What Did You Do to Your RX3 Today? - Page 38

Working_ZS · 10-17-2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvarez

The little bulb below the headlight is toast. Does it actually do anything? What's it there for? Anyone know what number it is to replace it?

That's a running light for areas that do not have a requirement for the headlight to be on at all times. The size is T10. Any 158,168 or 194 wedge style bulb will fit. I put a Phillips 6000K T10 in mine, to match the color of the 6000K Genssi Elite headlight bulb that I installed. If you decide to go LED, do spend the extra money for name brand. The cheap Amazon and eBay bulbs do not last very long before they fail. I have not had a single failure on any of my vehicles that have the Phillips T10 LED bulbs installed, which would be six in total with three of those being motorcycles. Yes, they cost more, but they last and save you time in tearing things apart to change the bulb constantly.

sqwert · 10-17-2018, 10:13 PM

We are required to run headlights so I unplugged Roxy's running light. Wastes electricity and does no good with the headlight on. All those dainty LEDs in Roxy's headlight housing are also unplugged. Roxy has an LED in her stock headlight right now, but don't remember if it is CSC's or from some other source. Low beam is always on, quite bright right under the headlight, then a dark streak right above the low beam, then the high beam pattern begins. That dark streak leaves about 100 feet of the road unilluminated between beam patterns. Lowering the high beam to actually illuminate usefully puts the low beam pattern so close to the front wheel at any speed faster than parking lot.

Can't wait to get the pair of 4x6 JW Speaker headlights back on. I use a solenoid to raise the low beams to high beam position to eliminate the close-in glare when on high beam, allows much better visibility than partial night blindness on open highways because of excessive illumination close to the front tire with most LED headlight arrangements. The headlight high beams will work with the bulbs in either position, but I rarely use them. Only use for the high beams is blinding oncoming drivers with illegally modified or badly aimed headlights. Usually one blink and they dim their crap quickly.

EDIT: Anywho, today is the last sunny day of holiday. I'm off to the twisties. Yesterday prepped a set of LED trailer taillights with side markers for Roxy's tail, will install 10-19 while it rains. Using trailer electronics to make turns and brakes the same circuits--I'm not happy with the stock tail and turns practically concealed among the Tourfella boxes.

New 55 watt bixenon HID arrived and that will go in her stock headlight. This particular kit promises to meet DOT regs of illumination pattern but should be about 5 times as bright as stock. Hopefully this rig will light the dark gap between the high and low beam patterns on the current LED. Stock rear turns will join the stock front turns and alternate when on. Then the 4x6 LEDs the fuzz does not want me using for headlights will be 100% legal auxiliary lights. I'll run them at 35 watts on low beam, and install another battery to power the high beams when I want to blind people. My experience has been that when you get peoples' attentions by annoying the crap out of them you are much less likely to get run over because nobody really wants to deal with the lawyers.

calvarez · 10-18-2018, 01:16 PM

I left the little bulb out, and will not replace it. Seems like it does nothing in the US, right? And law aside, I've always run with the headlight on, why would anyone not?

I put on the CSC center stand last night. After one oil change and other maintenance, I was pretty annoyed at not having it. I thought about a bike stand, but then thought I might need/want the stand for on-the-road maintenance. After installing it, I can say I'd never buy it again. I mean, it functions, but it's also an annoyance. The fact that the rear tire is on the ground blows away the primary use during trips--chain maintenance. Crap, wish I'd known. It's also in the way for how I put the sidestand down. Damn. Getting it off the stand is a good exercise though, even my fat butt has to put real ooomph into it. All around bad design.

Riding with the LED lamp shows that it's a huge improvement. Next up will be lights for the crash bars. Now to decide on which ones. There's always something between the ludicrous-priced stuff and the junk, need to find it. The bar on my Jeep is quite good, and 1/5th the name brand price.

KenL · 10-18-2018, 04:35 PM

I recently installed the center stand myself. I guess CSC had to use what Zongshen gave them in terms of mounting location and I read somewhere that this is their second stab at designing a center stand that works well enough, I guess it is what it is. The bike is pretty close to it's balance point on the center stand and it seems just a little weight puts it on it's front wheel on the ground, probably my motorcycle jacket across the front fender would do it. Of course this is with the bags empty, haven't filled them yet for a trip. I'll find out when I get to my 500Mile maintenance.

calvarez · 10-18-2018, 05:07 PM

I have the aluminum bags, and had just a few "always there" items like chain lube, straps, etc in them. It's very heavily biased to the rear in this condition. I don't even have my tools in there yet.

