Led Lights

Little clarity:



There are 3 possible systems on TW's. However only ONE year (1987) has the seperate lighting coil. Qwerty is correct that if you even THINK of installing a bigger headlight on this arrangement it will fry. But this does NOT apply to '88-2000 bikes.



The factory manual is misleading, and freely transposes info from the '87-only bikes with that of the 88-00 bikes, and vice-versa.



'88-2000 Tw's differ from '01-to-present only in alternator output. They have fully rectified and regulated lighting systems, (not seperate lighting coils), but have less output than '01-up units. They have a single-phase charging system and a 10 amp main fuse. The reason they have a 10 amp fuse is twofold. No individual wire can withstand more than 10 amps, nor can the total load of the entire system. You can reduce loads to accomodate increases in other loads just like the later system, but only if the total output of the system is considered in the equation, not to excede 10 amps, minus a buffer.



'01-up units have a three-phase alternator, higher output and a 20 amp main fuse. A more powerful system overall, particularly at low rpm, with one caveat: They have the same wire sizes as any other TW, yet the system is fused to match the total load. No individual wire can handle any more current than an early model, so be careful when dogpiling onto the headlight or any other circuit with additional loads. Use a relay and increase the wire sizes according to the load.

I'd hate to be the poor slob who ends up with mine after I hit room temp. I combined the best of the old and new TW's along with so many non-Yamaha parts and better parts from other bikes that he'll spend the rest of his life arguing with counter guys if it ever needs anything.



As to the Silverstars and their ilk on '88-2000 bikes: I bought a bike awhile back. The owner didn't ride it often, and when he did it was only on local errands. He bragged that it had a Silverstar on its list of add-ons, then said it ate batteries and sometimes wouldn't start on the button the day after using it. I bought it for a song because he was tired of dealing with it, and according to him it needed a new battery. Again.



I brought it home, pulled the Silverstar and replaced it with a 35/35. Kicked it over on the existing battery and it's been running like a champ ever since.



Why? Because at nearly double the amp draw the Silverstar was preventing the charging system from keeping the battery topped off in the course of his low speed errands.



YMMV, but I doubt it.

That would be walkin' backwards. I'd buy a wrecked '01+ this winter. Put the charging system, and MAYBE the front disc on the '98, keep my kick starter and ride the better bike. Keep the new junker for parts.



But dat's just me. Or swipe the kicker off your old one and see if you can pawn the kickerless older bike off on someone.