250-500cc Headlight Question

[Rusty 2]

The Headlight on my WR300 has two different bulbs in it,...a little one about the size of a flashlight bulb up in the top left corner of the reflector housing, and then the big main bulb in the center. The book says the small one is the "park light",....it's the only one that burns. The main bulb won't light, and doesn't appear to be burned out, and everything is connected right under the front mask.

Is that bulb supposed to burn on a magneto powered enduro lighting only bike? What does a 2008 WR250 have for a headlight? Do they work? I'd really like to have it working if it's supposed to, for those times when it's starting to get dark before you make it back to the truck. I'll call the dealer and ask the service guy about it,...but I really hate to have to load it up and haul it 100 miles for a thing like that if I can fix it myself. Any thoughts, ideas?

 

[surfer1100]

It should work while running, I'm not much help, as I haven't installed mine, but would like to know the answer as well.

 

[HuskyDude]

The small bulb is a European thing, has to do with plating the bike over there.
When you start your bike (and have the handle bar switch on) the front and rear tail light should go on...
If not ya gonna have to start checking systematically bulbs, switches, Stator,wiring, wiring connections.Etc.
Multimeter is priceless in these scenarios.
Good luck and let us know what you fined.

 

[Rusty 2]

Don't have any switches HuskyDude. It's just like my XR,...when you start it up the tail light and that park light come on,...just not the main head light.

I'm gonna look at trying to move the juice over from the little park light to the head light. I know there's current getting up there to that, and I can do without the park light, but I need the main head light.

 

[raisrx251]

If your wires are hooked up it is more than likely the bulb. Use a test light to see if you have power. The ones on the big/main bulb are blue/yellow on my '07. I do not have the tiny one hooked up on my 250. There is no switch that I am aware of for the two strokes in the U.S.

 

[Rusty 2]

Thanks,
I'll get back in there again and check the wire colors. I do remember thinking that the little park light bulb's wires were much smaller diameter than the big main's.

The big main bulb looks fine. There's no burn out residue at all, and the element is attached at both ends. I need some electrical tools,...and skills. Electrical stuff has always beaten me.

 

[Troy F Collins]

Thanks,
I'll get back in there again and check the wire colors. I do remember thinking that the little park light bulb's wires were much smaller diameter than the big main's.

The big main bulb looks fine. There's no burn out residue at all, and the element is attached at both ends. I need some electrical tools,...and skills. Electrical stuff has always beaten me.

Harness side coming from the bike.....blue is neg(ground)..yellow is power wire...

since Wr's dont have a high beam switch...you have to wire the headlamp bulb directly...you also need to choose which filament you want to light of the three choices....park,low or high....low beam is your best option

On the lamp socket...you want to power the black wire(connect bikes yellow to black wire on bulb)...then connect the lamp blue wire(ground) to the blue wire on the bike....

this assumes the wire colors are the same as my WR 125..??

 

[Norman Foley]

Just move the wires around like Troy said. I chose high beam on mine, but can't remember which one. I tried all the combos and got, running, low and high beams.

 

[Yanni23]

I will say that the main bulb has a hi/low...I wired mine up this way to get inspection passed.

I have the switch flush-mounted in my Renthal bar-pad.


Street-Legal WR250 here in NC...

 

[razornpc]

on mine there is a 6 pin connector with only 2 wires, black and yellow. on my light there are 3 small spade connectors. are your guys bikes set up like this too?

 

[fury1]

not sure on the huskys,but most of them have the 3 spade connectors,one high beam,one low beam and one ground

 

[Joe Chod]

on the main bulb, there are 3 spade on the bulb holder yet on the harnes only 2 female thingys........yelow and blue as for the 3 spades on the main bulb holder.....1 ground.........1 hot for high......1 hot for low. forget that lttle bulb and tape the hole to prevent water entering the housing and then as Norm said shuffle the wires with bike runing to find what suits ya....hi or low.......hope this helps

Joe

 

[razornpc]

ok thanks guy

 

[Rusty 2]

Yep,...that did it! Left the blue on blue, pulled the yellow off yellow and tried it on black and white. White is the element that sits deeper back in the bulb and hits the whole reflector,...and black is the one that sticks way out to the front and sits in sort of a silver cup-like deal and shines up on the top of the reflector mainly. Is that the high beam?

I'm gonna rig me a switch like Yanni's. That way I'd have a spare out on the trail without even having to stop and switch wires around.
I'd like to find a 3-position switch so I could just turn it off too during daylight and save bulb life.

Thanks guys!

 

[Ruffus]

I'd like to find a 3-position switch so I could just turn it off too during daylight and save bulb life.
Thanks guys!

Should be able to find the switch you want at Radio Shack, I have one (heavy duty) that I bought at least 10 years ago & used in too many projects to count, gotta say it's rugged . center is off position. I've also gone through dozens of cheap plastic switches, they don't handle abuse or extra amps very well.

 

[Troy F Collins]

Yep,...that did it! Left the blue on blue, pulled the yellow off yellow and tried it on black and white. White is the element that sits deeper back in the bulb and hits the whole reflector,...and black is the one that sticks way out to the front and sits in sort of a silver cup-like deal and shines up on the top of the reflector mainly. Is that the high beam?

I'm gonna rig me a switch like Yanni's. That way I'd have a spare out on the trail without even having to stop and switch wires around.
I'd like to find a 3-position switch so I could just turn it off too during daylight and save bulb life.

Thanks guys!

the white wire is high beam.....the low beam is the black wire...blue is ground

the silver cup thingie is called a "fog cap"...its euro code..and prevents glare on low beam

I am running the low beam on mine....but I'd like to wire in a push button on the right side of the bar for a "flash to pass feature"

remember if you add in a switch it should be 3 pole.....you dont want to light both filiments at the same time...thats if your leaving the high beams on for a period of time

 

[Rusty 2]

Does 3 pole just mean that it has one post for the yellow, one for the black, and one for the white?

If so, are there 3 position 3 pole switches with an "off" position,...so as to save bulb life during daylight on the trail?

 

[HuskyDude]

poles = tabs on switch. single pole switch (this switch is a 3 way meaning it has 3 postions.
Most switches have off in the middle.
Here is a 2 pole / 2 throw
I'm looking for a diagram for ya.

 

[Troy F Collins]

Does 3 pole just mean that it has one post for the yellow, one for the black, and one for the white?

If so, are there 3 position 3 pole switches with an "off" position,...so as to save bulb life during daylight on the trail?

Three position rocker switch..is what your looking for....with three terminals...no lights at center position....high or low beam in the other 2 positions..preferably mounted next to the grip so you can work it with your thumb....


Ive got a spare kill switch that I will put next to the throttle on mine.....so I can flash the high beam.....

 

[Rusty 2]

Okay,...I'll hit a few automotive and electrical supply places tomorrow, see what they've got. What gauge wire is the black and white?