The stock cluster is not complete at all. Inaccurate and a non adjustable tripmeter. Functional for a street queen if you don't mine the inaccuracy.

I have raced in enduros for the last decade or so and in those events you need to be able to adjust your tripmeter up and down to match the course and also for "resets" where you need to add a mile or two as a way to give the rider a rest. Can't do that with the OEM cluster. This is the main reason for the vapor.

The next benefit is accurate road speed and odometer so that I don't get tickets when riding through speed traps and so that I know when my fuel tank is about to run dry. There are ways to make the OEM speedo more accurate but they are not cheap and usually do not fix the speedo and the odometer.

With the vapor you get some extra features like water temp and data logging. Might be nice. Smaller and lighter than the OEM, might be nice.

Cost. The vapor is a huge bargain. The OEM cluster will still be usable since I will preserve the OEM cluster plug just in case I want to go back to stock.

I don't think bike computers are backlit for night work and they certainly aren't large enough to use the buttons with gloved hands. Fragile, cheap, not dependable.

By the time I start a race I have paid 50$ for entry, 50$ in fuel, spent time to get there, and I really like the event. I do not want some hokey pokey bike computer konking out on me and ruining the race. The vapor is so cheap that it is a no-brainer.

 

The current instructions tell you to use a minimum 0.5 amp fuse and use power right from the battery. Without a fuse, if that wire rubs through the insulation it could short out and glow red hot before burning up itself or starting a fire. I plan to use a fuse.

I ordered the 300 model. Supposed to fit the klx250 of my year. The various model numbers may not be that important since it seems that only accessories change. Either way, I ordered direct from TT and got free two day shipping.

 

Perfect, thanks for the fuse report. I worried about wire rub and loomed and protected as much as I could. Fuse will now go in!

 

Holy smokes, the dang thing arrived at my doorstep within 24 hours of placing my order online at Trailtech. Sheesh, that's fast. It helps that they are based in southwest WA and I live near Tacoma but at this time of year, I'm impressed.

I need to wait for santa though.

 

I've been slow on this since it is winter and I've been building a barn. So now I'm getting ready for riding season and putting in the vapor.

Turns out that the sticky link for the service manual shows about all you can get from the OEM wiring on page 16-66. It shows the plug to the factory cluster and which pins go to what function.

Here's my first problem. The signals are left blinker, right blinker, overtemp, neutral, and highbeam. I only have four idiot light spots on the vapor dash. I could try and find a diode and join the blinker indicators or I could eliminate the overtemp. What would you do? I'm not planning on installing the temp sensor at this time. Never had an overtemp condition so I'm leaning towards eliminating that but I don't know.

I am not quite sure how to splice into the OEM wires but will probably not solder. There is plenty of room for a good old fashioned crimp butt connector and then I will fill with liquid electrical tape.

Lots of room and plenty of options to mount the vapor unit where the OEM monster was. I will need to make a little bracket but only basic fab skills are needed.

 

Was the one you got the most plug and play as you originally wanted? If possible, can you do a write up with pics for others. I can see doing this at some point in the future.

 

Does your '09 stock dash have left and right blinker indicators? I think my 06 only had one lamp for blinkers, so that was the lamp moved to the vapor dash. I have neutral, high beam, blinker, and high temp lamps in my vapor dash.

 

The stock dash has a combined L/R blinker but the feed to the cluster is left and right so the internal circuit board must have a pair of diodes. The problem I'm worried about is that once I combine those two feeds, the left blinker eed will backfeed and all blinkers will blink at once. I suppose I could try it. Do you think it will blow a fuse somewhere if I illuminate all 4 blinkers?

The other concern is that the neutral light and overtemp light are switched negatives. So I would feed those dash lights with power all the time and then the actual sensor would ground the circuit and illuminate the bulb. The highbeam and blinkers are powered when on so the bulb power only comes on with the function.

Finally, the manual calls out for a 0.5 amp fues on the power. Well, that's a small fuse. Do you think it would be a problem to use the smallest normal 5 amp fuse just for protection of the conductor?

I haven't even begun to deal with the speed sensor situation yet. Ugh. This thing is absolutely not plug and play. It is not bolt on either, but I am taking photos and my efforts with the mounting system should be very helpful for future members. That part turned out real slick and cheap.

 

I doubt it will blow a fuse, but if it does, no biggie. I'd try it.

My vapor was installed before they called for a fused circuit. I need to put a fuse in. I'd go with the 0.5A fuse as called for.

Agree it's not just plug and play. My fork protectors, stock, are breaking up so I need to pull those and install new ones, messing around with the speed sensor again.

 

I am also fitting a Vapor on my 07, and I can't figure out a way to attach the speed sensor to the bottom of the fork such that it will clear the fork protector guide upon compression.

There ought to be a way, advice would be appreciated.