I used the OEM blinkers with the edge kit on my 2009. It was fine on the road. As soon as you go off-road expect those expensive lights to break off and take out the edge light brackets as well if you're not lucky.

Rear blinkers on rigid stalks are for road bikes. I now have flush mounts on the rear from baja designs and they are very visible and so far have been untouched in off road incidents.

 

Thanks for the info on the blinkers... as well as your list of mods (skid plate, rad guard and bars) helps me to farkle mine out.

 

You're welcome. I haven't modded the bike for power or "bling". I have modded it for off road ability and durability so far.

The OEM blinkers look nice, blink at the right rate and are sufficiently effective to keep the police off your back since the edge light system is of course technically illegal. I tried to keep them on. I then bought some smaller aftermarket lights and tried to keep them on as well. One of those aftermarket lights is somewhere in the Eastern Washington desert right now. I replaced them with the flush mounts and couldn't be happier.

With the edge light, the stalked blinkers bolt on to this little sheet metal bracket that is required for structural support of the edge light system. When you bend or break the blinkers off by rubbing a tree, swinging your leg over, crashing, or even a collision with a stupid quad rider, the blinker stalk can bend the hell out of the that little sheet metal bracket support. It is the weakest link and with enough bending it will snap off. I want to preserve the edge light system and it becomes apparent very quickly that on the 09+ bikes without a rack that there is no protection for a stalked blinker out back. Up front, the OEM blinkers have not been damaged so they remain.

 

Worked great for me

The big bore is louder so having the MB and the Q4 really help to tone it down a bit and not be so loud.

 

Deej any chance you have a picture of your blinker set up? I'm all about being seen... and of course keeping the blinkers after serious off road.

You wouldn't by chance know who makes those switches where you can have "flashers" for those foggy nights on the road?

 

Here are a couple of pictures showing the difference.

blinkers in hand guards


Stock ones


rear

 

Hey Ricky,
I'm sure a flasher system could be incorporated. Probably take a little effort. I've not seen anyone do it yet...but have thought about it. I'm commuting on mine too, and being seen is a good thing.

I saw an old post of Deej's where he put in a brighter LED lamp in the tail light. It was from Dyna Star or something like that. My local "Happy Trails" shop, which makes lots of parts for the KLR650, has an LED brake light replacement unit. It flashes 3 or 4 times when the brake is pressed, and is quite a bit brighter both tail light and brake light. Direct fit in the '06 & '07 (and your '08?) model tail light. On sale right now. It's not cheap, but a bright flashing tail light really gets the attention of the bugger behind you. The WOW Kit! LED Tail Light - KLR650 (all years) - KLR650 & Adventure Touring Motorcycle Luggage and Aluminum Panniers

 

No I never had a bright LED in the tail light, but I've heard good things.

 

Oops. Sorry Deej. My apologies.
Someone put in a replacement from Dual Star, and my notes had him down as you. This was one of those mods on the 'to do list'. A little searching...it may have been bmwhd https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ight-mod-1734/

 

Thanks Deej for posting up those pics and for the links IDRIDR!

Comparing US freeways to Malaysian freeways a huge difference is probably 85% of traffic in the US (non traffic times) is moving between 60-85 mph or somewhat close to the same speed.
In Malaysia we have lots of Catapillar type rigs and old, old semi's doing 15-20 mph as well as sports cars doing what ever their max is say 120 mph for the cheaper ones. (Saw a lamborgini yesterday). Basically with 3 lanes the left lane (slow lane) is for the 20 mph vehicles, the middle lane for 65 mph vehicles and the right (center lane - think England) for 100 mph. Of course in reality the semi doing 30 mph isn't going to wait to pass the semi doing 20 mph and will immiediately pull into the middle lane and things get crazy from there.
I know I want to be as bright as possible in those situations. More hp is safer too. We have tons of nice 10 wheel buses that hum along at about 75 mph and don't appreciate being slowed down. My stock 250 can only barely touch 72 mph (real speed); I'm hoping with the 351 I'll easily be able to out run the big bus category!

For what it's worth I do think I have the absolute best on/off road head light available but the mounting isn't so pretty right now. I'll do a write up when I get a good mounting system worked out and also I'm looking for someone with a better camera here that can take some good night time comparison shots. (I just have a cheap auto digi camera which minimizes the colosal difference.)
Basically its a 50 watt, Phillops HID with 50 watt ballast in an infinity FX Bi-Xenon projector beam with cut off.
The projector mounts in the stock housing though it is not deep enough and so I had to remove the glass lens. I need the stock housing though for the adjustability. (Plus it holds my meter on!)