guys have accomplished. I'm really having fun and doing this for me and my bride. A local guy suggested that I enter it in a show or two. Eh... ya never know.

This mod was to fix what I saw as a BRP design issue. The funky place they put the front 12v convenience outlet wasn't all that convenient. Given the recommendation of several here on SpyderLovers, I disconnected the analogue gages and am really pleased with what shows on the LCD screen. So... what to do with the empty holes. Again, I scoured the Internet and ended up putting various parts together and got this--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/12vdcOutlet.jpg
The item filling the hole where the gauge was, is a sliding door pull! So happens it's the same diameter as the hole. Then.. but how do I make it stay IN the hole because the forces of putting things in and out of the outlet are not trivial. That answer came from the left over parts from the old gauge. The screws are ones used for electrical outlets when the box is REALLY recessed compared to the outlet. I ground off part of the heads, painted them black, and it all fit.

To balance out the other side:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/AEM-VoltMeter.jpg

Here's the family portrate of the dash:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/Dash-1.jpg

More mods and pics to come...

[Phil]

I'll have another post that shows the LED dimmers I mounted.

But I wanted to show the end results of adding LED strip light to the glove box. It really helps at night:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/GloveBox-2.jpg

And the 'formal view':
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/GloveBox-1.jpg
The glove box lights, the under dash lights and the trunk LED lights are all controlled from the dimmer that says DASH. The dimmer is also a switch if I wish to turn them completely off. While I was at it, I added a little blue accent light in a place I had never seen used and also attached them to the DASH dimmer. But the effect is like an under cabinet light!

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SeatGlow.jpg

This shows the actual LED strip under the dash (mounted under the pull out safety card). It also shows a glimpse of the Puddle Lights that I'll detail in another post.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLights-5.jpg

More pics of more mods to come...

[SpyderWolf]

Very nice, extremely clean, work. :congrats:

[Lamonster]

You are a wildman :2thumbs: :bowdown:

[IWN2RYD]

Good God... They Found Scotty!!! He is alive!............... Sorry... Star Trek joke... To far? lol :roflblack::ohyea:

Love it... Man oh man that took a lot of thought and planning... Great job man!

[Phil]

To quote Sally Field when she won her Oscar-- "You love me... you really love me!" :roflblack: Thanks guys. Like I said, its humbling.

Ok... this really was a simple mod. It was billed as such, but trust me, once you've drilled a couple of holes, hoping you did them right, it's no big deal. What's the worst? Buy a new piece of tupperware! I really looked at a way to mount it higher on the trunk, but I really couldn't find a way to make it look right due to the curves. Here's the end result:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/RunBrakeTurn-1.jpg
I love the look of the SOLID light, like a neon tube. It IS descrete LEDS, but they are packed tightly so it looks like one light. Some have written that they had issues with the curve of the light- it was 'peeling up' at the ends. When I opened the package I cound see that might be a problem. I didn't use a heat source, but I did set a toolbox on the very end and let most of the light hang off a work bench for several days then did the same on the opposite end. In the end, I did have one end that wanted to curve out. The answer for me was a very little bit of JB Weld. The kind that is like putty. It dried grey, so I broke out the Sharpie (aka black paint touch up tool) and here's that result. You have to know what to look for to notice it:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/RunBrakeTurn-2-1.jpg

Coming up next- Cornering Lights

[Phil]

Old song I learned in Sunday School about 52 years ago :)

This is one that has been on my list the longest. The older I get, the more help I need to see at night. No real issues, just aging I guess. I wanted a way to light up where I was heading when I turned into a corner. I had this feature on a car I once had and I loved it. I looked into dozens of ways to do this. I walked around the bike 10 times one day, just studying how it might be done. Mounting on the front is the obvious place, so I looked at the not so obvious. I searched the web for the very brightest LED bulbs and fixtures I could find. I bought 1 and 3 watt Pond lights. Waterproof, but large-ish and hard to mount. On a whim, I ordered 'bling' DRL lights for cars. www.SuperBrightLEDs.com (http://www.SuperBrightLEDs.com) is one of my favorite sites. This is where I found the lights called DRL-CW5 Series. Here's where I mounted them:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/CorneringLights-1-1.jpg
I made sure the foot rests would fold up when tieing up the wiring. The BIG challenge was figuring out how to turn them on without having one more switch. I remembered a thing called TDR- Time Delay Relays. I found simple DIY circuits to build, but I wanted something more durable. Google found this guy:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/CorneringLights-2-1.jpg
I exchanged an email with Mr. Wolsten describing what I wanted to do and he pointed me to the 'P' model. Their website is full of creative, clear DIY type applications. http://www.wolstentech.com/. I mounted it in that 'cavern' behind the headlights. A SLIGHT adjustment in the delay timer, and it worked perfectly first crack. Press the right signal switch, normal turns begin to flash, that closes the TDR relay, lights the Cornering Light, TDR keeps it on between normal turn signal flashes. Cancel the turn signal and within 1 sec, the Cornering Light goes out. Taaaa Daaah! THESE puppies are bright too:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/CorneringLights-3.jpg
With a little ride time, I may want to aim them up or down a little. But one spin around the block (before the 5 degrees rolled in) tells me they're pretty close. Oh, there is one TDR for left, one for right. I mounted them back to back. You'll see from their web site that the electronics are 'potted' to make them robust. An 'interesting' sidelight... with the Double Play unit on the turn signals, plus the TDRs, it looks like a carnival ride when you press the 4-Way flashers! Once I can figure out about posting a video, I'll SHOW you!!
TDRs- about $30 each.
Lights- about $70 for the pair

More mods and more pics coming...

[Phil]

I say puddle lights and I get the '...huh??' look a lot. They get that name because they illuminate the ground around a vehicle to make sure you don't step in a puddle. Simple :). I knew I wanted them on the mirrors, a point high and pretty far out from the body of the bike. So I started by trying to figure out what was inside those mirrors. Not cheap. I bought a Borescope and plunged into the mirror. A fair amount of empty space! So step one- suck it up and drill a big hole:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLights-1.jpg
LUCKILY, I picked a good spot:thumbup:Now, pull the wires from the puddle light through the mirror and out the end hole.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLights-2.jpg
#3---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLights-3.jpg
#4 I wanted a bit more 'wide throw' and not just straight down, so I added one of these-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLights-4.jpg
I then did the wiring and put on a weatherproof plug, oh... and added the wiring and switch on the bike side.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/PuddleLightsFinal.jpg
Here's a link to a video of how they look:
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=PuddleLights.mp4
Sometime in the future, I may add a TDR so when the bike is turned off, the puddle lights automatically come on for 30 seconds or so.

OK.... on to the final (for now) post....

[Phil]

Here are a few more short videos. Sorry for the links and no preview, haven't quite mastered videos yet.

1. Flashers on showing the front of the bike
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=4WayOn-FrontOfBike.mp4

2. Flashers on then off & glovebox
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=4WayOn-Off-GloveBoxDashDimmer.mp4

3. Dash & Fender Dimmers
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=DashAndFenderDimmer.mp4

4. Flashers on, wide shot
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=4WayOnWideShot.mp4

5. Flashers on back of Spyder
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=4WayOn-BackOfBike.mp4

6. Inside the Trunk
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=InsideTrunk.mp4

Here's are a few Taaaa Daaah shots. I'm going to be working on some professional shots (my daughter is a pro with the right gear)
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-2-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-3-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-4-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-5-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-6-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/TaaDaa-1-1.jpg

I'm sure I've missed a few mods, like an extra fuse block in the front, green filter, sway bar, and a few more things. It has been 100% fun and I'm sure its not really done!

Again... thanks so much to all who went before and pioneered DIY mods. You gave me confidence. Thanks so much for the encouraging words along the way. Now.... please warm up so I can go enjoy all this work :)


to be continued...

[CyncySpyder]

Phil, please tell me your going to be at SpyderFest? I've got to meet you & see all of your creative work in person. I'm astounded at all you've done & am planning on many of the mods myself, but having no electrical training, have been procrastinating for fear of :cus:'n up my ryde. & since I ryde year round, cept in rain/sleet/ice or snow covered streets, I actually don't have many down days to do this. It'd take me months to do all you've done.:bowdown: VERY IMPRESSIVE & I hope to meet you in person at SpyderFest!:firstplace:

[Phil]

Phil, please tell me your going to be at SpyderFest? I've got to meet you & see all of your creative work in person. I'm astounded at all you've done & am planning on many of the mods myself, but having no electrical training, have been procrastinating for fear of :cus:'n up my ryde. & since I ryde year round, cept in rain/sleet/ice or snow covered streets, I actually don't have many down days to do this. It'd take me months to do all you've done.:bowdown: VERY IMPRESSIVE & I hope to meet you in person at SpyderFest!:firstplace:

Thanks so much for the comments.:opps:
YES, I'll be at Spyderfest!! Really looking forward to meeting you and others that are my heroes.

BUT... I have to fly in without the Spyder due to my tight schedule. UNLESS there is a group of bikes being shipped up there from Texas and mine could be added to the group for a 'reasonable' fee. But, I'm just coming off one long trip then have a commitment on that Saturday.
pb

[tatt2r]

never hear the words ..."I didn't see him" :2thumbs:
i'd give up my kitchen for that garage ...

[CyncySpyder]

BUT... I have to fly in without the Spyder due to my tight schedule. UNLESS there is a group of bikes being shipped up there from Texas and mine could be added to the group for a 'reasonable' fee. But, I'm just coming off one long trip then have a commitment on that Saturday.
pb[/QUOTE]

:yikes: Say it ain't so, Joe..... er Phil!!! :gaah: I so want to see your Masterpiece in person :firstplace: Hmmmmmm, maybe that'll give Teddy & I another road-trip Destination for the future :ohyea:

[rcantrell52]

The pictures and comments are very informative. Alot of time and hard work went into this project. You need to train a tech and establish this as a business.
Regards,
Reese

[Phil]

The pictures and comments are very informative. Alot of time and hard work went into this project. You need to train a tech and establish this as a business.
Regards,
Reese
HA! And give up the day job to do it?! Nope. That one is TOO much fun.

When it warms Reese, we'll meet at Heartland Ham and you can play with it! Thanks for the encouragement guys....:bowdown:

While I'm here, here's a pretty comprehnsive list of my mods:

Phils Spyder Mods
======================
Additional front fuse panel
Mud Flap Lights
BrightSides front and rear
Kewlmetal Run-Turn-Brake light
Double Play Unit
12vdc dash convenience outlet
AEM Voltage Meter
TricLed TricFenderz - Amber / Red
Front DayRunners
RTGloRyder
Custom Various Stingerz LED sticks (Purple)
Black Magic Remote LED Control
DRL Cornering Lights with TDR control
Puddle Lights & switch
Master Accessory Power Switch & relay
LED Licenseplate light
LED Frunk Surround
LED Fendertip lights
LED Seatglow light
LED Trunk lights
LED Glove Box light
LED Under Dash light
Dimmers for Dash & TricFenderz lights
~~new 07/23/11~~
HID Headlights
LEDs under rear fender
-------------------------------
Bluetooth Receivers
Bluetooth Transmitter
4 Channel Audio Mixer
---------------------------
Extra WAGO LeverNuts
Billet Axel Covers Front end Dressup Kit
Green Filter
Swaybar
Elka Shocks (7/2011)
Utopia Backrest (6/2011)
Fog HIDs
Gizmo Mount Bracket
Küryakyn Widow Pegs
BRP Chrome Mirror Accents

[harddrive]

Nice work Phil. :firstplace:. I may have to ride mine up there so we can put these mods on my RT...we have to keep you from getting board...:yes:

[rcantrell52]

Saw Adam at Broadway today and he said they got a shipment of 2011 RT's in on Thursday. Sevice was assembling a unit this afternoon. Brought the Spyder home after having a steering sensor repaired.
Regards,
Reese

[Phil]

Nice work Phil. :firstplace:. I may have to ride mine up there so we can put these mods on my RT...we have to keep you from getting board...:yes:

Come on up!! But I'm far from board :). Now on to my big project... a 35,000 sqft green office building for our company, complete with all LED computer controlled lighting, motorized shades, uuber technology to save energy, geothermal wells, the works! But seriously, let Reese and I know if you're wanting to come and we'll host you.



Saw Adam at Broadway today and he said they got a shipment of 2011 RT's in on Thursday. Sevice was assembling a unit this afternoon. Brought the Spyder home after having a steering sensor repaired.
Regards,
Reese

Saw a grey one driving by. I'll have to stop in.

[Phil]

I had a few PMs asking what I used.
First is the Kewlmetal Gizmo Mount. VERY solid simple device. I then wanted a mount that would make it easy to swap my TomTom with my iPhone. As of now, I'm not sure which device will spend the most time on the bars so I wanted each to be equally easy. I found this guy:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/31tDjWDTEPL_SL500_AA300_.jpg
From Amazon--- GN032+RPH+TO6: Motorcycle Mount TomTom GO 520/530, 720/730, 920/930


I obviously didn't want the bicycle handlebar mount method, so off to the grinder and files I went. This shows how it all came out:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/RAM-Mount-1.jpg
I did need to drill 2 holes in the Gizmo and the screws I used are a bit long, but until I'm 110% sure I like it, it's good enough. I brought both a TomTom and iPhone cable out through the little knockout under the Gizmo mount. I filed a notch in the plastic knockout to make it a bit neater. Both cables are then plugged into a 12v outlet to USB charger adapter that is tucked up into that front cavern. Swapping RAM mounts is VERY easy. It takes about 3 twists of the wrist to loosen and whala:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/RAM-Mount-2.jpg
Here's the way it looks from the driver:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Dash-1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/RAM-Mount-3.jpg
It appears to be rock sturdy for normal driving.

[Phil]

Thanks again for all the positive comments!

On another thread, someone was saying how the Spyder has invigorated his marriage (my words). His wife is excited about ryding. This weekend was SPECTACULAR weather here in North East Texas and my bride was bugging me for us to take a ryde! She was bugging ME!!! You have no idea how good that makes me feel. Anyway.... back to the mods...

If you haven't done the sway bar mod- DO IT NOW!!! It's not a cheap mod, but the change in the ride is AWESOME! We did about 100miles on our Saturday ryde and I was SO much more relaxed. As trucks would go by me on 2 lane roads and as breezes blew, I did not buffet around like I did with the stock sway bar. It made the ride smooth.

I DID learn that I have some electrical work to do. All of my testing with the Bluetooth mod and the mixer was done with the engine off. WOOPS! I definitely have a whine in my helmet and I know right where it's coming from. Fortunately I thought ahead and already have powerline conditioning kits (should only take one) on my work bench. I REALLY meant to put them on, but said ehhhh, I'll try it without. Nope! I got tickled... my TomTom voice is set to a British gal. Several times, it mixed with the FM radio and the whine and she sounded like she had smoked a carton of Luckys a day for years!!

All in all- everything was wonderful.

[GloryRyders]

:2thumbs: great lighting.........the space shuttle will probably be able to track you at night:roflblack:. It's a shame that you can't bring it to Spyderfest....I'm sure everyone would love to see it!:clap::2thumbs:

[Sopher]

I like the mods. Good work. :congrats: But isn't the front facing /purple (looks blue-ish) lights illegal when used on the streets?
Most vehicle light laws have wording about absolutely no blue lights.