Working_ZS · 10-18-2018, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvarez

I have the aluminum bags, and had just a few "always there" items like chain lube, straps, etc in them. It's very heavily biased to the rear in this condition. I don't even have my tools in there yet.

The thing about the RX3 centerstand frame mounts is that they are actually left over mounts from the manufacturing and assembly line, IIRC. They were not intended for their current use, so the weight bias front to rear is not optimal for lofting the rear wheel. All things considered, they are definitely better than nothing and I'm happy to have them. I usually just apply a little lift to one of the rear cases to get the rear up when I want to spin the tire. When changing tires, I just stick a prop under one of the side cases to hold it while I mount and balance the wheel assembly.

calvarez · 10-18-2018, 07:14 PM

I'm going to weld up a folding "stick" with pads on the ends to put between the swingarm and ground. I'll make up a way to hang them on the top case lid, or maybe under the seat.

I'm not sure it's better than nothing, it *may* reduce ground clearance a bit, maybe not, beyond just the mount points. And right now it's interfering with sidestand use, though that may just require re-learning.

NzBrakelathes · 10-18-2018, 07:57 PM

The location for the center stand IS NOT MADE accurate or for the CSC stand.
They are made for the L brackets that come with the bike - CSC might not give them free like the USB etc or who knows why in the USA you don't get the parts free like everywhere else in the world. (they are not expensive)

I have the stand you speak of and I showed my local Zongshen dealer and the stand wouldn't quite fit his brand new bike as the pin/mount was a little of needed a slight grind, yet fitted my bike and another easily.

Don't blame CSC the stand maker or Zongshen directly as the location wasn't intended to be used this way or made so perfectly (I suspect many areas will have a fair bit of tolerance between each bike etc)

I hope that my front brake caliper bracket will suit all bikes but I suspect I will need to make a couple options with a 1mm difference to catch the slight inaccuracy thru the bikes and customers

NzBrakelathes · 10-18-2018, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvarez

I'm going to weld up a folding "stick" with pads on the ends to put between the swingarm and ground. I'll make up a way to hang them on the top case lid, or maybe under the seat.

I'm not sure it's better than nothing, it *may* reduce ground clearance a bit, maybe not, beyond just the mount points. And right now it's interfering with sidestand use, though that may just require re-learning.

CSC do sell the L brackets they are Okish but WONKY - I have some still but plan not to use them. (I can also supply)

sqwert · 10-18-2018, 10:37 PM

L brackets for what purpose?

I have CSC's initial design center stand. In the shop I hoist the front by the handlebar with an engine hoist, a come-a-long, a couple tiedown straps, a wrecker, or whatever else is handy. On the road I ask a couple sturdy looking young men to drag the bike backwards by the luggage rack while I stand on the center stand's miniscule foot pin. If I want to work with the rear wheel I have a furring strip with a V cut on one end to slide under the swingarm. Either way is easy, and the stand is fairly secure under the bike.

NzBrakelathes · 10-19-2018, 03:30 AM

https://store.cscmotorcycles.com/2-P...p/csc-1003.htm

These normally come free with the bike, mobile type make do stands incase you get a flat tyre or other small tasks

Working_ZS · 10-19-2018, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sqwert

L brackets for what purpose?

I have CSC's initial design center stand. In the shop I hoist the front by the handlebar with an engine hoist, a come-a-long, a couple tiedown straps, a wrecker, or whatever else is handy. On the road I ask a couple sturdy looking young men to drag the bike backwards by the luggage rack while I stand on the center stand's miniscule foot pin. If I want to work with the rear wheel I have a furring strip with a V cut on one end to slide under the swingarm. Either way is easy, and the stand is fairly secure under the bike.

