VTR250 - Taillight, Indicators and Flat Bars

[KillSwitch]

Hi guys,

Started a little project to get my housemates VTR250 looking a little bit more "sporty"

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So after look seeing what rudleo did to his VTR we decided to take the same path. Starting with LED Indicators, Tail light and Flat Bars. Soon to add dual headlight and FE.

List of parts:
1x Flat Bars 7/8 - Ebay - $60
4x LED Indicators - Ebay - $25
1x Flasher Relay - SuperCheapAuto - $20 on Special
2x Bar End Mirrors - Ebay - $21
1x LED Tail light - Ebay $21
1x Used 5L Oil container
Insulation Tape
Total: $147

Tools:

• Philips Screw Driver
• Tiny Flat Blade Screw Driver
• Size 6, 8, 10, 12 Spanner
• Allen key Set (Size 5mm I think)
• Scissors
• Multimeter or Test Light

Handle Bars

1. Remove all the controls from the bar. There are screws under the switch blocks and 8mm bolts holding the leavers on.
2. The Accelerator and Choke have Cables that need to be removed. From the left hand side of the bike remove the 2 screws holding the cable bracket onto the carby. This will create some slack and allow you to remove the cables. For the Choke pull it on then push it back and the cable will become lose without the switch block around it.
3. Remove the left hand grip by soaking it in some hot water
4. Slide off the Choke ring.
5. Pop out the 4 chrome covers on top of the yoke and remove the Allen key bolts
6. Flip the old bars upside down and you will see 2 holes, measure the distance inwards from the ring around the edge of the factory bars to the hole.
7. Do the same measurements (add 3mm to be safe) on the new flat bars and drill the holes in the new flat bars.
8. Put your new Flat Bars on and put the bolts back in with some Lock tight and tighten well in the correct riding position. Pop the Chrome covers back on.
9. Reassemble all the switches, cables and levers.
10. Put on the bar end mirrors and adjust to the correct spot.

Lock to Lock there will be about 2mm between the switch blocks and the tank. Its very close but you don't touch while riding.

It makes a huge visual difference and is a little more fun to ride.

Taillight and Indicators

1. Front Indicators: Take out the headlight with the screw on top, behind is the wiring for the indicators. Under the indicators there are screws and then they slide off. Grind off the bracket and then mount the new LED indicators in plug them in. Then put the headlight back in.
2. Rear Indicators: Take off the seat and unplug the rear indicators. Again the screw is under the indicators and then remove them. Screw on the new indicators and feed wire up and back into the rear tray. Hook them up. The is a Green is the ground.
3. Tail light: With the seat removed, undo the 2x 12mm bolts and unplug the light. You are now left with a ugly hole behind the light.
4. Get and old Oil container, cut out the black plastic and shape it to fit inside the recess. With some time it can be made perfect. Cut the holes in it for the new light and hold it in with the light by bolting it in.
5. Wiring in the new light by cutting off the original plug off the factory light and then wiring it to the new light. Plug it in and we are all done.

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Pictures to come.

KS

[KillSwitch]

Saved for pictures.

[Insert_Key]

Any more on this mate? I've just bought a second hand, stocker VTR and plan to do exactly what you've done... apart from I also want to throw on a muffler and some bar-end mirrors. Any instructions on wiring up the relay - or pics of the finished product?

Cheers

[The Jeffster]

Small things in this bike make a HUGE difference, I did a tail tidy, indicators and exhaust wrap and handle bars and for the time and money I really don't know why everyone doesn't do it

[KillSwitch]

I will try and get some pics up of the finished product ASAP. The bike does run Bar end mirrors too.

Exhaust tape is also on the cards.

Jeffster you should change your front indicators too.

[Insert_Key]

Yeah, after seeing these mods done the first time, it's a must! Maybe more people don't do it because they simply don't think about changing the factory stuff and are unaware of the potential within. The rear end especially, but I agree with KillSwitch - you should do the front indicators as well Jeffster! Congrats on doing this write up KillSwitch, it's seems a popular path for new owners to go and it'll probably be viewed by a lot of people.

I've ordered my bar and mirrors and am in the process of choosing indicators. Think that I'm going to go for slightly different ones front and rear - probably slightly smaller (or at least shorter legs) on the front.

Now for questions - what's the deal with the exhaust wrap, chasing a little extra power? Is it meant to be a good mod for VTRs? I put some on a car that I had when I was younger but wasn't sure what gains what be made on a pretty lowly stressed 250. I'd at least spray it with some high temp. exhaust paint to blend with the colour scheme a bit; hidden under a bonnet is one thing but on a naked bike, hanging out for all to see...