[Phil]

I like the mods. Good work. :congrats: But isn't the front facing /purple (looks blue-ish) lights illegal when used on the streets?
Most vehicle light laws have wording about absolutely no blue lights.

I've certainly heard that about blue lights, hence one of the reasons I chose purple. Legalities aside, I could argue that they are not 'hey I'm an emergency vehicle with blue flashing lights, get out of my way' type lights. They are truly accent lights. I've had 2-3 police near me at lights and have not, so far, had anyone say anything.
pb

[Firefly]

Nice work for sure!

On the audio setup, my only concern is the various bluetooth stuff getting 'confused'.

Any reason you didn't just hardwire the iphone and tomtom?

I used the MixIt sound mixer when I did mine.. not using BT output--- yet-- but I have a Sony unit I can use.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23238

[Phil]

Nice work for sure!

On the audio setup, my only concern is the various Bluetooth stuff getting 'confused'.

Any reason you didn't just hardwire the iPhone and tomtom?

I used the MixIt sound mixer when I did mine.. not using BT output--- yet-- but I have a Sony unit I can use.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23238

Thanks for the compliment!
Sorry I hadn't seen your work before I did mine! Very creative Mr..... uhhh... Fly.
Confusion- hummmm so far... not a bit of confusion. I rode to work today. I had the FM playing and iPhone of the handlebars. I heard an email ding in the helmet during a really neat song. At a light, I opened the email app and saw that I had an appointment appear. Thus, no stop for Starbucks! Worked great. So far everything has registered perfectly when the power comes on.

Hardwire- That definitely was on the table. I wanted to be able to have both work at the same time so I could have hard wired them to the mixer. As well, I really only wanted to have one thing on the handlebars at a time. So.. with the BT, when the TomTom is on the bars and the phone in the pocket, it all still works. AND... I have to believe there will be other Bluetooth things in the future. And... ok.. it was fun to do it this way!

Oh... last, I definitely didn't want a wired helmet.

[Phil]

I had several ask about and comment on my garage. I just finished all the wall stuff above the cabinets. Here are two views:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/Garage1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/Garage2.jpg

[SpyderWolf]

:2thumbs: Very nice garage indeed.

[Spyydrman]

Oooh very nice garage

[cardboard]

I had several ask about and comment on my garage. I just finished all the wall stuff above the cabinets. Here are two views:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/Garage1.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/Garage2.jpg


Hi Phil I'm new to this forum but have a neighbor that has been on here for a while.
I've read some of your post and you've done a super fine job with it and looks like you have it down pat.

He was tellin me about you takin a bluetooth device and hookin it up to the speaker wires, then you can get a non bluetooth radio to bluetooth into your headset and bluetooth a Iphone into a Zumo 550 and bluetooth it to your bluetooth headset.
He was saying something about you had to turn the unit that goes in back of the speakers on and off and it has to be charged.
I'm about 200 miles south of you and would like your help to hookup this on my bike.
Have you got it so the bluetooth set that hooks to the speakers will charge itself off the bikes power.
Fixin to get a Sena bluetooth headset.

Thanks.
cardboard

[Phil]

Hi Phil I'm new to this forum but have a neighbor that has been on here for a while.
I've read some of your post and you've done a super fine job with it and looks like you have it down pat.

He was tellin me about you takin a bluetooth device and hookin it up to the speaker wires, then you can get a non bluetooth radio to bluetooth into your headset and bluetooth a Iphone into a Zumo 550 and bluetooth it to your bluetooth headset.
He was saying something about you had to turn the unit that goes in back of the speakers on and off and it has to be charged.
I'm about 200 miles south of you and would like your help to hookup this on my bike.
Have you got it so the bluetooth set that hooks to the speakers will charge itself off the bikes power.
Fixin to get a Sena bluetooth headset.

Thanks.
cardboard

Hey Cardboard- First... I've not found a Bluetooth transmitter that can be popwered from the bike. Then again, I've not looked again for quite awhile. It's only a minior inconvenience. I WOULD change it out if there was one to be found :)

200 miles.... I'm traveling most of April. When we get into May, I might like a 200mile ride to come see and help! PM or email me along the way and we'll see if we can setup a time and place.

[cardboard]

Hey Cardboard- First... I've not found a Bluetooth transmitter that can be popwered from the bike. Then again, I've not looked again for quite awhile. It's only a minior inconvenience. I WOULD change it out if there was one to be found :)

200 miles.... I'm traveling most of April. When we get into May, I might like a 200mile ride to come see and help! PM or email me along the way and we'll see if we can setup a time and place.

Shot you a PM
Hope you got it.
Thanks.

[Phil]

Just got the BlueBridge BT Transmitter in. It powers from USB rather than the recharge that the Sony wants. I'll play with it next week after SpyderFest then report.


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[Phil]

I was posting in another thread and realized that I had not put these pics on (notes at the bottom):
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/SpyderWheels001765x1024.jpg


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/SpyderWheels002765x1024.jpg

The pis look a bit blue, but the light is actually purple. I have loads of purple highlights on Darth and this adds so much punch! The dove is a custom engraving that I had done. I'm not sure the guy that did it want's me to say that he did them because it ended up being a HUGE pain for him:gaah:!! I'll let him post if he wants to :2thumbs:

Next project is adding loads of Stingerz from Custom Dynamics. Taking the hint from this guy I saw at SpyderFest---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/SpyderFest 2011/DSCN14471024x768.jpg
I'm doing the same, but in purple and NOT quite as extensive :). Pics to follow when I get it done!

[Phil]

WILL THE MADNESS EVER END ??!! I added the lights around the frunk today. I love the way the purple glow shines on the headlight and fog light chrome.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/5fd05f73.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/38e453cb.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/bd663c26.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/6c7a5819.jpg

Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[SteveMac]

WILL THE MADNESS EVER END ??!! I added the lights around the frunk today. I love the way the purple glow shines on the headlight and fog light chrome.

Very cool stuff Phil!

I am sitting here looking at my Brightsides and the HWT brake light and planning to install tomorrow if it rains (highly likely here in MO...) I am quite certain mine won't be nearly as impressive as what you have put together though!

Excellent work! :thumbup:

[Phil]

Very cool stuff Phil!

I am sitting here looking at my Brightsides and the HWT brake light and planning to install tomorrow if it rains (highly likely here in MO...) I am quite certain mine won't be nearly as impressive as what you have put together though!

Excellent work! :thumbup:

Go for it SteveMac!! I know it will look great. Be sure to post pics!


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

I have had a number of IM requests for additional information on the Bluetooth mods shown here--
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=282095&postcount=13

Today I updated the diagram to better reflect the actual way things ended up. And I added a couple of options you might consider if you want to BT your Spyder.

Not reflected on the diagram is the powering of everything. I tapped a switched +12vdc line near the back of the bike (near the battery) and brought that directly to a Lever Lockz(tm)-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/LeverLokz.jpg
The Lever Lockz acts as a junction for all of the audio +12v lines (red). I did the same for the ground. INITIALLY, all was good until I actually started the bike and ran it down the road. DUH... I had forgotten to check for 'noise' on the 12vdc and sure enough it is there. So I ordered about 4 of these-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/518oGQ4ZNdL_SS500_.jpg

These are $7 on Amazon. This past weekend I finally got around to installing one right at the 12vdc junction I described above, and another in line with an extra fuse block I added in the front of the bike, just for good measure. This time I tested after each step (BIG RULE TO ALWAYS FOLLOW ON ELECTRICAL WORK). Adding the first one eliminated a lot of the whine and sputter. Adding the second one, took it down much further. Some day, I'll add the other two at various points. You hear it as a whine in the helmet speakers that goes up and down with the RPM and also with speed to some extent.

The spark plugs, the data bus that runs all of the bike systems, the various sensors on the bike, ALL create electrical 'noise'. For the most part, it's negligible and doesn't bother anything at all. BUT, when you start unbalancing the system like I have, you run the risk of some of that noise getting back into audio systems, etc. Hence.... adding the electrical noise suppressors. The have 3 wires so they are REALLY easy to install- +12in, +12out, ground!

Along the way, I'll try to copy some of the pieces from the IM and email chats I've had with some of you and put them into an FAQ type format, here in this thread.

[ffryder]

Phil excellent step by step documentation..

[SpyderWolf]

:2thumbs:

The additional lights look great as well.

[Phil]

Many of you know about the Bluetooth mod I did to Darth.
http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=282095&postcount=13

I thought I'd give a sample of the audio from the perspective of the helmet. Here's the 12 second audio clip, then I'll explain how I captured it:
http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/?action=view&current=HelmetAudio2.mp4

I stuck my iPhone up into the helmet, by one of the speakers, and hit the record. Duh. That's why you hear some extraneous noise. I also want to make the point that the audio is really rather good and it's great stereo on all sources, FM, iPod, iPhone, etc. The clip does give the example of BT audio from the bike + the GPS announcing turns. As well, SIMULTANEOUSLY, I can get sound from the iPhone, like the 'ding' of incoming TXT, email, etc.

[Phil]

WE HAVE UTOPIA!!!

I saw so many Utopia mods at SpyderFest, talked to happy owners and sat on a couple. I was sold. It came in yesterday an I'm riding on it today ( took the day off to mount it).

Like everyone said, the most scary part is taking a knife to the seat! YIKES!! But after you measure 3 times ya suck it up and cut.

The HARDEST part was aligning the threaded holes from the inside the seat bar with the holes in the external piece to get the bolts in. With help from a lunchtime visitor- GLRANGE (who is a member here but has yet to get his Spyder), we got the bolts in. 5 minutes later we were done!!

Taaaa Daaaaaa.....

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/6410c777.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/546f1f26.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/205cdea9.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/b2c8012c.jpg


This last pic shows the under seat bracket. You may need to flip it over for it to make sense :)



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[SpyderWolf]

:congrats: on a nice looking comfort mod.

[Y Rider]

Phil, what are you using for your seat cushions?

[Phil]

Phil, what are you using for your seat cushions?

http://www.amspecialtiesusa.com/
REALLY comfy.

Anyone added a lumbar roll inside their Utopia?


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[GLRange]

Looks awesome Phil...hope your enjoying it! :ohyea:

For anyone contemplating getting the Utopia backrest...well all I can say is that it just doesn't kinda match the passenger backrest...it matches it perfectly! Its just a well thought out design and a very high quality product.
I give it two thumbs up! :2thumbs:

[Phil]

Thought I'd share a couple more shots of the 'purple halo' on Darth.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLites002.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLites001.jpg

[AndyIsRiding]

All I can say is "IMPRESSIVE".

Great Job, cannot tell the Police if they hit you "I did not see him in the dark" :2thumbs:

[rcantrell52]

Phil,
Great additions to a Great looking Spyder.
Regards,
Reese

[SpyderWolf]

Phil, did you enter the Spyder Customization Contest in Maggie Valley?

[Phil]

Phil, did you enter the Spyder Customization Contest in Maggie Valley?

Nope. We're flying in due to schedules so I won't have Darth there to enter. PLUS.... I look at yours and others and you guys are so far ahead of my mods.... That's not a defeatist thing, it's a recognition of your quality quality! :bowdown:

My plan is to ryde to Cuba next year for sure and hopefilly next BRP event.

[SpyderWolf]

Nope. We're flying in due to schedules so I won't have Darth there to enter. PLUS.... I look at yours and others and you guys are so far ahead of my mods.... That's not a defeatist thing, it's a recognition of your quality quality! :bowdown:

My plan is to ryde to Cuba next year for sure and hopefilly next BRP event.

I am looking forward to meeting you at this event, so please be sure to look me up. I am going to wear a flourescent orange shirt to the BBQ so, like my Spyder, I shouldn't be too hard to find. :thumbup:

[Phil]

I am looking forward to meeting you at this event, so please be sure to look me up. I am going to wear a flourescent orange shirt to the BBQ so, like my Spyder, I shouldn't be too hard to find. :thumbup:

Will do!! Won't make the BBQ due to travel schedule. We'll be staying at the Fairfield Inn.


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[SpyderWolf]

It was a real pleasure to meet you and your wife at the Owner's Event. I am happy that you were able to find me, and that my Spyder made you smile. :thumbup:

I hope you had an uneventful trip back home as well.

[Phil]

It was a real pleasure to meet you and your wife at the Owner's Event. I am happy that you were able to find me, and that my Spyder made you smile. :thumbup:

I hope you had an uneventful trip back home as well.

Likewise!! Since Bobbie & I flew in and out, ours was much less eventful than most that came. There is NOTHING like seeing your RYDE in person Michael. I'm STILL smilin :) :)


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[Phil]

Nope. Not how to add a Utopia. That's here-- http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24907

This is a Mod TO the Utopia. I called Utopia after I installed mine to ask if they had ever done an adjustable lower lumbar support for one of their backrests. Apparently I'm the first to ask (story of my life by the way). So I set out to figure a way to make one.

You know the 'forest and the trees' thing? I was walking through WallyWorld with my bride and told her I was going to wander into hardware. We met up and she saw the furrow in my brow. "What are you looking for" she asked. I proceeded to tell her about the mod I wanted to do. I HAD picked up a small blood pressure cuff, but even it was too big, but she got the idea. "Why not use a bicycle inner tube and just cut it to size?" I did a bee line for the bicycle aisle and bought two of these (reason is later):

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar010.jpg (crappy photo sorry)


I proceeded to chop and seal and mess with it and this was the prototype I made:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar002.jpg

It really is a bad job, and honestly it leaks... slowly. I used several different types of sealant folded over the ends, and even bent the aluminum angles to try to cap off the ends. I used whatever I had around the shop
NOTE: I'm looking for better ideas on how to seal the tube so PLEASE send them along...... Hence the reason I bought a second tube :)

I zipped open the cover (on the bottom of the seat) and tucked the air bladder into the seat:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar004.jpg

I aired it up (after closing the zipper as far as I could) and folded the valve into a convenient position:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar005.jpg

And here are 2 views of the results:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar009.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/UtopiaLumbar008.jpg

I took it out for a test run and WOW!!!! I love the extra support in my lower back. I MAY just carve some extra hard foam and slip in there if I can't get a good seal on the tube, BUT I'd really like to be able to adjust it with a pump every-so-often.

Who knows... maybe Utopia will catch the idea and make it an option?!

[MarkLawson]

Man, I want to come to your house and play!!!

[Phil]

Man, I want to come to your house and play!!!

Bring it on my brother!! We have plenty of room for guests.:2thumbs:

[cougar]

Phil,

U want to seal the cut ends with a "hot" patch like they used to do in the olden days. Some tire shops still do them.

Cougar

[Phil]

Phil,

U want to seal the cut ends with a "hot" patch like they used to do in the olden days. Some tire shops still do them.

Cougar

Excellent. I'll ask around. Thanks much Cougar.


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[t64507]

when u do the hot patch make sure to burn the glue
i know it sounds fubared but it will seal better
and thanks im going to try it

[Phil]

I'm almost an Elka fan. I HAVE my Elka shocks but I've had a mod done before installing ::
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/27859631.jpghttp://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/f12531f2.jpg
The springs are powder coated with satin chrome. Should make the purple lights sparkle.
Installed pics to follow.