I believe NZ is referring to the first, two piece center stand that CSC offered for the RX3. They are the ones shown in his link in post #788. Interesting that they include them with the bike in China, though I still prefer the newer one piece design. Looking at them, I don't think it would be too hard to weld them together via a crossmember and add a foot for deployment. Then again, by the time you do that you'll have just as much invested in parts and labor as you would if you had just bought the new design center stand. If you can wait, CSC discounts the center stand (normally priced at $130 US) regularly throughout the year. So for those interested in getting one, be patient and you should be able to save some money.

calvarez · 10-19-2018, 01:13 PM

Yeah those brackets looked scary just in the photos. And now knowing the weight distribution...doubly scary.

Also I'm not blaming anyone, it just is what it is. I'm commenting for others to know the details if they are considering the stand. If you want it for home maintenance, don't do it. If you really do need to do on-road maintenance, there's no choice.

fjmartin · 10-19-2018, 02:03 PM

So, something that could help folks get their bikes up on the centerstand and can easily be made at home is a mini ramp. Toss it on the ground and ride the back wheel up on it and then it's super easy to get the bike on the stand since it's higher up. I do it standing next to the bike in first gear. I made one that is just for my garage and I made another compact one that I take on long trips, like when I went to Alaska. Another field repair trick is to ride up on a dirt pile or rock or something with the back wheel then engage the center-stand. I came up with this as I'm a little dude and after lowering my F800GSA that made it impossible to get on the centerstand. It was even super hard with two people. Now it's easy peasy!!!

The garage version is made from stacked 2x10s. It's the white one. The piece of doweling is the wheel stop so I don't accidentally ride it off the ramp. Once I bump the stop I kill the engine, hold in the clutch and engage the center stand.

The travel version is a 2x4. I painted (black) it to protect it from the weather when traveling and on one side I glued on bubble wrap to keep it from messing up my luggage when strapped on. There is a stainless/rubber cable tie down on top that works as the wheel stop and I took some steel plates that have holes in them used for things like fencing and use them to swing out to make feet to stabilize it as the narrowness of the 2x4 made it tippy and would sometimes fall over when rolling up on it. They are attached with a wood screw.

sqwert · 10-19-2018, 10:18 PM

Mounted a trailer light kit under the and beside the top box, then wired the new lights through an electronic gadget that makes the turn signal circuits work as brake lights as well as turns.

10-17-2018, 10:13 PM	#2
sqwert Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 382	We are required to run headlights so I unplugged Roxy's running light. Wastes electricity and does no good with the headlight on. All those dainty LEDs in Roxy's headlight housing are also unplugged. Roxy has an LED in her stock headlight right now, but don't remember if it is CSC's or from some other source. Low beam is always on, quite bright right under the headlight, then a dark streak right above the low beam, then the high beam pattern begins. That dark streak leaves about 100 feet of the road unilluminated between beam patterns. Lowering the high beam to actually illuminate usefully puts the low beam pattern so close to the front wheel at any speed faster than parking lot. Can't wait to get the pair of 4x6 JW Speaker headlights back on. I use a solenoid to raise the low beams to high beam position to eliminate the close-in glare when on high beam, allows much better visibility than partial night blindness on open highways because of excessive illumination close to the front tire with most LED headlight arrangements. The headlight high beams will work with the bulbs in either position, but I rarely use them. Only use for the high beams is blinding oncoming drivers with illegally modified or badly aimed headlights. Usually one blink and they dim their crap quickly. EDIT: Anywho, today is the last sunny day of holiday. I'm off to the twisties. Yesterday prepped a set of LED trailer taillights with side markers for Roxy's tail, will install 10-19 while it rains. Using trailer electronics to make turns and brakes the same circuits--I'm not happy with the stock tail and turns practically concealed among the Tourfella boxes. New 55 watt bixenon HID arrived and that will go in her stock headlight. This particular kit promises to meet DOT regs of illumination pattern but should be about 5 times as bright as stock. Hopefully this rig will light the dark gap between the high and low beam patterns on the current LED. Stock rear turns will join the stock front turns and alternate when on. Then the 4x6 LEDs the fuzz does not want me using for headlights will be 100% legal auxiliary lights. I'll run them at 35 watts on low beam, and install another battery to power the high beams when I want to blind people. My experience has been that when you get peoples' attentions by annoying the crap out of them you are much less likely to get run over because nobody really wants to deal with the lawyers. Last edited by sqwert; 10-18-2018 at 11:33 AM.
	0

