Super Bob, it sounds a brilliant solution so next week you can fit the heated grips, lol... cant you use the std 55w main for the headlight flasher as it is only on for a few seconds?
Ive just looked at the wiring diagram and can see that they use the same switch conductor for "main" as for "flash" so no, you cant retain the 55w can you as it shares the same relay and feed... how about an led lamp in that "high beam" location, useless for driving but your projector does that job nicely. The led would be bright as a passing lamp... one question, does the "projector" lamp light quickly enough for a "flash" or for swapping low to high? I'm thinking of the time taken for the shutter to move...
As it happens I have just ordered a H1 LED from ebay to cover the flash function with headlights off. The projector will not flash the HID light at all if the headlight is switched off, it will only move the shutter, but without the bulb burning there is no flash. When the HID is switched on (ie dip) the flash or switch to main beam is instantaneous as the shutter moves. Due to the crude nature of the ST2 charging system I don't tend to drive with headlights on (even if French law says that I should) but use the very bright LED sidelight instead.
Yes, that's exactly what I did although I much prefer to have a headlight on.. The H1 LED will do that job nicely and not rob too many watts at night. I think it's a winner..
Latest idea. Fit a Audi style DRL LED strip under the headlight. Works much better then the photo shows. With that on and all the connections to battery removed, cleaned and refitted, I am getting 13.9 to 14.1 volts showing while riding.
That looks super, and acceptable voltage figures too, looks like job done... I want one for the ST4 lol
If I could still get the same types of LEDs from ebay then I would be happy to make one up, but they are all SMD LEDs now and would be a bit more difficult to fit in the same position. You could fit an SMD strip just below the intake and as long as you used 5050 LEDs it would look just as good.
I meant to say that I have wired this to the same circuit that I fitted to power the voltmeter. That means that they come on with the ignition and cannot be switched off, but do not need the headlights switched on at all. They could be wired through a small hidden switch if needed as they use so little power.
The only thing that I can see wrong is the airflow being restricted to the airbox. That mouth / aperture is, if I'm not mistaken the air scoop, which leads to the top of the air box.
I thought about that and this is what I came up with: As they are mounted a little to the rear of the intake mouth, there will be very little restriction as the incoming air has entered. It will just move faster around the restriction giving a lower pressure than ambient, that should make it suck more air. (I used to be an aircraft engineer with a huge interest in fluid dynamics!). That intake is not directly connected to the air box anyway (there is a gap) so any ram effect is minimal. I have cut a couple of 32mm holes in the rear of the air box lid just to make sure.
I know about the gap between the rubber mouths and the airbox, which prompted the question /answer, as in my minds eye I saw a restriction in airflow struggling to bridge the gap. (I hope that makes sense?)
I've already been looking on "fleabay" and have some ideas, I would just wire to the side light as the DD headlight I have fitted doesn't use a sidelight and that "feed" is spare.. I'm aware too or airflow issues to the regulator, just need to watch that... The idea of cutting three or four 20mm holes in the top of the airbox is quiet common and probably a good idea too as we dont want to restrict the breathing. Inspired, lol
I believe that there is more benefit from feeding colder air through that intake than any ram air effect. I know that when I fly my microlight, I can feel the power difference between a cold day and a warm day and that is with a 100hp engine. I think that Ducati probably put the intake there for that reason and to make the bike look nice. I would not expect them to have found an extra 1/2 bhp with ram air when they could not even bother to fit a decent electrical power generation system. I took the bike out this afternoon and can say that I can feel no difference in performance, but there again, it is only 7c today! I have also just changed the oil to a 5w40 so thinner oil might give it a little more performance, but if I can't feel the difference then it does not matter.
Without trying to teach anyone how to suck eggs, and you probably know anyway, but make sure that you get cool white rather than warm white LEDs. The cool are a lot more noticeable on the road, the warm are a bit yellow, great to read with in the house.