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[1VENOM]

:2thumbs: Great job, excellent pics and write up. :popcorn: Thank you for sharing.

[CanAmMick]

Phil,

Where did you run your wires for you gps. I have one that I want to install but not really sure how/where to run the wires. Would you by any chance have any additional pictures?

Thanks!

Mick

[Phil]

Phil,

Where did you run your wires for you gps. I have one that I want to install but not really sure how/where to run the wires. Would you by any chance have any additional pictures?

Thanks!

Mick

Hey Mick!
First, On this 4th of July, I thank you for your service.

No additional pics of this part of the mod right now. I do plan on working on my headlights soon so when I have them out, maybe I can get some pics.

I added a front, extra fuse block, then wired in a 3 outlet 12vdc concenience cluster in the empty space behind the headlights and behind the cluster. I plugged in a 12vdc to USB adapter. Inyo the USB, I plugged the iPhone power chord and routed it out the center of the handlebars (there is a hole plug there that is easy to remove). Routing the wire to that spot is really easy. Adding the outlets took a bit of time.

[Phil]

Tonight it went down to 92 so I headed to the garage to install the newly powercoated Elkas (pics above of the power coated springs)

First thing was to get a reference on the current headlight alignment. I used the garage door:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/e3293715.jpg
I did one line for the heads and one for the fogs, just for fun. You can see that I had already done the HID mod on the fogs. IF everything works right, I hope to do the HID/ headlight mod tomorrow.

Next... open the garage door to let out the fumes and catch a little bit of the slightly cooler evening air...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/efd9aa78.jpg


What everyone has written about the difference in difficulty between the right and left is highly understated. I did the right one in about 45 minutes start to finish. REMEMBER, I'm the electricl geek, not a wrench guy so I had a lot of tool trial and error. If I had it to do over, personally, I would remove the frunk due to the difficulty with the left top bolts.

The issue is that on an RT, the top left bolt has VERY VERY little clearance to get wrenches or drivers in, and even little room to slide out the bolt!!!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/c0a7387f.jpg
I had to wiggle the bolt out by hand and sort of slide it into the air intake.

But I managed to keep after it for about 60 minutes and finally got it out and got the Elka sort of in place:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/ac2ba090.jpg


Here you can see the bolt back in place after installing the Elka. This shows there is about 1.5" from the end of the bolt to the frunk body:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/2470d684.jpg

Well, 3 hours start to finish, here are the results--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/cbf94693.jpghttp://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/882c86b8.jpg

I was hoping the purple lights would sparkle off the satin chrome springs and they do!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/ba459f8a.jpg

I reaimed the lights, using the tape line as a giude and took my test ryde....
WOW!!!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked: I had read everyone's review, but they are as understated as the work involved to remove the upper left bolt! I took ride through our community that I've done hundreds of times with the stock shocks. NO, NO NO comparison! I headed for manhole covers water valve covers and known dips in the pavement. I hardly felt them at all!!! My out loud comment was that it was like ryding on butter (assuming you like ryding on butter). Thank you Len. Thank you John. Thank you ELKA!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup ::thumbup::thumbup:

[cougar]

Alas. Another Elka believer!! I see it is still too hot to live in Texas. Let me know when the evenings get cooler!! Phil, do you guys have a pool?

cougar

[SteveMac]

Excellent write-up bro and nice look on the springs!

I agree 100% with the difference in ryde!!

[Phil]

Alas. Another Elka believer!! I see it is still too hot to live in Texas. Let me know when the evenings get cooler!! Phil, do you guys have a pool?

cougar

Evenings are not bad now after about 8pm and it's a nice transition time to RYDE. October is when it starts getting more reasonable :)

Yup... We have a saltwater pool. Helps alot.


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[CanAmMick]

Hey Mick!
First, On this 4th of July, I thank you for your service.

No additional pics of this part of the mod right now. I do plan on working on my headlights soon so when I have them out, maybe I can get some pics.

I added a front, extra fuse block, then wired in a 3 outlet 12vdc concenience cluster in the empty space behind the headlights and behind the cluster. I plugged in a 12vdc to USB adapter. Inyo the USB, I plugged the iPhone power chord and routed it out the center of the handlebars (there is a hole plug there that is easy to remove). Routing the wire to that spot is really easy. Adding the outlets took a bit of time.

Phil,

Thanks!!!! My wife and I are both retired Air Force. Had some great times and was able to meet some wonderful people while traveling around the world courtesy of Uncle Sam.....

I'm a Texas boy living in North Carolina now and loving it. Sure don't miss the Texas heat. Until about a year I wasn't too far from your area. Lived outside of Huntsville, Texas for the past 16 years. You need to come out my way so you can really enjoy some great riding areas. If you ever have the opportunity be sure to let me know. We have plenty of room!!!

I'm just not sure where to run my wires for my gps. I should have paid more attention when I was looking at all the Spyders at Maggie Valley.

Mick

[Phil]

A couple more pics of my Elka shocks with the chrome power coated springs --->
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/9bf50de0.jpghttp://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/1445f4ca.jpghttp://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/a2177596.jpg
Yeahhhhh!!


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[MarkLawson]

When I get the coins together, I now know who to go to to get them installed... SWEET!

[Phil]

When I get the coins together, I now know who to go to to get them installed... SWEET!

And I'll use some of those coins to get replacement knuckles! I was bruised for a week, but very happy! Like loads of other things, once you do it and know the proper tools and tricks, it's not so intimidating.:2thumbs:

[Phil]

RT + HID = HAPPINESS!! I know that many have added HID lights to the RS. This is a how to for RT owners.....

OK.... I have installed the Xenon Depot Xtreme HID kit (http://www.kbcarstuff.com/Xtreme-Digital-HID-Kits-s/21.htm). It went very well. Here's the end of the story........

Comparing the left to the right, in the pic you can see that there is definitely more light output from the HID. That picture is pretty accurate. I elected to go with the Xtreme 4300k lights (your personal preference may vary). I have 5,000k lights in the fogs but wanted a warmer light in the heads. What the picture doesn't show is that the HID is not just brighter but the color is a 'higher' white than the halogen. You'll see lots of pics further down that show the what it looks like on a road and on my garage wall....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724021.jpg

=======================================
Now... on to how it all happened...
I'm not going to detail how to remove the headlight on the RT, because if you don't know how to do that, you should likely let a professional do all of this for you. As I've said on other posts, I am a LOOOOONG way from being a professional!!! I'm an electrical guy and not a wrench guy. I have high respect for the Lamonsters and Scottys on SL. A lot of what I do is trial and error. But I've had the lights of several times so this was not too challenging. When you take the left light out, you have a hole that looks something like this....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724001.jpg
I have a LOT more wires in there than a stock RT has. Most all of them are to support all of the LEDs that I've added and some of the mods to the dash area. You can see those on earlier posts in this thread.
================================================== =============

This is what the back of the light module looks like...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724002.jpg
The connectors on the left are the two that supply power to the module. It is power for the actual lamp, then the high beam shutter (it is NOT a second lamp, but a mechanical shutter) and then a round accent LED that you can see in the upper left. The big black cover in the middle is the dust cover for the lamp housing. The actual lamp is behind this cover and that's where our work will focus. (Yup that's my ugly leg. It was 99 degrees that day)
================================================== =========

Removing the cover is simple and obvious, and when you do this is what you see.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724003.jpg
You might notice that the halogen bulb says clearly that it is a 9005 bulb. You'll also see 65w. Most of us equate watts to a bulb's brightness. When everything was incandescent lamps, that was mostly true. But with HID and LED and other newer lamps, that's NOT true. The watts really only indicates the amount of electrical power the lamp consumes. The brightness of a light is its LUMEN output. The HID we're installing is only 35 watts, but its output, to the eye, is higher than the halogen stock lamp. I don't find a lumen rating on the XenonDepot web site so I don't have a comparison for you.
================================================== ==========================

Carefully remove the stock lamp by twisting it (the direction is obvious). At this point you'll have the HID kit nearby. I plugged in the HID power lead to the plug that WAS plugged into the halogen lamp........
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724005.jpg
The instructions tell you to make a possible polarity change on this connector, but I didn't do it on this connector. I'll explain why later.
In the lower left you can see where the lamp goes.
================================================== ==========

This is how the new HID lamp comes. The plastic that you see is to protect the bulb.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724006.jpg
You can see that it is 4300k as well.
================================================== ==============

Carefully unscrew the plastic covering to expose the bulb. The kit from XenonDepot came with 2 gloves that you should use. Now my hands wouldn't even START to fit in the gloves! So I didn't use them, but I've done HIDs in the past and the #1 thing is to get ZERO hand oils on the lamp. I was really careful :). Once the cover is off, you still have the bottom part of the cover that needs to go away. I chose to crack it and slip it off......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724007.jpg
================================================== ==

Carefully insert the lamp and twist it in place. It only fits in one way.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724022.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724008.jpg
================================================== =========

OK... now we start destroying things!! The HID lamp wiring has 3 wires that come out. So to get those wires from the lamp, out of the dust cover, you need to drill a hole and not a small one! The power connector is the largest and the hole needs to be just big enough to fit that connector through the hole. As you'll see later, the kit comes with a good size gromet to take care of sealing that hole.......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724009.jpg
=====================================

Sorry for the lousy picture, but you get the idea that it makes a nice clean installation.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724010.jpg
==============================================

Time to check polarity. The Spyder uses -12v as the ground and +12v as the 'hot'. Not all bikes or vehicles are like that. In fact the kit came backwards from what I needed. GENERALLY the black wires on the Spyder (and other 12v devices) are the ground side of the 12v and this IS the case on the headlight connector. I powered up the RT and used my meter to see that the black was in fact the ground. Looking at the power connector for the HID kit, and reading the instructions, I saw that I needed to flip the polarity. I didn't do it inside the lamp housing because I wanted to do it on a connector that I had easy access to.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724011.jpg
======================================

First, use a small screw driver (or screwdriver depending on your country :)) to pry off a small wire strain relief....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724014.jpg
==============================================

Insert the screw driver as shown and push out the female connectors. It takes a little force to release the lock....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724015.jpg
======================================

Here are the two wires so you can see the connectors and get an idea of the little 'locks' built into them.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/SpyderLightMod0724018.jpg
As the picture says, swap the sides (black where white was and white where black was). Then push them back into the connector with some good force. I used the small screwdriver again to help lock them back into place.
================================================== ==================

Time to connect everything up. I'll say that the instructions assume that you know something about how this all goes together. Fortunately I did. The kit ships with a relay harness. GREAT VALUE ADD!!!! The relay harness helps in situations where a motorcycle or car may throw errors or not even light up correctly if the ballasts are wired directly into the system. I tried mine without, HOPING I would NOT need them. My reason was that if you look back at the first picture, I'm rather crowded behind the lights. 'NORMAL' folks won't have the space issue I have :). Anyway, this is what all of the pieces look like for testing....

Reconnect the power from the bike to the headlight module.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724023.jpg

Connect the power lead that comes from the HID harness into the ballast (((I just noticed that I took this picture BEFORE I swapped the polarity of the wires!! Oooops. When the polarity is correct on the Spyder, the white should be on the side that has the + sign)))...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724025.jpg

Connect the wires from the ballast to the lamp (these are the high voltage lines (85v)
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724024.jpg

It's about time for the test.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724013.jpg
The connector in the foreground is where I changed the polarity. As it says on the picture-- TRY EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU REASSEMBLE!!! Double check all connections and give it a whirl.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724026.jpg
================================================== =====

Now... figuring where to put everything. The ballast is the biggest concern. All of the rest of the wires were just 'stuffed' (gently) into available space behind the lamp housing. I tried several places for the ballast and here is where I ended up....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724019.jpg
DO WATCH OUT FOR THE SCREW!! Or better yet, temporarily remove it. I scraped up the label on this one pretty good, but was more careful on the right hand light.
================================================== =======

So.... we're back to the beginning picture to show that it really works!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724021.jpg
================================================== ========

Here's what it looks like on my garage door. Notice the blue painter's tape. I put that line there before I swapped to the Elka shocks to I could realign the lights 'post Elka. As it turns out, the HID alignment was spot on!....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724027.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724031.jpg
===============================================

Proof was in the ryde. I shot this while ryding so it's not steady and it really doesn't show just HOW BRIGHT it really is.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724044.jpg

I pulled over in a parking lot where there were trees about 50' in front of me.......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724045.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724046.jpg
Again, the high beam pic really doesn't do it justice. As I was riding in our subdivision with high beams on, I could CLEARLY see way ahead and the trees on either side of the road, for a long way.
================================================== ==============

I'm known for not leaving well enough alone, so while I had Darth torn apart to do the HIDs, I added a few more LEDs!!!!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724042.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/SpyderLightMod0724040.jpg

SUMMARY
Bottom line is it went very well. There were a few fear moments, but all in all I'm 100% happy. Again, if you are fearful of messing things up and don't have a working knowledge of electrical (really doesn't take much), I'd recommend having your dealer do this mod. Ten again, maybe all of these instructions will help take away some fear! I'd say if I did not take all of the pics, I could have done the entire HID mod in 90-120 minutes (including tupperware). Now that I know what I'm doing... 60min.

NOTE.... I have only run the lights for about 90 minutes so far. I have not had even a peep out of the Spyder's error system. I cannot vouch for your rydes. Mine did not need the relay box that XenonDepot supplied, yours MIGHT. Yours might toss a headlight error, mine did not. Thus ends the fine print;)

Steve with XenonDepot was helpful. The times I've called for him have not had success. Reaching him via SpyderLovers PM is great with fast response. The instructions that come with the kit are NOT specifically for the Spyder so you have to fill in lots of gaps :). But again... I'm 100% happy with the quality, size and value. Now... your turn!

[XenonDepot]

Subscribed for pictures :-)

[Pandy]

Did you once have a GoldWing?:D

Patrick

[Phil]

Did you once have a GoldWing?:D

Patrick

NOPE:p

[CyncySpyder]

:popcorn::thumbup::popcorn::thumbup::popcorn:

[Phil]

Heeeeeeere it is!!!!

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=354746&postcount=90

(back on #90)

[MarkLawson]

Looks sweet!

How long did it take?

[Phil]

Looks sweet!

How long did it take?

With photos and trouble shooting, water breaks from the heat- 4 hours. No pics and getting it all right the first time, should take about 60-90 min Tupperware on to Tupperware on.


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[Phil]

Here are a few shots to compare the stock halogen (on our left) and the HID (on our right)

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/DSCN15621024x768.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/DSCN15581024x768.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/DSCN15571024x768.jpg

[coz]

dam phil, do you do mods every day? that is a tremendous garage by the way. we all should be so inspired..................coz:thumbup:,,,,,,i hope there isn't a gas water heater or furnace near your spyder.

[Phil]

dam phil, do you do mods every day? that is a tremendous garage by the way. we all should be so inspired..................coz:thumbup:,,,,,,i hope there isn't a gas water heater or furnace near your spyder.