I had a bit of a dig around regarding the relay. I had thought that you were adding a relay into the wiring but now understand that you are swapping out the stock flasher unit for one that will run the LEDs at the correct rate. Do you reckon that this one from eBay will do the job? There are no (critical) dimensions but for the price difference with local retailers I think that I might as well try it.

Does anyone know the legal requirements for retroreflective tape/stickers/badging on the rear of the bike? There's a large and gumby red reflector on the stock rear fender that will disappear when the fender is removed... is this reflector required to meet ADRs? I can adapt something else more stylish I am sure, but I am wondering if I need to bother - if the cops don't care, then neither do I.

Last question: when you remove the blanking caps from the handlebar headset, does it damage them through scratching or cracking? I was planning on just fishing down the side with a fine Jeweller's screwdriver, but maybe there is almost certainly more professional way; it just probably involves a tool that I don't own. If the do get shafted, my plan is simply to replace the bolts with hex socket head cap bolts as everyobody knows that they are stylish as all hell anyways

[The Jeffster]

Jeffster you should change your front indicators too.

Ha you noticed

It's on the list, I am thinking about doing dual projector headlights and might do it then.

[The Jeffster]

Now for questions - what's the deal with the exhaust wrap, chasing a little extra power? Is it meant to be a good mod for VTRs? I put some on a car that I had when I was younger but wasn't sure what gains what be made on a pretty lowly stressed 250. I'd at least spray it with some high temp. exhaust paint to blend with the colour scheme a bit; hidden under a bonnet is one thing but on a naked bike, hanging out for all to see...

I did the wrap mainly for cosmetic reasons and was happy for all the world to see the naked tape. I know on some bikes they color them black some times just with oil/tar like material. It's a common look on cafe racers and that's why I went for it, there might be some power increase but more than likely it's negligible.

[eNaK]

Hey guys,

Ok well im KillSwitch's house mate, we tried installing the new flasher relay today and no go! just wondering i could get some help as to what is wrong here is the run down.
Atm the bike has the stock flasher and the stock front indicators but has the new rear LED indicators and it works. The only thing is when indicating left its quicker then indicating right. So i tried putting the front LED indicators on with the stock flasher and none of the indicators worked at all. So we tried putting the new LED flasher relay in today and now all of the indicators flash together like having ur hazards lights on! Why is it doing with? And does anyone know what has to be done to make this work? Do i need a different flasher relay? Any help would be great

thanks

kane

[milesiles]

Short answer, depends how your relay is wired internally, is the pic on top (simple wiring diagram) the same? Or are the outputs different? (Input will almost always be the same). Without seeing your set up this would be the first thing I would check.

If you are only running LED's on the rear you can run seperate resistors in parallel with the LED's tho these have an operating temp of up to 170 deg so need to be mounted appropriately.

I have a few m of black heatshrink left over (I got charged for one length but recieved a whole packet x10) if you wanna keep it tidy. Free.

[DAS]

Hey Jeffster...where did you get the tail tidy from?
I have a vtr aswell and have always wanted to simplify it.

[rassa]

Hey Jeffster...where did you get the tail tidy from?
I have a vtr aswell and have always wanted to simplify it.

DAS - Aisle 3 in bunnings sells hacksaws.....hack!!!

[KillSwitch]

It's a 3 pin flasher unit which is what has me confused a little, I think it has 1x 12v pos, 1x earth and then one to the switch if if I understand it right? It's got me confused because I can't find a good wiring diagram for the bike, only very bad quality ones.

[firewrench]

Does the bike have a 3 pin socket for the flasher?

[KillSwitch]

Does the bike have a 3 pin socket for the flasher?

Yep 3 pin

[firewrench]

Download Search | Free Motorcycle Manual
Here's a manual I found, large file will take my comp hours to download, should have what you're looking for, maybe.
I use Triton Electronic Flashers. They work very well and are fairly inexpensive. I don't know if they are available down under.
Any chance you crossed a wire or two when installing the lights?

[The Jeffster]

Hey Jeffster...where did you get the tail tidy from?
I have a vtr aswell and have always wanted to simplify it.

Hi Das,

Sorry for the late reply, I got a tail tidy assembly off ebay, bought some after market indicators then used the brass brackets in the OEM indicators to mount the ebay item to the frame.

When I get a chance at lunch I'll takes some pics with the sear off.

Sorry I can't be more prescriptive

[milesiles]

Did u get the wiring sorted?

[KillSwitch]

Nope havent had another crack at it yet.