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Hello friends,

I recently had the opportunity to install a Diamond-Star headlight modulator on a GTS 250. The wiring is fairly straightforward, but the tricky part is finding a location for the optic sensor! The optic sensor is required in the States because headlight modulation is illegal after dark, and the sensor allows the modulation to function only in the daylight hours.

I wasn't about to drill a hole in this guy's body panels. I've seen another modulator install that had the sensor in the rubber boot that fastens at the foot of the mirror. I could have done this, but I figured that I'd try to take a slightly more challenging gamble at it.



(The first two photos are large, so I added them as links instead of posting the photos themselves.)

http://www.scooterinvasion.net/pics/vespalightmod/P1010001.JPG

http://www.scooterinvasion.net/pics/vespalightmod/P1010002.JPG

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Mounting the optic sensor there is NOT as easy as you'd think! There's a circuit board and some other goodies that prevent one from just drilling straight through the back of the instrument cluster to feed the sensor through. I didn't have the camera yesterday when I started the project, so unfortunately there's no pics of the beginning... shame though, there's a LOT of fancy dremel work underneath that sensor.

Every wire touched in this project is soldered.

Cheers!

~Josh
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Nice job, but wow, that modulator is pretty intrusive!

The Comagination modulator doesn't require any wires cut and/or soldered. But then, its light sensor doesn't require much drilling, Dremeling or resining either.

PS: I think you qualify for the soonest modulator install of Vespakind, at 3 miles! Now, go and put some digits on that odometer!

PS PS: How did you manage to empty your tank to half with only 3 miles? Didn't they give you a full tank?
⚠️ Last edited by windbreaker on UTC; edited 2 times
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thank you very much..great job
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Moped wrote:
Nice job, but wow, that modulator is pretty intrusive!

The Comagination modulator doesn't require any wires cut and/or soldered. But then, its light sensor doesn't require much drilling, Dremeling or resining either.
The Diamond Star is what I had to work with. I'll look into the Comagination one, perhaps the next one we'll use that! Thanks for the info. For what it's worth the Diamond Star doesn't require soldering. It comes with wire taps and connectors, but I prefer to solder things when working on a scooter or ATV or whatever else. I feel that in most cases, this is best. If the modulator ever fails it won't be as easy to swap out, but there's plenty of wire left if I have to go back in for anything.
Moped wrote:
PS: I think you qualify for the soonest modulator install of Vespakind, at 3 miles! Now, go and put some digits on that odometer!

PS PS: How did you manage to empty your tank to half with only 3 miles? Didn't they give you a full tank?
Unfortunately, it's not my GTS. I'm trying to find a vintage bike myself to restore, but haven't found one that fits my budget yet. I did this for a fellow who was buying it. I'm sure he'll put PLENTY of digits on the odometer. Doesn't everyone who owns one of these fine machines?
ferrarigr wrote:
thank you very much..great job
Glad you like it. Thanks!

~Josh
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I assume this is it? The optic sensor looks like it's half the size.

~Josh
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Areomyst,
Is that how the Comagination comes now for the GTS? Mine had two of the three-wire connectors, one male, one female. Plug it between the scooter's light connector and the headlight socket, and you're done with that part.
Then, find a place to tuck the light sensor, and put it back together to ride more safely.

Nice of you to help a friend make his new GTS more visible!

I once gifted a modulator to a guy here on MV as a reward for a personal achievement, and he still hasn't found the time to plug it together
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07 GTS250(RIP), 13 GTS300, Several Lambrettas
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Several headlight modulators were installed at the MV Eastcoast Maintenance Workshop last weekend in Richmond.

There was a small tab and a gap on the rear (driver) side of the headset between it and the left handgrip. We bent the lead around the tab and peeled back the grip slightly, placing the sensor just flush with the rib of the left hand grip. Looked clean.
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I just added a thread about installing Kisan modulators after having poor luck with Comagination units. Am I the only one for whom the Comagination units failed to work on a GTS? Can someone who has one installed rev their motor up with the scooter on the stand and see if the flash rate remains constant as it should? Mine flashed faster and faster as rpms went up, rendering the modulator useless (other than at idle).
Jeff
The tread I added is here: Another Headlight Modulator Report
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Where is the best location for the sensor on a GT?
The Diamond Star instructtions say pointing downward & at least 18" above the street surface. I did that and the unit thinks its night waaay before dusk - like as early as mid-afternoon in open shade.
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tbates57 wrote:
Where is the best location for the sensor on a GT?
The Diamond Star instructtions say pointing downward & at least 18" above the street surface. I did that and the unit thinks its night waaay before dusk - like as early as mid-afternoon in open shade.
With the Kisan, the sensitivity is infinitely adjustable. Get up early one morning and when it is light enough that you want the blinking to start, you hit a sequence with the high/low beam switch and it is set.
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apex wrote:
Am I the only one for whom the Comagination units failed to work on a GTS? Can someone who has one installed rev their motor up with the scooter on the stand and see if the flash rate remains constant as it should? Mine flashed faster and faster as rpms went up, rendering the modulator useless (other than at idle).
Mine still visibly modulates at indicated 90mph, as the reflectors on the car in front of me showed. He would not for the life of him move aside so I could pass him
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tbates57 wrote:
Where is the best location for the sensor on a GT?
The Diamond Star instructtions say pointing downward & at least 18" above the street surface. I did that and the unit thinks its night waaay before dusk - like as early as mid-afternoon in open shade.
I had the same problem when installing the Diamond Star modulator on another bike. I flipped it around and it worked much better. That's why I decided to put this one where it could "see" the sunlight very easily!

As far as actual mounting positions, that's really up to you. I chose a bit of a complicated place for this particular install. I've seen people put the sensors at the mirror boot, in the handlebar cover etc.

Cheers!

~Josh
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I put mine in the right side mirror boot. A few minutes w/ the soldering iron melted the perfect sized hole.

I'm going to paint the nut black, or remove it altogether.
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