Ha!!! not EVERY day. What can I say. It's fun and rewarding.
GARAGE- thanks Coz. Nope no furnaces or water heaters. By September it WILL have an HVAC outlet near Darth with a remote control damper. More fun :)


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[SpyderAnn01]

Thank you Phil for your how to instructions on the Xenon Depot HID lights. I just finished installing mine today and I couldn't have done it without your instructions. :2thumbs: :clap::D

[XenonDepot]

Any pics??

[Phil]

Ok gang.... I'm at it again! As some know, I am now the very proud owner of an RT622 trailer. Here's a sneak peek of the lighting I'm working on. So far, interior lights to see EVERY corner on the darkest night.

OFF
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/840b0434.jpg

ON
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/2c5a64de.jpg

OFF
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/4606f642.jpg


ON
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/0c75b43c.jpg

(http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/840b0434.jpg)
Later I'll show how to easily control this and the other lights, yet to come:). Purple glow is coming.




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[Phil]

Here's the RT622 work so far. More pics to follow.
MODS
1. Interior light halo ring.
2. Purple side fire LED external rings on front and back lid.
3. Backup lights- LED

COMING
1. GloRyders on wheels.
2. Maybe a little more :)
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/fad9a0e2.jpg

I'll also post, later, a how to.


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[SteveMac]

Nice. No fumbling around in the dark there!

[Phil]

No dark left in which to fumble my friend :)


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[Phil]

I can't say enough how much I like working with Kurt at GloRyders. AND... I need to say that this mod is NOT a GloRyder sanctioned mod. It is 100% DIY. WARNING- if you do this mod, there is the chance that the light can spontaniously fly off! But read on....

No standard GloRyder lock piece will work on the 622 trailer. The distance from the wheel to the dust cap is very shallow. About .144". Kurt and I had several email exchanges and the bottom line is that it doesn't look like a piece can be made to act as a lock for the main, chrome, GloRyder body.

It SO HAPPENS that the 'Y' plastic cap is within .1" of being the same size as the GloRyder body. So.... here we go....
Remove the plastic cap. It takes a a bit of work because it is snug.
Center the GloRyder body on the cap.
Drill 2 holes the same size at the holes in the GloRyder body.
insert 2 screws
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/98f2c07f.jpg
Put a little LocTite on the threads, lock washers, and nuts
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/936e8de7.jpg
Insert all of the light guts and the cap and test.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/544cc636.jpg
Here you can see just how shallow the space is from the wheel to the dust cap. But the screws, being at the sides, clear just fine.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/b682229e.jpg
Here's what it looks like after it is press fit back in place.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/68b18df5.jpg
Start to finish was about 10 minutes per wheel. I got it up to 70 on a road near the house and then pulled into a parkinglot. 100% all fine! I then did 20 miles and there was no change and it was fine. I went to Sams, shopped, hit rough spots, trying to shake it around, and it never moved. NOT to say that it will never move :)
I AM going to make ONE addition to this. I'm going to add a large strip of industrial Velcro between the plastic cap and the dust cup. It will add another level of confidence.
Again- this is not rock solid so if you want to do it.... well you get the idea. But it really does look cool with the GloRyders with my custom cut dove logo on both the bike and the trailer!!

[Lamonster]

Great mods Bro. :bowdown:

I'm thinking a rare earth magnet, epoxy it to the inside of the cap. The trick would be getting the right thickness. Or you could pull the axle cap and drill a hole dead center and run the bolt through the cap with a nut and have it just long enough to go through the Glowryder and bolt up. :popcorn:

[Phil]

I really need counseling I guess:shocked:. I had so much fun adding loads of lights to the Spyder, that I HAD to do something to the trailer. This is the 2011 trailer which uses only 4 wires:
A= Ground
B= Tail Lights (both)
H= RH Brake & Turn
J= LH Brake & Turn
Pretty simple actually. I tapped the Ground and Tail Light lines inside the back of the trailer as a source of +12vdc and -12vdc. I got a 4 zone remote light module and mounted it in a vacant spot in the back of the trailer.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/b2dd975f.jpg
A little velcro holds it nicely. As you can see, it's super simple to wire up. Here's how I wired it
ZONE1= Interior halo of super bright white LEDs
ZONE3= LED Backup Lights
ZONE4= Purple LED side throw and general PURPLE accent lights
This remote has the multiple dimmer/flasher/breathe modes. There WILL come a day when I'll swap it for the new Black Magic remote.
Installing the LED strips is really straight forward. Getting all of the wires back to a 'central' place is a bit of the head scratcher, but I got it. For the front hatch, there was this solution...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/56867a50.jpg
Black clothgaffer tape works VERY well. I may end up getting some extra wide black plastic '33' tape to replace the gaffer tape. The black wire that is tiewrapped to the hinges is called Rotor Wire. It is #22 3 conductor that is very flexible and the coating does a good protection job.

Here's what the rat's nest looked like before I cleaned it up and put the plastic shroud back in place.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/ff38874a.jpg

The blue shroud is for the new backup lights I added. Funny thing... BRP uses the same housing as they do on the bike. They and all the parts are made in Italy by CEV. On the bike, the backup light holders actually hold a light. On the trailer, the same holder is filled with some black stuff, capped with a silver reflecter, wires cut off and duh. They plug a hole. I TRIED getting the lamp holders from CEV, but no luck. Thanks to a brainstormng session with Len @ Cowtown, I got GM lamp sockets, cut off the 'ears', wired them, and used silicon seal to hold them snug in the holes! Thanks Len! Here's the results....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/e2ad31f8.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/ed2ea13d.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/e867c916.jpg
For now, when I backup at night, I'll use the remote to power up the #3 Zone and whaaaaa la.

One task was rather tedious. The side throw LEDs only came in 18" lengths. The longest I needed, to do a ring around the hatch, was 96". Break out the soldering iron and very short wire, heat shrink, torch and the magnifying glass. Not sure how, but all of the work to extend the light sets worked!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/f0148b38.jpg

All in all, a fun mod. The total current draw of all LEDs lit is less than 2 amps! Basically no drain on the circuit. I'll have a few 'portrate shots' showing all of the lights soon.

[Phil]

Great mods Bro. :bowdown:

I'm thinking a rare earth magnet, epoxy it to the inside of the cap. The trick would be getting the right thickness. Or you could pull the axle cap and drill a hole dead center and run the bolt through the cap with a nut and have it just long enough to go through the Glowryder and bolt up. :popcorn:
Hummmm.... rare earth circular magnet.... Edmond Scientific here I come!
Kurt & I talked about drilling the cap, bolt, etc. May still do that. There might be a clearance issue with the electronics pack when the pack batteries are in. They come pretty close to the bottom of the chrome housing. Worth another look. Thanks Boss!:thumbup:

UPDATE--- Magnets ordered!!!!

[MarkLawson]

I've been wanting to do the GloRyder mod on the trailer, but gave up on the idea when I found the clearance wouldn't work. Glad you pursued it anyway. Am anxious to get a final assessment on how well it holds together.

Question... How did you get the plastic cap off? Is there a trick to it or did you just pry until it popped out?

Oh, and want pics of the exterior lights at night, with the lids closed. How well do they show?

[Phil]

I've been wanting to do the GloRyder mod on the trailer, but gave up on the idea when I found the clearance wouldn't work. Glad you pursued it anyway. Am anxious to get a final assessment on how well it holds together.

Question... How did you get the plastic cap off? Is there a trick to it or did you just pry until it popped out?

Oh, and want pics of the exterior lights at night, with the lids closed. How well do they show?

Mark- I took it to 93mph today for 30sec with the remainder of 10min at 75, and they didn't budge. When I got back, I pulled them off and added the Velcro I talked about. It's the WIDE variety that is REALLY strong. I really like Lamont's thought about the magnets so I ordered 4 that are 1/8" x 1.75" I'll epoxy 1 to the plastic cap and see how well ot holds, if not, I'll add the second to each side.

GETTING THE CAPS OFF- Just pry with a vert small screwdriver. They ARE hard to remove, but they will come off.

PICS---- Heeeere ya go, in the dark garage....

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/5d299ec7.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/6430cd13.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/c3eae970.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/6b2d06a0.jpg

I'm thinking of adding chrome accent strips in a few places, to reflect the trailer lights. I'm a fan of purple, but black doesn't show it much of course. And I kinda like it being understated. They REALLY show nicely on the CanAm stickers, so that may happen soon.

[SpyderWolf]

Looking good my fellow light addict. :thumbup:

[Phil]

Looking good my fellow light addict. :thumbup:

You have always been my inspiration:)


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Great mods Bro. :bowdown:

I'm thinking a rare earth magnet, epoxy it to the inside of the cap. The trick would be getting the right thickness. Or you could pull the axle cap and drill a hole dead center and run the bolt through the cap with a nut and have it just long enough to go through the Glowryder and bolt up. :popcorn:

REFERENCE--- http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?24907-Phil-s-Mods&p=388323&viewfull=1#post388323

We HAVE Magnets!!! They are rare earth neodymium magnets.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/1c08489f.jpg
These puppies are REALLY strong!! I bought 4 2" and 4 1 1/2". Those white things are spacers. We accidentally got two stuck together and it took 10 minutes to slide them apart.

I think I'll use the smaller one and add a sheet of metal between the plastic cap and the magnet. I'm afraid that epoxying straight to the plastic may cause the plastic to break when the magnet is pulled away from the dust cap. We'll see...

How is neodymium pronounced?
From a dictionary: [nē"ōdim'ēum]
The only real trick to pronouncing it correctly is to treat the 'y' as an 'i'. It is pronounced as if it were spelled "neodimium" or "neo-DIM-eeum".

[hspyder]

Sirl, I have only one word: WOW!:clap::2thumbs::firstplace:

[SpyderWolf]

If it took you 10 minutes to slide one magnet off the other, then they should do the trick for you. Let us know how it turns out. Hopefully your Spyder will not be too attracted to other vehicles now though. ;)

[MarkLawson]

I think I'll use the smaller one and add a sheet of metal between the plastic cap and the magnet. I'm afraid that epoxying straight to the plastic may cause the plastic to break when the magnet is pulled away from the dust cap. We'll see...
Will you use the same two screws to hold the metal sheet on that you used to attach the GloRyder base to the plastic cap? Is there a chance that the strong magnetic field might interfere with the switches on the circuit board? Have you done it yet???

[Phil]

Will you use the same two screws to hold the metal sheet on that you used to attach the GloRyder base to the plastic cap? Is there a chance that the strong magnetic field might interfere with the switches on the circuit board? Have you done it yet???

1. Yes, I'll use the screws to hold the metal in place. That way it will assist in distributing the pull load. I'm thinking very thin tin.
2. Magnetic interference?- Possible but I doubt it. The only item would be the motion sensor and that will depend on what is in the device. IF it's mercury, it's possible the magnet can mess that up.
3. Haven't tried it yet beyond a simple trial. I ended up having to order a THINNER magnet. The 1/8" is still too thick. I did some customization (aka grinding) to the 1/8" to fit it between the screws and learned that it was too thick. So... more magnets, 1/16", on order :). They will STILL be strong enough, believe me. IF there is room, I may use both the magnet and the Velcro.

FYI---- The super duty Velcro that I currently have on there is really strong. It has pretty much full contact with both pieces. When I pop on the Gloryder/cap, I then twist it back and forth a little bit to get more of the hooks to engage the loops. It takes a pretty solid pull to get it to come off.

[MarkLawson]

1. Yes, I'll use the screws to hold the metal in place. That way it will assist in distributing the pull load. I'm thinking very thin tin.
2. Magnetic interference?- Possible but I doubt it. The only item would be the motion sensor and that will depend on what is in the device. IF it's mercury, it's possible the magnet can mess that up.
3. Haven't tried it yet beyond a simple trial. I ended up having to order a THINNER magnet. The 1/8" is still too thick. I did some customization (aka grinding) to the 1/8" to fit it between the screws and learned that it was too thick. So... more magnets, 1/16", on order :). They will STILL be strong enough, believe me. IF there is room, I may use both the magnet and the Velcro.

FYI---- The super duty Velcro that I currently have on there is really strong. It has pretty much full contact with both pieces. When I pop on the Gloryder/cap, I then twist it back and forth a little bit to get more of the hooks to engage the loops. It takes a pretty solid pull to get it to come off.

Since wheel bearing hubs can get warm, did you use any special adhesive to make sure the Velcro stays in place? Thinking real hard at doing this & want to get all the info I can before placing the order.

Also, tell me about the design on the GloRyder caps. Custom?

[Phil]

Since wheel bearing hubs can get warm, did you use any special adhesive to make sure the Velcro stays in place? Thinking real hard at doing this & want to get all the info I can before placing the order.

Also, tell me about the design on the GloRyder caps. Custom?

Had not considered the heat! Good catch! Hummmmm. Lamont suggested pulling the bearing caps, drill a hole dead center, put a bolt through the back, use that as the anchor. Remains to be seen if they'll stay put. I plan on putting 300 miles on them this weekend to see how they do.

Design- yup, custom. Part of our company logo! Same on the front.


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[Phil]

From a recent meet and greet, I thought I'd revisit a few mods.

I added several LED lights to the rear fender. I pointed out in another thread that you want to remember when you are adding lights that you have a good way to remove that part! Here's a behind the scenes view of the fender:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/d1ac0be5.jpg
For convenience, I used wire nuts and wrapped them in rubberized red tape to keep the water out of the connection. The 4 pin connector in the lower left is for the Kewlmetal Run/Stop/Turn light bar that is mounted to the fender. The 2 pin connector that looks like it is on the tire, connects to one that is out of the image on the right. It is the color LEDs that are all connected to the wireless remote controller. Make sure you dress your cables and use tie wraps. Here's what is looks like on the RT:

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/b7d012ee.jpg
The blue on the tire is actually purple to the eye. I added LED license plate bolt lights to the bottom to highlight SPYDERLOVERS.COM. The crome accent on the tail shows off the purple LEDs tucked up above the license plate.

Let's look again at some of the other LEDs we've tucked in. The trunk:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/3dd58f8f.jpg
These 2 LED strips stay on whenever the bike master lighting switch I added is on. No need for a switch in the trunk especially for these LEDs. They really light up the area. Got those at Pep Boys.

Also from Pep Boys- lighting the glove box:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/21b33313.jpg
The knobs are dimmers for the dash light (and a few others) and the TricFenderz. The point is that the cheap lights REALLY help to illuminate the box. Like the trunk, they stay on while the mail lighting master switch is on.

Here's the under dash LED cluster...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/5772c9c7.jpg
I mounted those to the pull out warning thingie. REALLY helps as a reading light. These are connected to the dimmer to help the eyes on night rydes.

I'm posting these again to point out that if you have a basic understanding of 12v+ and 12v- DC, YOU can do LEDs. Don't worry quite so much about the horror stories of load on the battery. LEDs are VERY low load. I have womewhere around 2000-3000 LEDs in various length strips with no issues. OK... so I blew a 3 amp fuse on the wireless controller. I upped it to 5 amps and all is well. I HIGHLY suggest that you run a dedicated, separate fuse block. DON'T hook extra things directly to the battery if you can help it. The reason is safety.

Light your world!!

