a few ?

[Hamel333]

Hi there my name is Jason. I just moved down to Cochrane last July. I am originally from Stony Plain AB. I am 30 years old and have been riding for 18 years now and I am looking to get to know the area down here. when I saw your club at the bike show i thought this is for me. I am going to come to the swap meet to sing up. i have a few ? after doing some research on line i have noticed that some of your riders have no head lights. I ride a 2011 ktm 350 xcf. Is it mandatory to have a head light? i have done lots of riding in the Hinton and Rocky area and have never been bothered by the conservation officers in fact they have given me a pink sticker so i can ride long weekends without any hassle. I am looking forward to meeting some people to ride with and being a contributing member to your club.

[Dobi]

Welcome Jason,
Yes, the headlight and tailight is mandatory. There are plenty of options available, I have the trailtech light and love its durability. Some of the photos and video on here are from the racing we do where we don't need the lights.

And, as some on here can attest to you can find yourself needing it to get home.....

[Hamel333]

I am going to have issues with that being as my bike is an XC model it does not have the plug and play connectors as most KTM's. I already put a fan on so I don't want to hookup more load to my stator. Does anyone know of any other ways to add lights/a battery source so i can ride with the club. Changing my bike to an EXC model is out of the question. any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Cberg77]

There are new LED lights out that use very little power, and can be hooked up to your stator, I know of some guys using them on there MX bikes and am told they work really well. I don't know the brand or name but I'm sure you can find them with the google.

[Brass]

check out trail tech stators for a little extra juice.

http://www.trailtech.net/ktm_s-8361_kits.html

[Hamel333]

thanks for the replies. does any one use bar mounted lights like you would find on a peddle bike? the fact is i have looked in to these lights and i am not looking for something permanent. i do all of my riding during the day and the odd time i get caught at night i use a head lamp.

[axel99]

I am going to have issues with that being as my bike is an XC model it does not have the plug and play connectors as most KTM's. I already put a fan on so I don't want to hookup more load to my stator. Does anyone know of any other ways to add lights/a battery source so i can ride with the club. Changing my bike to an EXC model is out of the question. any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks

Just run stock headlight, DRC led tail light and a on\off switch. I think It cost me around $175 for all the pieces necessary for lights. I have seen the lights in stock at Cycleworks.

I don't know much about the 350's setup but it must have a voltage regulator\rectifier for the battery\fuel pump. The stock stator output is enough power to run lights and a fan. If you hook up lights to the battery directly put in a 12v 5amp relay to prevent the lights from draining the battery if you leave the handlebar switch on, the idea is you can only power the head light from the battery when the bike is running. Another member on the forum did this, very good idea.

[axel99]

BTW, I have been stopped 3 times in McLean over the last 2 years near the staging areas and they checked for working lights and insurance\registration. Conduct yourself accordingly

[Dobi]

I think the technology in the helmet lights has gotten to the point now where they would meet the criteria (60m projection). I ride my peddle bike to work year round and run a 1800 lumen LED that is brighter than my trailtech headlight by far. It was only $300 and has the benefit of getting used in multiple applications.

[Cberg77]

I think the technology in the helmet lights has gotten to the point now where they would meet the criteria (60m projection). I ride my peddle bike to work year round and run a 1800 lumen LED that is brighter than my trailtech headlight by far. It was only $300 and has the benefit of getting used in multiple applications.

Good call. I just bought a helmet light and a 1800 lumen light to clamp on my bars that has the middle light and 2 small side lights and it is WAY brighter than my headlight on my bike for sure. I paid under $300 including shipping for both lights just before Christmas. Has about a 3 - 4 hour run time.

[Hamel333]

so what I am getting form this is that its ok to use a helmet light? if so i will sing up today. all i have ever used is a bar mounted light and a tail light on my camelpack. I have been stopped many times before and the conservation officers haven't had a problem with it. thanks everyone for all your input.I just want to get things straight before committing to a club because i am looking at a few. I wold really like to join this one but if it means modifying my bike again I am not as keen.

[Cberg77]

The lights I have are made to mount on the handlebars using a rubber strap like a O-ring and you can buy a helmet mount so the headlight can be put on either the helmet or handle bars. I don't know about tail lights.

[cedric]

so what I am getting form this is that its ok to use a helmet light? if so i will sing up today. all i have ever used is a bar mounted light and a tail light on my camelpack. I have been stopped many times before and the conservation officers haven't had a problem with it. thanks everyone for all your input.I just want to get things straight before committing to a club because i am looking at a few. I wold really like to join this one but if it means modifying my bike again I am not as keen.

This club has no requirements for you to set up your bike in any particular way, these are the requirements laid out by the Alberta gov't, although in general, this club supports playing by the rules. I don't think there is any requirement that the headlight be powered by the engine/ignition, just that it be mounted to the bike, light up something 60m away (I really doubt my stock headlight can do that), etc. Bottom line in my experience is that if you have any sort of reasonable lights on your bike, you won't have a problem.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but if you can afford to own and operate a $10k dirt bike, why would spending a few bucks on a headlight be such a big deal?

[timbruce]

I have seen a few guys get away with using the battery powered lights that pedal bikers use on there bikes. It wont get you out of the bush if you end up there after dark, but apparently it gets around the law. <so I am told>

[Dobi]

It wont get you out of the bush if you end up there after dark, but apparently it gets around the law. <so I am told>

I would much rather have a portable light than the one that only works if the bike is running.