10-18-2018, 01:16 PM	#3
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	I left the little bulb out, and will not replace it. Seems like it does nothing in the US, right? And law aside, I've always run with the headlight on, why would anyone not? I put on the CSC center stand last night. After one oil change and other maintenance, I was pretty annoyed at not having it. I thought about a bike stand, but then thought I might need/want the stand for on-the-road maintenance. After installing it, I can say I'd never buy it again. I mean, it functions, but it's also an annoyance. The fact that the rear tire is on the ground blows away the primary use during trips--chain maintenance. Crap, wish I'd known. It's also in the way for how I put the sidestand down. Damn. Getting it off the stand is a good exercise though, even my fat butt has to put real ooomph into it. All around bad design. Riding with the LED lamp shows that it's a huge improvement. Next up will be lights for the crash bars. Now to decide on which ones. There's always something between the ludicrous-priced stuff and the junk, need to find it. The bar on my Jeep is quite good, and 1/5th the name brand price.
	0

10-18-2018, 04:35 PM	#4
KenL Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 19	I recently installed the center stand myself. I guess CSC had to use what Zongshen gave them in terms of mounting location and I read somewhere that this is their second stab at designing a center stand that works well enough, I guess it is what it is. The bike is pretty close to it's balance point on the center stand and it seems just a little weight puts it on it's front wheel on the ground, probably my motorcycle jacket across the front fender would do it. Of course this is with the bags empty, haven't filled them yet for a trip. I'll find out when I get to my 500Mile maintenance.
	0

10-18-2018, 05:07 PM	#5
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	I have the aluminum bags, and had just a few "always there" items like chain lube, straps, etc in them. It's very heavily biased to the rear in this condition. I don't even have my tools in there yet.
	0

10-18-2018, 07:14 PM	#7
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	I'm going to weld up a folding "stick" with pads on the ends to put between the swingarm and ground. I'll make up a way to hang them on the top case lid, or maybe under the seat. I'm not sure it's better than nothing, it may reduce ground clearance a bit, maybe not, beyond just the mount points. And right now it's interfering with sidestand use, though that may just require re-learning.
	0

10-18-2018, 07:57 PM	#8
NzBrakelathes Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hell Posts: 2,408	The location for the center stand IS NOT MADE accurate or for the CSC stand. They are made for the L brackets that come with the bike - CSC might not give them free like the USB etc or who knows why in the USA you don't get the parts free like everywhere else in the world. (they are not expensive) I have the stand you speak of and I showed my local Zongshen dealer and the stand wouldn't quite fit his brand new bike as the pin/mount was a little of needed a slight grind, yet fitted my bike and another easily. Don't blame CSC the stand maker or Zongshen directly as the location wasn't intended to be used this way or made so perfectly (I suspect many areas will have a fair bit of tolerance between each bike etc) I hope that my front brake caliper bracket will suit all bikes but I suspect I will need to make a couple options with a 1mm difference to catch the slight inaccuracy thru the bikes and customers
	0

10-18-2018, 10:37 PM	#10
sqwert Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 382	L brackets for what purpose? I have CSC's initial design center stand. In the shop I hoist the front by the handlebar with an engine hoist, a come-a-long, a couple tiedown straps, a wrecker, or whatever else is handy. On the road I ask a couple sturdy looking young men to drag the bike backwards by the luggage rack while I stand on the center stand's miniscule foot pin. If I want to work with the rear wheel I have a furring strip with a V cut on one end to slide under the swingarm. Either way is easy, and the stand is fairly secure under the bike.
	0

10-19-2018, 03:30 AM	#11
NzBrakelathes Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hell Posts: 2,408	https://store.cscmotorcycles.com/2-P...p/csc-1003.htm These normally come free with the bike, mobile type make do stands incase you get a flat tyre or other small tasks
	0

10-19-2018, 01:13 PM	#13
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	Yeah those brackets looked scary just in the photos. And now knowing the weight distribution...doubly scary. Also I'm not blaming anyone, it just is what it is. I'm commenting for others to know the details if they are considering the stand. If you want it for home maintenance, don't do it. If you really do need to do on-road maintenance, there's no choice.
	0

10-19-2018, 10:18 PM	#15
sqwert Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 382	Mounted a trailer light kit under the and beside the top box, then wired the new lights through an electronic gadget that makes the turn signal circuits work as brake lights as well as turns.
	0