[SpydherLuv]

Hey Phil, I've been following your mods for awhile and wanted to be sure to tell you how awesome your write-ups are - really great job! :clap::bowdown: I'm interested in a few of your mods and have some questions that either you, or others, can answer.
Where did you get your voltage gauge? And do you have the steps on how to install it?
Did you use a fuse box when you installed the dash 12v outlet?
Do you know whether installing the HID lights eliminates the 'flickering' that is common in the OEM headlights?
What power line did you tie the glove box LED strip into?
Thanks!
Anita

[Phil]

Hey Phil, I've been following your mods for awhile and wanted to be sure to tell you how awesome your write-ups are - really great job! :clap::bowdown: I'm interested in a few of your mods and have some questions that either you, or others, can answer.
Where did you get your voltage gauge? And do you have the steps on how to install it?
Did you use a fuse box when you installed the dash 12v outlet?
Do you know whether installing the HID lights eliminates the 'flickering' that is common in the OEM headlights?
What power line did you tie the glove box LED strip into?
Thanks!
Anita

Hey Anita!!!
Thanks so much for the comments!

Unfortunately I'll need to REMEMBER to answer on Monday from a real computer rather than this iPhone thing :) Because I need to look up a few things since my old brain has already forgotten how i did some things!

I CAN tell you that knowing I was going to get addicted to this mod thing, the first thing I did was to add a separate fuse block in the front of the bike, to which almost everything is tied. Including the glovebox light. Actually the glovebox light & under dash light go through an LED dimmer. That's one of the blue knobs you see in the glovebox.

I have a master switch for all of it. The tricker bit is that the switch drives a relay that controls the power to the extra fuse block. It's much cleaner..... And confusing :)

On the 12v accessory outlet, I can't remember :( Funny I was thinking about this yesterday!

On the HID vs flicker question.... No clue. Sorry.

I'll try to catch the rest of it on a REAL computer Monday.




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[Phil]

Hey Phil, I've been following your mods for awhile and wanted to be sure to tell you how awesome your write-ups are - really great job! :clap::bowdown: I'm interested in a few of your mods and have some questions that either you, or others, can answer.

Where did you get your voltage gauge? And do you have the steps on how to install it?
Did you use a fuse box when you installed the dash 12v outlet?
Do you know whether installing the HID lights eliminates the 'flickering' that is common in the OEM headlights?
What power line did you tie the glove box LED strip into?

Thanks!
Anita

Anita (from my 'real' computer)----


Where did you get your voltage gauge? And do you have the steps on how to install it?
From- AEM Only- http://www.aemonly.com/digital-gauges-79/aem-voltmeter-gauge-258.html Installation is VERY VERY simple even if you only know a small amount about 12vdc electrical. When you remove the stock gauge, you'll pull out the plug that has all of the wires attached to it. Use a voltmeter (get a cheap one from Radio Shack if you like) and find out which of the wires is +12vdc and which is -12vdc (also called the ground). The meter will have (as I remember) 3 wires- a red, black and blue. The instruction sheet that comes with the meter will help here. You hook the red wire to the +12vdc and the black to the -12vdc. That's pretty much it!
Did you use a fuse box when you installed the dash 12v outlet? As I said in my previous post, the FIRST thing I did was to add an extra fuse block in the front of the bike. It added about 8 fuse positions. I'm PRETTY sure I added the 12v accessory outlet to that fuse block and put in a 10amp fuse. That means that it, along with everything else I've added, goes off with the push of one switch. As I said, doing this through a relay is the best thing, but it is more tricky.
Do you know whether installing the HID lights eliminates the 'flickering' that is common in the OEM headlights? I never had flicker in my OEM halogen lights so I can't comment.
What power line did you tie the glove box LED strip into? Through a dimmer into the extra fuse block I added. A COMMON fear with LEDs is that you'll unbalance or blow something. That is 'possible' but it is remote. I now have about 2000 LEDs on different parts of the bike and trailer with no issues. Ok... I blew a 3amp fuse and replaced it with a 5amp. But... all is good and everything plays nice together. My advice is try adding whatever you are going to do with LEDs, but TEST it first on the bike. Get alligator clip wires and try your ideas first, THEN do things more permanent.

HAPPY LIGHTING!!

[SpydherLuv]

You're awesome!! :bowdown: Thanks Phil! :cheers:

[glynnk]

Phil---Really nice and impressive! Enjoyed seeing some of your work in Woodville.

Glynnk

[cardboard]

Hey Phil got a question for you.
Got a Sony Bluetooth adapter like you show in the picture.
A pair of Sena SMH10 bluetooth headsets.
Zumo 550 GPS.
Iphone

When I pair the Iphone with sena headset, then blue tooth sony adapter to the Sena headset.
I can listen to the Iphone music, when the phone rings I can answer the phone and it will return to the Iphone music.
But when I have the sony adapter hooked up to bluetooth on the radio and I get a phone call , I can answer the phone but it will not return to the music.
Friend has a Clear Sounds Bluetooth adapter that will.
Got any ideas what might be happening that it will not return to the music on the Sony

Thanks.

[Phil]

Hey Phil got a question for you.
Got a Sony Bluetooth adapter like you show in the picture.
A pair of Sena SMH10 bluetooth headsets.
Zumo 550 GPS.
Iphone

When I pair the Iphone with sena headset, then blue tooth sony adapter to the Sena headset.
I can listen to the Iphone music, when the phone rings I can answer the phone and it will return to the Iphone music.
But when I have the sony adapter hooked up to bluetooth on the radio and I get a phone call , I can answer the phone but it will not return to the music.
Friend has a Clear Sounds Bluetooth adapter that will.
Got any ideas what might be happening that it will not return to the music on the Sony

Thanks.

Hey Bro--- I read this an hour ago and have been thinking on it. Mostly trying to remember what my Sony does. And I can't remember (I'm on the road'. But you may be right and doing nothing wrong. I have gotten it back to music, but unconsciously I may be 'fiddling' with the Sena to get music back. Hummmmm. I'll check.


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[Phil]

Actually, it's a continuation of 104-113--- http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?24907-Phil-s-Mods&p=382934&viewfull=1#post382934

The thought hit me that I might need light inside the trailer, if it is disconnected from the bike. I have the great halo of bright white LEDs, now how do I make that happen.....

STUFF:
1. Battery
2. Some simple way to take the battery in and out.
3. Diode to make sure the trailer battery is charged from the bike, but it doesn't power the bike!

I'm going to try to do a schematic of all this, but for now we'll use pics and description.

The trailer electrical is really very simple. Post #110 shows the 4 wires that we have. Of them, only the +12v and Ground are the ones we're concerned with. I started under the trailer to see where the wires entered the trailer body-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/2ccea8c8.jpg
Not hard to see that here is where the wires transition into the trailer.

Peeling back the carpet, we see the entry point.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/b3110b36.jpg

I also peeled back some of the plastic wire aromor so I could reveal the brown, +12v line. Remember that this is +12v that comes from the bike via the connector. Here you can also see that I've cut the brown +12v wire where I'm adding a diode.

Think of a diode as a one way valve. As in water, a one way valve only lets water flow one way, a diode allows electrons (electricity) to flow one way. Putting the diode right here, allows us to power the trailer from it's own battery and prevents that power from going back to the bike. At the same time, power from the bike will flow to the trailer to power the lights AND, if I want, charge the trailer battery. Good for safety and general good electrical principals. I left the wires long just to make things easier to see.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/c7c176f5.jpg
Notice, I used an inline fuse holder. It really works well. Here's a closeup of the diode...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/67084f44.jpg
You can see I simply press fit it into the holder. If you do this, you'll want the white line on the diode on the 'output' side of the diode. Think of it like an arrow pointing to the direction of the electron flow. The diode is from Radio Shack and is good for about 3 amps. Here's an IMPORTANT STEP. Guaranteed you will forget that you have added a diode in a fuse holder! So, mark it....

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/085bf308.jpg

Here's the pretty much finished diode project----
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/374dffd7.jpg
I've taped a spare diode in it's plastic bag next to the diode that's in use. Again... I'll forget and some day if I ever need a spare... there it is! The body of the trailer is fiberglass so it makes doing electrical work pretty easy, not having to worry about exposed wires, but still I try to use good practice to make sure everything is protected against wire chafing.

On to the battery.....
I selected this battery mostly because of its size. It's 12AH (meaning I can power all of my trailer LEDs, 2 amps) for about 6 hours without a recharge. I ALWAYS like to have a main fuse close to the battery. I also wanted a simple disconnect for the battery. AND... I wanted a way to hook it to a battery tender to top it off. Here's the result......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/e1c2eaf6.jpg
Notice, I've used heat shrink everywhere and I've removed stress from the battery terminals using a 'staycon pad' plus tie wrap. I've also terminated it in a female 12v accessory jack. Use the female jack here for several reasons: Safer since it's really hard to short the connection; makes it REALLY simple to connect to my existing battery tender; allows the rig to be used just like an accessory outlet, if needed.

Here's the finished project mounted in the trailer---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/c7982618.jpg
Notice on the left, plugged into the female accessory outlet is a male plug. Again, Radio Shack. The other end of the plug is attached to the main +12v line in the trailer and the Ground. That plug also has a switch and green LED. This is a simple master power and reminder! Keeping the battery in place is all Velcro. I've added a large section of the hook side to the bottom and the back of the battery. To make it even more snug, I added the strips that you see around the middle of the battery. It's rock solid!

Next, I'm going to add a separate hard switch to turn the white LEDs on/off without needing the remote. Easy to do, but I just didn't get to it yet :).

[Arr MiHardies]

Did you melt your way through that wiring loom or outer cover to get to the wires?

[NancysToy]

Very nice, Phil! I have considered doing this, even though I don't have any accessory lights. I'm assuming that by 12V+ you mean the running light circuit? There is no auxiliary power circuit on the RT-622 trailer. Owners contemplating this mod should also note that the 2010 trailer harness is different, using six wires. It still has a running light circuit, however, only the way the brakelights and turn signals work has changed.

A couple of questions...

1. With this setup it seems the running lights would stay on all the time, depleting the battery. Is there a master switch?

2. What happens when the battery is really low? Would the Spyder's trailer running light circuit be overwhelmed?

[Phil]

Did you melt your way through that wiring loom or outer cover to get to the wires?

HA! Kinda looks like it, doesn't it:yikes:!
No... I just peeled back some of the tape they use to bind the wires together. The black residue is just some of the sticky stuff from the tape. There was plenty of slack on that part of the harness. In fact, there is plenty of slack on all of the trailer harnesses.

[Phil]

Very nice, Phil! I have considered doing this, even though I don't have any accessory lights. I'm assuming that by 12V+ you mean the running light circuit? There is no auxiliary power circuit on the RT-622 trailer. Owners contemplating this mod should also note that the 2010 trailer harness is different, using six wires. It still has a running light circuit, however, only the way the brakelights and turn signals work has changed.

A couple of questions...

1. With this setup it seems the running lights would stay on all the time, depleting the battery. Is there a master switch?

2. What happens when the battery is really low? Would the Spyder's trailer running light circuit be overwhelmed?

Scotty-
First, you're 100% correct, the circuit you use to get the +12v is the Running Light Circuit. It is powered when the key goes on. essentially it is like a switched +12v.

2. What happens when the battery is really low? Would the Spyder's trailer running light circuit be overwhelmed?
Good question but here's what I believe will happen. I have seen batteries, if very low, charge at a high rate. But generally batteries will only charge at a rate the current is supplied to them. This is the theory behind battery tenders. I'm not expecting the circuit to get overwhelmed. BUT... IF it would even try (like in the case that the battery might short internally), I have the 5amp fuse sitting right at the battery to take it off line. But again, great observation. I'll know in time! I've been running the battery off and on for some time now and today I'll hook everything to the bike and see if I can get a charge current reading.


1. With this setup it seems the running lights would stay on all the time, depleting the battery. Is there a master switch?

There actually IS a master switch. If you look at the plug, it has a switch built in with a small reminder LED on it. I think it will work well. It's located over the wheel well on the left as you open the back hatch.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/3d8bb267.jpg

[JCSMOKE]

Great advice, my plan is to get one of the camping trailers probably a leesure lite and adding lighting to that and maybe some kind of 12v heating device for the colder weather. I have been thinking about using one of the larger gel batteries to power it all and charging from both the bike and a solar pannel. Any advice?

[NancysToy]

Great advice, my plan is to get one of the camping trailers probably a leesure lite and adding lighting to that and maybe some kind of 12v heating device for the colder weather. I have been thinking about using one of the larger gel batteries to power it all and charging from both the bike and a solar pannel. Any advice?
To get a usable amount of heat requires a lot of wattage...at least 1,200-1,500, I'd say. You would need a huge battery to power that overnight. I'd stick with a propane unit, if I were you. We use a small propane heater for our Aspen Sentry camper, and a battery operated fan to move the air.

[JCSMOKE]

To get a usable amount of heat requires a lot of wattage...at least 1,200-1,500, I'd say. You would need a huge battery to power that overnight. I'd stick with a propane unit, if I were you. We use a small propane heater for our Aspen Sentry camper, and a battery operated fan to move the air.

I will keep that in mind and look for other options.

[SteveMac]

Great write up as usual Phil! You da man bro. :bowdown:

[TuckMiddle]

I'm editing this first post to put the full list of mods, for ease of finding them:
___________________________
Phils Spyder Mods
======================
Additional front fuse panel
Mud Flap Lights
BrightSides front and rear
Kewlmetal Run-Turn-Brake light
Double Play Unit
12vdc dash convenience outlet
AEM Voltage Meter
TricLed TricFenderz - Amber / Red
Front DayRunners
RTGloRyder
Custom Various Stingerz LED sticks (Purple)
Black Magic Remote LED Control
DRL Cornering Lights with TDR control
Puddle Lights & switch
Master Accessory Power Switch & relay
LED Licenseplate light
LED Frunk Surround
LED Fendertip lights
LED Seatglow light
LED Trunk lights
LED Glove Box light
LED Under Dash light
Dimmers for Dash & TricFenderz lights
~~new 07/23/11~~
HID Headlights
LEDs under rear fender
-------------------------------
Bluetooth Receivers
Bluetooth Transmitter
4 Channel Audio Mixer
---------------------------
Extra WAGO LeverNuts
Billet Axel Covers Front end Dressup Kit
Green Filter
Swaybar
Elka Shocks (7/2011)
Utopia Backrest (6/2011)
Fog HIDs
Gizmo Mount Bracket
Küryakyn Widow Pegs
BRP Chrome Mirror Accents
BRP Chrome Exhaust Accent
~~~~~NEW 11/11 RT622 Trailer~~~~~~
Interior while LED halo of light
Front and back lid halo of Purple LEDs
GloRyders for trailer wheels (DIY, not stock)

================================================

Here's a pic of my RT SE5 PE as it looked when I started the mods:


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsA-11-27-10.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsC-11-27-10.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsB-11-27-10.jpg


Some of the things I'm working on:
Redo the power distribution to power the current and additional LEDs.
Adding quick disconnect so frunk can be easily removed, even with all the extra LEDs.
Redo mounting of the Fog HID ballasts
Add many more purple LEDs to frunk
Add purple LED that accents fog housing
Add master on off switch & relay for new power buss (see #1)
Add TricFenderz LEDs
Add mud flap LEDs (wire into turn signals)
Add dimmer for TricFenderz
Add white LED strips in glove box and under dash
Add dimmer for glove box and dash lights
Add 'puddle lights' under mirrors
Add wiring and separate switch for puddle lights
Add RunBrakeTurn LED strip to back of bike
Redo previous Bluetooth work to 'mix' audio from all Bluetooth sources rather than having them fight for supremacy order.
Seems like there'd something else??!!!
I'm fortunate to be one of the guys to have a heated garage with good working lighting and tool boxes. Took me a bunch of years to get tot this point, but I'm very blessed. So, I can take my time and do things the right way.

Stay tuned....

Heck of a list. Congratulations on the dedication of time and the bike looks great. I'm very happy with my new ELKA shocks. I noticed you mention a sway bar on your list. Did you purchase an after market one and would you do it again? I've been led to believe it wasn't necessary, but would appreciate your thoughts on one. I'm an old geezer and don't go over the speed limit much, but sure like the W. NC. E TN and N GA areas for hills, small mountains and great bike roads.
:yes:
Thanks
Tuck

[Phil]

Heck of a list. Congratulations on the dedication of time and the bike looks great. I'm very happy with my new ELKA shocks. I noticed you mention a sway bar on your list. Did you purchase an after market one and would you do it again? I've been led to believe it wasn't necessary, but would appreciate your thoughts on one. I'm an old geezer and don't go over the speed limit much, but sure like the W. NC. E TN and N GA areas for hills, small mountains and great bike roads.
:yes:
Thanks
Tuck

Hey there Tuck!! Thanks for the note.

Swaybar-- it was after market. I have a 2010 that was famous for having a wonky stock front end. The swaybar swap came before the ELKAs. I noticed a MARKED improvement. Then came the shocks a few months later. Adding the shocks made a HUGE difference. Now... There's no way to say if adding the swaybar AFTER doing the shocks if the change would be that noticeable.

So... Sure, I'd do it again.... In the same order:). I know that's not much of an answer.....



Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[cjackg]

Phil, I know you did detailed coverage on installation of the HID headlights on the RT, but I'm not sure if there is anything on the HID foglight install.
If there is anything around on this, I am interested. Even a simple checklist of whats involved would be helpful.

Thanks,
Jack

[Phil]

Hey Jack-

I did HIDs on the fogs back when I had no clue what I was doing and didn't write about it :). FUNDAMENTALLY it's about the same. I do have pics of the results, viewed from the back of the frunk in one of the earlier posts (#14).

The only real difference is that there is much more room to work with the fogs. I HIGHLY recommend removing the frunk to work on the fogs. I did it without removing and it was hard and I did a lousy job. A bit like wiring on a spark plug through the exhaust pipe :).

The halogen bulb removal is the same. The dust cover is about the same and the wire up is just about the same. I found a spot for each ballast in a void between the fog housing and the frunk plastic.

I know that's not much. Sorry :(.



Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[cjackg]

Thanks Phil... that helped to get me started on the foglights. I did them removing only the RT side panels and it got tedious but I managed without removing the Frunk. I used the XenonDepot foglight kit and it worked fine but the only thing I can see that is better than the $40. eBay kits is the nice rubber grommet and the nice pair of gloves. The installation instructions were as skimpy as the eBay kits. While I was installing these, the plastic base of one of the bulbs crumbled in my hand when I was twisting it into the socket. Now needing a replacement, I called the seller, KBCarStuff.com, and they declined to cover it under warranty, plus did not have any replacements in stock. They placed an order for one for $21+ with delivery expected in Feb!
At this point I decided to look around and found replacements on Ebay where I ordered a pair that was delivered in 3 days for $11. So much for good deals and service from XenonDepot.

Here is a pic of the XenonDepot kit ready to install, and also a pic of the OEM bulb with metal base and the new HIDs showing the flimsy plastic base.
39803 39804

[Phil]

Thanks Phil... that helped to get me started on the foglights. I did them removing only the RT side panels and it got tedious but I managed without removing the Frunk. I used the XenonDepot foglight kit and it worked fine but the only thing I can see that is better than the $40. eBay kits is the nice rubber grommet and the nice pair of gloves. The installation instructions were as skimpy as the eBay kits. While I was installing these, the plastic base of one of the bulbs crumbled in my hand when I was twisting it into the socket. Now needing a replacement, I called the seller, KBCarStuff.com, and they declined to cover it under warranty, plus did not have any replacements in stock. They placed an order for one for $21+ with delivery expected in Feb!
At this point I decided to look around and found replacements on Ebay where I ordered a pair that was delivered in 3 days for $11. So much for good deals and service from XenonDepot.



First- congrats on doing the operation without removing the frunk. As I said, it's possible, but easier with removal. I'm impressed!

Eeeeeeoooowwww. SORRY to hear about the no warranty replacement issue. I had several emails with XD (Mike I think) when I did mine. No issues, just chatting. Anyway, I got the feeling that they would be more flexible than THAT! Most of us know they are a little more expensive, but I'm TOTALLY willing to pay extra to KNOW they are there for me if I have a problem. Bummer.

The pic is VERY clear and in my mind there is no WAY that would have happened in the natural course of insert/twist.

I'm hoping they read this and change the way they're handling your situation.

[XenonDepot]

cjackg,

Unless I am mistaken, did you not try to install the HID bulb with the opaque spacer that holds the bulb in the packaging?

Steve

[TicketBait]

Still in awe, of all you have done Phil :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[cjackg]

cjackg,

Unless I am mistaken, did you not try to install the HID bulb with the opaque spacer that holds the bulb in the packaging?

SteveNo, that was not the case, just as I told your rep on the Tel when I first reported this problem.

Both of the bulbs were tight when hand twisted into the socket, but the 2nd one broke in my hand just as I twisted it.
The replacements I bought later fit easily with no problems!

[Schnauzer]

Phil, I sat here and read every thread and comment. I'm amazed at the work and results. It's really refreshing to see people share every little detail to keep another from getting into a pickle. I missed the Woodville ride, but did hear several thumbs up on your ride.. One day soon I hope I'll be able to gaze upon the masterpiece you have created.:thumbup:..

[Phil]

Phil, I sat here and read every thread and comment. I'm amazed at the work and results. It's really refreshing to see people share every little detail to keep another from getting into a pickle. I missed the Woodville ride, but did hear several thumbs up on your ride.. One day soon I hope I'll be able to gaze upon the masterpiece you have created.:thumbup:..

TapaTalk doesn't have all of the emoticons (that I can see). But if I could, I'd put a bow-down with a humble looking smiley face.. Thanks so much.......



=============================
Phil - Tyler TX
Sent from my iPad4 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Still in awe, of all you have done Phil :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Hey man.... I learned from guys like you!!!


=============================
Phil - Tyler TX
Sent from my iPad4 using Tapatalk

[kevorama]

Hey Phil, I loved your 12v battery/diode addition to the RT-622 trailer for charging and being able to disconnect and still have 6 hrs +/- of light to see by. I plan on doing that to mine. I can do basic AC wiring around the house, but I'm not very experienced in DC. I see several threads on adding fuse boxes in order to run all the extras.
Almost all of my main mod plans this year are lighting. Do think that it's wise that I go ahead and install an extra fuse box now and avoid having to pull all the panels and relocate the wiring and connections once I reach the breaking point, or am I already there right out of the gate?

This year's mod plans for lighting:

Bright sides (F and R)
Fender Tips, mud flaps, and LED amber to red fender strips
High Level Brake lamp with running light and brake kit
RT-622 stock harness

Under bike accent lighting (to come later)
Other accent lighting (to come later)
RT-622 Trailer 12v accents (lights to come later)

Thanks for all the time and help in advance, Phil ")

[Phil]

Hey Kev!

You'll be a natural with DC. Like wiring a house these days, run hot and neutral everywhere. Unlike AC, you can use a single fuse for all the LED work you've listed. Just like you add up loads to size a breaker, do the same on the LEDs and put your fuse value north of that. Estimating the LED loads is fine. Or take my approach, eyeball it then put in a 3amp and see if it holds well. If not, move it to a 5. Guaranteed the load will be small...

Good question on the fuse panel. I took the approach to get all the Tupperware off and while it was off, I did the fuse panel and the first set of LEDs all at one time. The real idea on the extra fuse panel is just like a large house wiring where you might add a sub panel to sort of isolate loads I'm case there 's any problem. I HIGHLY suggest getting 4 or 6 of the LeverLock things. I have a picture of them somewhere in this monster post. They make tying bunches of LEDs together much easier.

Do run a 'feeder' to some place on the back of the bike. I have a total of 3 feeders. Left front, right front and rear. Hence 6 of the LeverLocks. Then home run your lights to one of those 3 places. Like a home, it makes troubleshooting much easier.

Do remember the elements will at some point dampen or corrode your connections. 33 tape is your friend ;). I also have and use about 4 other kinds of tape for cosmetic to waterproofing.

Like I said at the start.... You'll do great! Make sure you post the results!!!!
Go Light Your Spyder World:)

=============================
Phil - Tyler TX
Sent from my iPad4 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

I was looking over some old posts and I realized that I forgot to post this :opps:

When I added the 622 trailer, i wanted to figure out the best way to back up the thing. My 4 wheeler has a reall great 120 degree camera, so I wanted Darth to have one also. I watched things that Dave (CincySpyder & Teddy) had done. Props to ya bro! And it's amazing the stuff you can find on the Internet! So after quite a bit of research, I bought this-- http://www.tadibrothers.com/Catalog/BackupCameraKits/36-Pop-Up-Motorcycle-Camera-Backup-System.

Here's the monitor, mounted high. I leave it on all the time. It acts as a rear view mirror!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMon1.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMon3.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMon2.jpg

Before you ask... :).... I found that the monitor is not of the highest quality and thus the viewing angle is a bit picky. I had to angle it down. This was the fastest way to do that. The back sits on my toll tag, and the front is held by the industrial velcro. I've banged it around a bunch and it never has budged, so I think I'm good to go. I DO realize it may not be real weather proof and I need to figure out a solution for that part.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMon5.jpg

The camera mount is a magnet. a REALLY strong neodymium magnet. While this is not totally professional, it works. I found that I could wedge the magnet between the layers of tupperware on the back hatch. There are 2 magnets to give it a bigger shelf, and to help aim the camera down a bit.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMagMount1.jpg

With the help of another 90 degree small piece of metal, this is how the camera mounts (excuse the dust):
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraCU1.jpg

I wanted it to be magnetic so IF I wanted to remove it to hide it, it would be easy. I also did not do a great job on the cabling, but that is to make it VERY easy to disconnect and swap out if needed. All of the extra cable fits nicely in the slot to the left in the picture:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraCable1.jpg
Sorry for the bad pic. There is a simple RCA connector video cable that goes from the back camera to the front monitor. Power for the camera comes from a switched +12v source in the back and the same in the front for the monitor. Here's how it looks in the "TaaaDaaaaah" picture:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-CameraMonEnd.jpg

Later tonight, I hope to put up the pics of Pete's Dash Kit That I did this weekend!! Here's a preview......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth Mods 2012/Darth-Dash3-low.jpg

Later.......

[SpyderAnn01]

I think I'd have a harder time backing up using the camera monitor than just using the rear view mirrors. But you did a nice job as usual on adding the camera and monitor. :clap:

[JCSMOKE]

:yikes:Damn it! "farkle twin powers, activate!":roflblack:
hello, my name is Mike and I am also a modaholicnojoke You are an enabler Phil!

[SteveMac]

Phil, you are the Man! Can't wait to see all your work at Spyderfest!

[larrymz3]

Very interesting mods!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

Thanks so much for the comments (insert bowdown here)

Ok.... On to installing Pete's Dash Kit for the Spyder RT........
===============================================

First, I have to say how professional PowerSportsWraps truly is. Pete and his staff kept me informed during the process. I got personal attention from Pete, no matter what the level of my question. He pointed me to the videos that really went a long way to calm the 'never done this before' jitters.

I start paying attention at the level of the packing on things I order. Weird, huh?! But it tells a lot about a company's attention to detail. When I opened the box ( and removed a small amount of filler) here's what I found:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-PowerWrapBox.jpg

The box told me what I was receiving in picture form. I DO read... a lot! But there's nothing like a diagram to show what you get. There were a few other friendly sheets reminding me to watch the video, if I had not already ( I had). And that smell!!!! Pete will have to comment on what it is, but it's like new car, Mom's apple pie, spring morning and a new Spyder challenge all rolled into one. Sorry... Back to it...

Here's one of my mirrors before putting on the first piece ( I know... We all know what it looks like):
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-MirrorBefore.jpg
Here's the after......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-MirrorAfter.jpg
I did this first because it was small. I also learned a few things. First I learned to follow the video and really heat the product. My heat gun died awhile back and Northern Tool was sold out last Friday (didn't plan well) so my bride's hair dryer was the stand in. Heat not only makes it flexible, but to me, SEEMS to make it temporarily less sticky. By that I mean it seemed that it was easier to move the product and re-lay it if I needed. The video helped me see that I should use my fingers to guide the edges to where I wanted them.

In the end, here's how it all came out. Not too many comments, just various angles and lighting to show how the dark burl wood look... looks :)

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-DashKitOH-1-1800.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash10.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash9.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash8.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash7.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash5.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash4-low.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash3-low.jpg

Of note on the pic below... I knew I needed to cut holes in Pete's great work to put my light switches back in. This is 'pre-cut'. Nervous? You bet!!!!
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-Dash2.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/DashKit-1800.jpg

I also had to get it through my head that the pieces are MEANT to have gaps. It's part of the look. I was wanting an understated, walnut type burl wood look, and Pete made that happen. I'm lovin it!!!!


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

WHILE I HAD DARTH APART.......
I added a few more lights ( I really do need help).

I added LEDs inside of the saddle bags. It really will help at might. I also had a few of the LEDs you see below sitting around. I got them through another SpyderLovers friend awhile back.

Almost all lights on Darth are purple/UV. natively, the lights were about 5,000 degrees. Enter a friend that does lighting at our church. Yup that position actually exists. He had some extra purple gels used in theatrical lighting sitting around so, I got one from him. A little super glue and work with scissors and taaaadaaaaa---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/Darth-SpotLight.jpg

Here it is lit, but please note at my iPhone just doesn't seem to render purple well. It looks blue in the picture, but it really is purple.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/DarthSpotLight-lit.jpg

We'll see how long it lasts :). I added about 8 of these to accent color around the bike. Oh... I took this Saturday. I did clean my hands and did my nails before Sunday :)

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[SpyderAnn01]

You are out of control! I'm looking forward to seeing your Spyder at Spyderfest

[MarkLawson]

So, what will you do when you run out of ideas???

[eddieshep999]

I have an idear - HE WON'T

Phil as always, thanks for keeping us upto date, I am sure you have fired up the imagination of several Spyder Owners, I have learnt from your
posting and the knowledge you share


Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK



Spyder – RT-S SES (AUTO 2010 Model)


List of Mods :-
Added Zuno 660 - Garmin kit as supplied on the Spyder RT Limited
Digital Voltmeter and Digital Clock to replace Fuel and Temp gauge – Fuel and Temp now
displayed in Cluster Display
LED Bulbs Reversing Lights,Front position lights
HMT - Brake Light
Full Size Brake Pedal by Steve = TricLed.com
LED – Running lights
LED - Mud Flap lights
Rear extended Mud Flap
LED Light in Rear Trunk
Elka Shocks Stage 1 +R – Front and Rear
Shock Covers
Track Rod Covers
Spyderpops – BumpSkid .Missing Belt Grard & New Funk weatherstrip
BaJaRon – Custom Ignition Wire Set + NGK 2 Iridium DCPR8EIX. Spark Plugs
K&N Air Filter
Sport Tall Wide Clear Windshield – Cut down to 24” High
Chrome 2011 Front Lower Wind deflecors
Utopia Backrest
S/S Seat Prop
S/S Handlebar Weights
S/S Grills both sides matching
Bottom Panel S/S Protection
S/S stronger Funk Lid brackets
S/S Bracket for RBNS Hood for Zumo 660 GPS + TourTech Lockable Mount
Mirrors Zipped tied for added potection
Rubber Tank protector on glove box
Grip Puppies
Switch in Swith Cluster for Manual Fan operation
Power Socket in Switch Cluster and at Rear passenger Handrail
Rear Speaker Switch for passenger On/OFF
Upgraded Front/Rear J&M Speakers
Bluetooth Via Sony transmitter TMR- BT10 - On board Radio to Sena SMH10 Headsets

[Phil]

I have an idear - HE WON'T

Phil as always, thanks for keeping us upto date, I am sure you have fired up the imagination of several Spyder Owners, I have learnt from your
posting and the knowledge you share

Eddie Sheppard
Reading UK


That's exactly the idea Eddie. As I have watched your and other's postings and gotten ideas, I'm trying to stimulate the "I could do THAT" attitude. Lubricate the imagination. Trust me, this is all new territory for me and I'm making this stuff up as I go :).

BTW Eddie- not coming over this year. The big event I come to each year is in Manchester next week and it conflicts too close with SpyderFest. Maybe next year, and I'll try to plan time to take a train and visit with you!!

[Phil]

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/iPadMount-2-1-1.jpg

[MarkLawson]

With all those screens... I really hope you find time to look at the road occasionally!







(Be safe)

[Phil]

While at Spyderfest, 3 Stooges (Faran, Kevorama and Bobbie, my bride) got together and convinced me to help Harvey (Spyderpops) put his grand kids through college. I added the skid plate (aka kritter splitter) and also his creative wire mesh inserts. They are begging for some creative lighting to be added to accent them. I found some purple UV strips the right length from an odd sort of vendor and I hope to add them in the coming weeks. They will graze over the mesh to accent it much like the lights accent a curtain at a Broadway theater. All will be placed out of sight as much as possible so you only see the results of the light.

I'm also adding Jim's belt tensioner (aka SmoothSpyder) while the tupperware is off.

Pics will follow...
Light Your World... Brighten The Corner Where You Are...

[Arr MiHardies]

I always thought some black lights on a white Spyder would create an awesome effect at night. Make the bike itself all glowy.

[kevorama]

Phil, I had considered the belt tensioner and asked Kevin at cowtown about it. He thought it was unnecessary. I know those lights will look awesome. Can't wait for pics. What obscure co. Did you use this time?
Hanging with SpyderLady Linda and John out on the patio. Real nice weather this week.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Phil, I had considered the belt tensioner and asked Kevin at cowtown about it. He thought it was unnecessary. I know those lights will look awesome. Can't wait for pics. What obscure co. Did you use this time?
Hanging with SpyderLady Linda and John out on the patio. Real nice weather this week.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey Kev- sorry man. Just saw this. OZNIUM is the company. I started to work on them this afternoon, but my body had another idea. Need to catch up sometime bro.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

~~~~FINE TUNING GLORYDERS~~~~

I've watched several posts asking questions about GloRyders so I thought I'd show a couple of 'different' views of them and how to fine tune them a little. There are other posts here in Phil's Mods showing how to attach GloRyders to a 622 trailer if you're interested. I know 2-3 of us that have done the trailer successfully, but I'll say again here... Do it at your own risk.

Some have asked how the GloRyder is powered. There are 3AA batteries. There are 2 more under the circuit board which is really easy to remove. There is also a switch allowing you to operate the units ON 100% of the time (show) or only operate when it is dark and when there is movement (glo). Here's a close up of the unit-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/eada1183.jpg

I have a 2010 RT with 6 spokes. There was something bothering me about the non-uniformity of the way the spokes were lighting up. Here's how it looked---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/e58d7212.jpg I was asked about the caps at Spyderfest. It is a design I did called Spyder Ichthus. Mark Lawson had the GloRyder folks cut a set for him and one for me. There is a price for it as you might expect, but they are great to work with if you want a custom design.

Anyway... the overall glo... Not bad, but to the eye, 2 of the spokes appeared more dim than the others. The LEDs on the GloRyder circuit board, as you can see in the first pic, can be nudged into alignment with the spokes by carefully pushing on the LEDs, thus bending the electrodes (wires) that connect to the circuit board. I'm pretty sure the GloRyder folks would say if you do this and break it, you will have voided the warranty. But since when has that stopped me :). I used a small screwdriver and simply bent the LEDs so the hottest point of the light was aimed right down the middle of each spoke, like this---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/ecd5b517.jpg

I didn't get a 'final result' pic with the cap on, but I can now feel good that the light coverage looks even across the wheel. Here's another view after the alignment--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/cbf206c1.jpg

A small adjustment that made a huge difference to me.

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[MarkLawson]

Nice tip on the GloRyders Phil! I would guess the original install position would be the best solution. Wish I had thought of it way back then.

[Phil]

As you read this, remember that I am NOT a wrench guy. I wish I had Scotty and others of you here today as I did this mod. I made mistakes and was really uneasy as I did it. On to the mod.

As the instructions say, you CAN do this without removing any Tupperware, but I took the REMOVE EVERYTHING approach. The most critical part and the hardest and the one I was most nervous about is drilling the 2 holes in the frame. I wasn't nervous about putting holes in the frame. I was pretty sure I wouldn't get them in the right place. And I didn't. If I had LOOKED at this picture before I finished drilling and before I put the big aluminum foot peg piece ( what IS that thing called?) back on, I would have seen that I was wrong.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/741ae782.jpg

There is a hazard to putting the assembly on the RT without the foot peg piece in place. I made the holes about 1/16" too close to the outside of the bike, thus when I went to reassemble, the foot peg assembly ALMOST fit back in but not quite. I only have a Dremel and I did what I could with it.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/cce918f4.jpg
But 4 tries later and using a pretty dull file, it finally fit. I took this right before I put the foot peg thing back on so you could see how the assembly looks. Very nice design. Very sturdy.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/e21762be.jpg

I followed the instructions on the tensioning of the roller and it came out spot on at 10lbs. Just enough to take out the wobble from the loose side of the long belt.

The installation instructions are correct, but for a non-wrench guy, a bit lacking. To Jim's credit, I likely should have had a professional do this one. BUT.... IT WORKS! As per the instructions, while Darth was up on the stands, I fired him up, put him in gear, went to 2nd gear, and rev'd to 5,000 then up to 6,500 RPM. and everything tracked perfectly and smoothly. Proof will be in the riding, but the engineering of it tells me that it will help. And the testimony of others is highly encouraging!

Now, while the panels are off...... More lights!

[JCSMOKE]

How could you not put more lights on it!

[kevorama]

I defer to you, Phil. Let me know how you like this product. I love this site and the folks that try to make this bike better. I don't have much of a belt vibration issue with mine, but I do notice it when the belt 'unloads' when in cruise mode on hills and declines. That's to be expected. Once Cowtown got my belt tensioned correctly, it's been vibration free.

[Phil]

Once Cowtown got my belt tensioned correctly, it's been vibration free.

oh how I long for a Cowtown close to me.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[kevorama]

You could always do just the opposite of what folks up here do... you could get a dual residency with MO. as your 2nd home. :joke:

[Phil]

I defer to you, Phil. Let me know how you like this product. I love this site and the folks that try to make this bike better. I don't have much of a belt vibration issue with mine, but I do notice it when the belt 'unloads' when in cruise mode on hills and declines. That's to be expected. Once Cowtown got my belt tensioned correctly, it's been vibration free.

Kev-
I took Darth out last evening after hastily putting everything back together (a post on that later). I went up to 80+mph two times and W-O-W!!!! The only vibration I felt at all was when I REALLY gunned it in lower gears. I'm guessing that might be the motor mount issue that is on the early 2010s. But W-O-W was it smooth!!!

[kevorama]

Based on your experience I might have to put one of those in my sights. Thanks for the post.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Adding one more pic of the SmoothSpyder. I took this looking straight down.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/0ae0f441.jpg

One additional observation about my first ryde to test the alignment and the overall WOW factor. As I was coming back down from 80+mph, I heard an interesting wrrrrrrrrr. I liked it! Kind of like a small jet turbine :). Pretty sure it's the newness of the bearing in the roller.

More lighting, coming up.....

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

Seems like whenever I have the Tupperware off, I mount a few more lights and clean up some wiring. I'm hoping you'll look at this and have no idea where they were added. That's one of the big points in doing lighting (IMHO). Whenever possible, lighting should reflect off of something UNLESS the light itself is a 'spectacular'. Like at rock shows. Even then the light typically reflects off of the fog they put in the air. But on a Spyder, WHEN POSSIBLE, you want to use the body, the chrome, the shape and form of the bike to show off your lighting, when you can.

Let me also, here at the top, put in a huge plug for Reggie and Custom Dynamics. While I'm NOT a wrench guy, I am decent with electrical. If you are the opposite, of if you're even better at dialing the phone than connecting wires, call those guys. They KNOW what they're doing. I'm makin this stuff up as I go :).

Here's the 'current' end result.....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/b540ab7f.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/d1c3a990.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/ed8cfcb5.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/da89c789.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/830945fa.jpg

Some of the wiring re-work I did was to add disconnects to allow panels to be easily removed. There are several ways you can do this. My choice for this was:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/24e21626.jpg
I was looking for small, simple and weather resistant. This little connector is all that and inexpensive. Here' s a few more shots of it:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/8b7f48cd.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/26b6a062.jpg

In the picture below, you can see one of the LED modules I added to one of the removable panels. It has a chrome body and puts out purple light. It's goal is to wash the Spyderpops screen mesh that was a Spyderfest addition.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/74a4f81a.jpg
The black cloth tape is Gaffer tape. Good for 200+ degrees and really tough stuff. I use a lot of it. I tried to keep the lead lengths that are exposed rather short. He's the sheath that I used to protect the wiring, since it runs near the radiator and other hot parts:
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/64043004.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/1334e5fe.jpg
Above you can see that I've added the sheath to the lighting wire on the panel.

Here is the 'supply side'. I ran a sheathed pair of wires from the left and right wiring blocks to the sides where the removable panels are. I crimped 3 of the female sides of the connectors to that feeder.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/13d99eed.jpg
I also added a larger section of the sheath braid so that once I plugged everything in, I can slide that section over all the connectors. Sorry, no pics of that, but here's one more shot, before replacing the panels...
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202012/b80dcf4e.jpg

The braid is good for really high temps, it's flexible, can grow to twice it's size by pushing it together like Chinese handcuffs.

By now you've figured out that I added 3 purple LED modules to graze the screen mesh. I also added several modules to better light around the shocks ( replacing a couple that had died or were dying).

Now go light your world!!

[coz]

hey phil, are you concerned at all about maxing out the electrical system on your bike ? i know led lights don't draw much power, but you've got a LOT of lights.:popcorn: nice write up and pics too.:thumbup:

[Phil]

Hey Coz.
There IS a limit, but I'm pretty sure I'm not there as long as I'm doing normal driving. One of my todo items is to actually measure the total draw of all of the lights I've added. It's easy because they all flow through a common fuse panel and one relay. I'll post the results soon.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

Just a pic. Darth checking out our construction site.
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/General/6280ae35.jpg


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[lookerjdc]

i finally got around to reading this post and all i say is 'holy sh*t Batman!!!!'

Phil, you have done an incredible job of not only modding out Darth Vader, I want to thank you for all the detailed installation information you have provided

I received my Spyder 2 weeks ago and have been thinking about adding my GPS on top of the front dash like you and 'Teddy' did, adding some lights (not as many as you, but definately in some locations you did, adding a front power source for the GPS and to charge an iPhone, etc)

again, your Spyder looks incredible and thank you again for the instructions

:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

[Phil]

i finally got around to reading this post and all i say is 'holy sh*t Batman!!!!'

Phil, you have done an incredible job of not only modding out Darth Vader, I want to thank you for all the detailed installation information you have provided

I received my Spyder 2 weeks ago and have been thinking about adding my GPS on top of the front dash like you and 'Teddy' did, adding some lights (not as many as you, but definately in some locations you did, adding a front power source for the GPS and to charge an iPhone, etc)

again, your Spyder looks incredible and thank you again for the instructions

:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

Muchas Gracias !! It's fun..congrats on your ryde too!!



Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[btcherm]

I'm jealous!! :bowdown:

[quickster47]

What LED units did you use for your puddle lights?

Carl

[Phil]

What LED units did you use for your puddle lights?

Carl

It's a combination of two lights. The round ones... I really can't remember where I got them, but they really are not all that bright compared to current technology so we'll move along.

The second one is--- http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-light-modules/luxart-led-module-sbl-brand/14/ I see several new lights that are brighter and might fit.

IF YOU ARE AN ADVENTUROUS DIY electrical person, you might like to experiment with some of the modules from www.superbrightleds.com . Hear this clearly- if you are not confident in your electrical skills, I HIGHLY recommend Reggie at-- http://tricled.com/TricLed.com/Home.html. Reggie and crew will walk you through with their kits.

we call LEDs a 'disruptive technology'. It changes SO fast. So be prepared to get hooked on adding LEDs! I've slowed down, but now I'm tricking out our new office building!

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Annaa]

Great project!!:clap:







.

[Phil]

I just looked at the date of my last mod. Wow! I'm slacking off!!

This post is called- DO AS I SAY NOT AS IT DO :). If you are going to do your own LED installation, you want to pay attention to this.

Most all LED strips have the ability to be cut to length. Many I see allow you to simply use an Exacto knife or even scissors to cut them every 3 LEDs. It allows you to make them fit nicely. Here's what can happen when you simply cut them and mount them without protecting the end....
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/null-5.jpg
While at Spyderfest in the rain, I thought I smelled something burning, but I could never find it. On the way home, in the rain, all of my LEDs went out. I knew it was a fuse since so many went out. This week I tore off the Tupperware to get to the source. Sometimes, replacing a fuse, when there is a short, will reveal the cause of the short. I don't recommend doing this unless you feel pretty confident with 12vdc. I upped the 5A fuse a little and fire things up. Bingo! Smoke was coming from the LED piece that you see in my hand. I pulled the power immediately, cut the bad section away, then SEALED the end---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/null-4.jpg

Problem solved. Fire averted. Lesson learned! Another good reason, if you are not comfortable around 12v power systems and LEDs, let the pros, like Reggie, handle it for you! Next post, another mod.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

While I had DARTH apart, I had to do SOMETHING! A long time ago I had purchased this---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/null-1.jpg
With as many electrical things on DARTH as I have, I wanted to know more than simply the battery voltage. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where to mount it since the connecting wire comes out the side. Putting it on the dashboard... Nope. So after the voting (in my head) here's where it ended up---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/null.jpg
I added the armor to the wiring since it is directly connected to the battery. Again, better safe than..... It will alert you when the battery gets low, so it's not a huge deal to have it under the seat. I'm hoping this will do as advertised to help me know that all is well. Here are the print pieces that come with the unit--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/905f5388-d08c-41cc-a20b-839ca51b5a68.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/null-2.jpg



Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[kevorama]

Hiya Phil, miss ya, bro. I had something similar happen when using the quick disconnect connectors. My routing caused my connection to short out on a grounded part.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/Connector1HTML_zpsfd0cfc7b.jpg (http://s1059.photobucket.com/user/kevorama1/media/Connector1HTML_zpsfd0cfc7b.jpg.html)

The open metal part connected with the frame and blew out the 4th zone on my remote system from TricLED. I don't blame Tric for that, it was my fault. Once I realized what caused it, I posted a fix for it.

Basically, you make a condom for the male connection out of shrink tubing, slide it on, and connect the two parts as shown in the following pics.

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/Connector2HTML_zpsf782d3d8.jpg (http://s1059.photobucket.com/user/kevorama1/media/Connector2HTML_zpsf782d3d8.jpg.html)


http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/Connector3HTML_zps94cb03f1.jpg (http://s1059.photobucket.com/user/kevorama1/media/Connector3HTML_zps94cb03f1.jpg.html)


http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t432/kevorama1/Connector4HTML_zpsad68a582.jpg (http://s1059.photobucket.com/user/kevorama1/media/Connector4HTML_zpsad68a582.jpg.html)


By placing that small piece of shrink tubing on the male end, it makes a great rubber boot to protect your DC connection from shorting out on grounded pieces.

Phil, I'm using a battery isolator from Reggy. It doesn't show me what's draining where, but it allows me to keep my external lighting up and running without draining my main battery. I keep my smaller backup battery in the trunk.

[Phil]

Miss you too Kev (Joanie too but don't tell her, she'll think I've gone soft :))

Glad to hear that you too make mistakes! But we learn from them, teach others, and go on.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[SPYDERFUZZ]

I'm updating this post with a full list of mods, for ease of finding them as I get older and forget :)

___________________________
Phils Spyder Mods
======================
Additional front fuse panel
Mud Flap Lights
BrightSides front and rear
Kewlmetal Run-Turn-Brake light http://www.kewlmetalstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=633
Double Play Unit
12vdc dash convenience outlet
AEM Voltage Meter
TricLed TricFenderz - Amber / Red
Front DayRunners
RTGloRyder http://www.gloryder.com/can-am-spyder-accessories.php
Custom Dynamics - Various Stingerz LED sticks (Purple) http://www.customdynamics.com/
Black Magic Remote LED Control
DRL Cornering Lights with TDR control
Puddle Lights & switch
Master Accessory Power Switch & relay
LED Licenseplate light
LED Frunk Surround
LED Fendertip lights
LED Seatglow light
LED Trunk lights
LED Glove Box light
LED Under Dash light
Dimmers for Dash & TricFenderz lights
~~new 07/23/11~~
HID Headlights
LEDs under rear fender
LEDs (purple) as 'eye lashes' above headlights (01/02/12)
Backup/rear view Camera (01/02/12)
-------------------------------
Bluetooth Receivers
Bluetooth Transmitter
4 Channel Audio Mixer
---------------------------
Extra WAGO LeverNuts (power distribution)
Billet Axel Covers Front end Dressup Kit
Green Filter
Swaybar
Elka Shocks (7/2011)
Utopia Backrest (6/2011)
Fog HIDs
Gizmo Mount Bracket
Küryakyn Widow Pegs
BRP Chrome Mirror Accents
BRP Chrome Exhaust Accent
~~~~~NEW 11/11/11 RT622 Trailer~~~~~~
Interior while LED halo of light
Front and back lid halo of Purple LEDs
GloRyders for trailer wheels(DIY, not stock)
Battery- 12ah to power trailer lights while not connected to bike (12/28/12)
~~~~~~~~ MISC ~~~~~~
Lambs Wool Gel Seats - http://www.amspecialtiesusa.com/gelpad.htm

================================================





Here's a pic of my RT SE5 PE as it looked when I started the mods:


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsA-11-27-10.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsC-11-27-10.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My Spyder Mods/SpyderLightsB-11-27-10.jpg


Some of the things I'm working on:

Redo the power distribution to power the current and additional LEDs.
Adding quick disconnect so frunk can be easily removed, even with all the extra LEDs.
Redo mounting of the Fog HID ballasts
Add many more purple LEDs to frunk
Add purple LED that accents fog housing
Add master on off switch & relay for new power buss (see #1)
Add TricFenderz LEDs
Add mud flap LEDs (wire into turn signals)
Add dimmer for TricFenderz
Add white LED strips in glove box and under dash
Add dimmer for glove box and dash lights
Add 'puddle lights' under mirrors
Add wiring and separate switch for puddle lights
Add RunBrakeTurn LED strip to back of bike
Redo previous Bluetooth work to 'mix' audio from all Bluetooth sources rather than having them fight for supremacy order.
Seems like there'd something else??!!!

I'm fortunate to be one of the guys to have a heated garage with good working lighting and tool boxes. Took me a bunch of years to get tot this point, but I'm very blessed. So, I can take my time and do things the right way.

Stay tuned....

Hi Phil finally found you. Jonathan @ Broadway Powersports said to contact you about joining your group. Can't find where to sign up. Can you help me Doug I

[kevorama]

hey phil, are you concerned at all about maxing out the electrical system on your bike ? i know led lights don't draw much power, but you've got a LOT of lights.:popcorn: nice write up and pics too.:thumbup:

Hey Coz, I had the same concern on my bike, as I'm loaded up pretty good. Reggy sent me his battery isolator and I located a second battery in my trunk. I re ran my lead wires from the FZ-1 FuzeBlock (also from TricLED) and the main battery to the 2nd battery in the trunk. The isolator is also mounted in the trunk. When the engine is running both batteries are charging. When I have the bike off and I'm running lights, for say, a light show, the only draw comes from the 2nd batt only. If that battery drains, my main one is still fully charged for starting the bike.

The 2nd video in my thread on 'How To Install Almost Everything From TricLED' shows the battery isolator towards the end. The video is less than 3 minutes.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?49150-How-To-Install-Almost-Everything-From-TricLED

[Phil]

Hi Phil finally found you. Jonathan @ Broadway Powersports said to contact you about joining your group. Can't find where to sign up. Can you help me Doug I

Hey there Doug! I believe you are now signed up!! Jonathan is a great guy, but it's not MY group. He's talking about SpyderLovers.

I see you're in Jacksonville. Let's find a time to have coffee and say hi! It's best to email me- genesis@genesisworld.com


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[XenonDepot]

Wow!! Looks awesome :)
Steve

[Phil]

Phil when are you ever going to make Darth visible?
No one can see you coming.

JK:joke:

Nice work.
Nice on going work.

Happy to have met you at SF.

Likewise Roger!


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

Wow!! Looks awesome :)
Steve

Thx Steve. Happy to have used your kit on the heads.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

70860


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[AbNormy]

RT+HID >= Joy! Thanks for these Phil! Get cranky when stuff doesn't act right! Reversed polarity and sure enough bright as day! Anybody installing the Xenon Depot HIDs read this!


Wow Bob!
Sent from my home in Central Texas!

[MarkLawson]

RT+HID >= Joy! Thanks for these Phil! Get cranky when stuff doesn't act right! Reversed polarity and sure enough bright as day! Anybody installing the Xenon Depot HIDs read this!


Wow Bob!
Sent from my home in Central Texas!

The Xenon installation instructions warn against getting the polarity wrong & how to address it. Phil's posts helped me better understand it's application to my Spyder.

[Phil]

Been awhile! I've slowed down on Darth's mods. I'm kind of running out of places to put LEDs ;)

Then Reggy and the TricLED team came out with a couple of really cool kits. Here's the results of the mirror turn signal LEDs and also the wheel kits. All of it took about 2 hours start to finish.


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/9354edac3b36bf6a938cbce18da49ccc.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/21b24b9808ac76c9877654b6d4c7b246.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/525a3273bd28a539a53cf2579d8a3785.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/c5c3ce347a4623c339ef48f35218a26f.jpg

[Chupaca]

you will never get lost in the dark..!! :roflblack:

[Phil]

And more of a view of the dash while it's working......
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/84b7853d3e948652107e4dbb9f5efd9e.jpg

And at night....

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%202013/9354edac3b36bf6a938cbce18da49ccc.jpg

[Phil]

This mod was done around August, 2012. I KNOW I posted it and also posted after testing. But for the life of me I can't find it. So....

I removed the right, bottom pan after I could feel extra heat coming up and around the glove box. This was after adding the right foot block off plate. At the same time, I added some heat management material. Here are the pics....


The fan is from Summit Racing, # PRM-19127, 6" 2,200 CFM fan. http://www.summitracing.com/search?SortBy=BestKeywordMatch&SortOrder=Ascending&keyword=PRM-19127

This is on the bench, figuring out where to mount it--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/66f2bb07.jpg


I cut the hole, mounted it with the supplied hardware and then taped up the air gaps with high temp silver tape. As you can see, I also added a high temp shroud around the power lines for protection. -
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/29d9ce42.jpg

Another angle-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/24e18526.jpg


This is with the plate bolted back in its home-
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/870f1a5e.jpg

From underneath, you can see the extra screen to keep rocks and other objects where they should be---
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/224cab53.jpg


I also added heat management blankets up top--
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/a9eaa273.jpg
http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/My%20Spyder%20Mods/0677d8f3.jpg

The fan blows down toward the road. It all works very well, especially in slow driving. When Darth's speed gets above about 50mph, there is more pressure from the air entering the radiator area than the fan can siphon off and flow down and out. BUT, at higher speeds, it seems to matter less. While this isn't a perfect answer, it is essentially what BRP did on the 2014s (reversing the fans at low speed). I added a switch so in the cool months, I disable the fan and take advantage of the extra heat.

[finless]

NICE ONE!

+1000!!!!!!

I wonder if this would help the 2013 folks!

Do you switch it on and off or is it running all the time?

Bob

[DJFaninTN]

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Mother-of_God.gif


:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowd own::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

Awesome is the only thing I can say!

Great Job.

[Phil]

+1000!!!!!!

I wonder if this would help the 2013 folks!

Do you switch it on and off or is it running all the time?

Bob

Bob- I pretty much leave it on all the time. I do turn it off when it gets cooler to take advantage of the heat.

[bscrive]

Phil,

That is one of the best mods I have seen on these bikes. Everyone could really benefit from this and it is pretty easy to do.


Brian

[AbNormy]

Deluxe heat management! Well done! Where do you get the heat shielding foil stuff? I had Harvey put the block off plates & he drilled the back 'firewall' several times to route it out but that makes great sense going down!

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Deluxe heat management! Well done! Where do you get the heat shielding foil stuff? I had Harvey put the block off plates & he drilled the back 'firewall' several times to route it out but that makes great sense going down!

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

I think the heat shielding foil came from a Google search for foil heat shield. I do that a lot. ;).


Sent from my iPhone7 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Whelp... Still at it. Although I've slowed, WAY DOWN. why? Bunches of reasons, one of which-- DARTHII is just around the corner.

This mod was a test for DARTHII. At some point I'll post the how to details. For now, here's the results....


http://youtu.be/yYy1dZy3ckE

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/a8c8d57c98fff55f607a6920ea1f78a3.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/bb1591791cbe823d71e160324c35ddb0.jpg


http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/e0bf1a78456e086482250812d0c208fb.jpg

Thanks Reggy for leading the way with really cool LED toys like the 'ring of heat' !!

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

I think I quit. Moding Darth that is. Tonight I finished rebadging Darth. Here's the results....

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/D1C1BC6E-CC72-4F4A-912E-39581F8FD102.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/A69F2705-BBB9-4336-A272-F0E9E5B1D71F.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/C06DE16E-83FD-4A44-B6DE-D3A145A76F22.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/B5310187-180A-45C2-A799-E1C95051C22F.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/0A5E90D1-14D1-4921-874A-C247E450AE42.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/2ED653D3-6D02-4759-BE1C-6325616FBA70.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/13E3EAF5-6CD6-42F3-ACC2-E5EDA4556D20.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/C2D317E7-7F49-42CA-BA31-9E9C1EC87DF2.jpg

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z402/CorporateGreen/Darth%20Mods%202014/C5AF84C1-1DE4-48C3-9DDE-EDDF6AE2254D.jpg



Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[MarkLawson]

Love the new badge Phil!

[nikki.ullis]

Hey Phil did you ever get a chance to write up a how to on that badge? Definitely looking at doing that to my spyder!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Phil]

Hey Phil did you ever get a chance to write up a how to on that badge? Definitely looking at doing that to my spyder!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Ya know.... I got side tracked and totally forgot! Thanks for the reminder. So I don't forget, I'll write much of it here....

The secret sauce is this stuff-
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/item.asp?Category=188&SubCategoryID=178&GroupID=&SKU=FELP%2DCIR%2DNI
89195
I used the 2.5" EL circle. The one that lights closer to white, actually looks pinkish when not lit. EL does not work directly on 12VDC! You must get a driver, like these...
89196
http://www.thatscoolwire.com/store/item.asp?Category=168&SubCategoryID=142&GroupID=&SKU=WY%2DELI%2DCUBEBLUE%2D27%2D40

Those 2 items from CoolWire give you a circle of light. On top of that, you can add whatever logo you wish. I had about 75 of the SpyderIchthus logos made, mostly to give away. Then I had a company make the clear epoxy domes. I have about 100 of them. They cost me about $4 each.

From ThatsCoolWire, you can get 10' power output extension cables, 'Y' connectors so one inverter can power multiple EL shapes, wires, etc. Tuck the blue inverter in a convenient place. I used mounting tape and just stuck it out of the way, one for the front and one for the back. They sell various inverter/drivers and they are more, or less powerful depending on the square inches or length of EL wire you are driving. I chose the most powerful (only $4 more each) to have the ability to play with options. I also got a selection of the 5mm EL wire and I'm going to see how it looks. Reggy tells me his opinion is that EL isn't bright enough and doesn't have the life span of LEDs. He may be 100% right! but I love to experiment and try things.

That's not my typical step by step, but it gives you the very basic building blocks. If you'll email me I'm happy to work out a way to get the clear domes sent to anyone. You really should use a small bead of silicon under the outer edge of the dome to help water seal it. Genesis@genesisworld.com.

Hope this gets the creative juices rolling! I'd love to see pics of the results!!


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[Phil]

I'm starting a new thread for Phil's 2014 (new) DARTH mods. All new stuff will go there....


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

[pwpalmbay]

That's a lot of mods. I especially like the garage.