New To Site!

[LonnieD]

Hi all. I'm pretty new to this site and Voyager Z1300's in general. I'm currently in the process of attaching a Voyager Trike kit up to mine due to my disabilities. I need the leg support and it looks great :).
I have a few dumb questions. Has any one modified the stock mufflers to improve the sound? I would like the sounds to be louder, I bet the 6's will sing .. also if I get around to hook-up tail lights and brake lights can I just pigtail into the stock wires like you would for a car and trailier hook-up?

[Me Again]

I do not beleive that you would want to modify the stock mufflers. The quieter the better.
You can put many Harley mufflers on as the Voyager muffler is a 1 3/4 " inlet ,the same as many harley mufflers and there are no angles to deal with.
I did buy a set of JCWhitney mufflers without any fiberglass and they were so loud I threw them away.If you do switch mufflers make sure they are fiberglass packed .
We love pictures on this site and would love to see your ZN1300 Voyager.

[LonnieD]

Thanks! I do like loud just because the other guys are :) (63 but young at heart) this coming week-end I'll be converting my 2 wheeler into a trike so maybe I can do some beofre and a fter pics.

[LonnieD]

So can we just find/locate the wires on the rear and tag on to them for extra lights (stop/running)...or do we need to boost them some how?

[debron]

This all depends....on what other extra electrical loads may have been added to the bike. The issue is the alternator output. The stock alternator and electrical system are designed to run the stock electrical load plus a few extra goodies like running lights or trailer lights, but not too much else.

If the new lights are LED's, then no problem because they draw about 1/4 amp each (or less.) If you have no other electrical gadgets other than stock, and you are not pulling a trailer (with its attendant lights) you should be fine adding standard incandescent running/turn/brake lights (about 1 amp draw, each) to you trike kit and pig-tailing off existing wiring.

Keep in mind I'm speaking from the 1200 barn and may be out of line. The 1200 alternator puts out about 35 amps and a number of people have upgraded their alternator to 55 amps. I'm assuming the 1300 alternator is the same but I may be wrong. If I am, someone from the 1300 world will jump in and correct me!

You will find out if you have too many electrical gadgets running one day out in the middle of no-where when all of a sudden you have a dead battery! Also keep in mind that the Voyager radios/clocks are always drawing power so if you let your bike sit a week or two or more at a time you will want to keep it plugged in to a battery tender. That's a good idea anyway as it will give your battery longer life.

[addonii]

Just a little more information so you can decide how far and how many lights to add.


According to Kawasaki's shop manual for the ZN1300 - the output from the Alternators on the bike is 45.5 Amps at 8,000 rpm's.

You have 2 alternators and 2 regulators on the ZN1300 that combine to give you that output.

So if everything (both alternators and regulators) are working properly you have at most 45.5 amps.

Consider this also - when do you think your going to ride the bike at 8,000 rpm?

Most of the time I never go beyond 5,500 rpm so your actual output will probably be less than 45.5 Amps.

As far as finding the wiring to tap into - that should be fairly easy as, if you remove the saddle bags you will spot the wiring going to the right and left rear turn signal stop lights and of course the tail light wiring in the center.

[LonnieD]

Thanks Ron in Ore...naw half my stock electric don't work anyway and I haven't hooked anything else up...I do plan on running with a tender hooked-up as mush as I can anyway. but your advise is just what I was looking for thanks...yeah LED's seem like the way to go thanks for the input. Got my trike kit in and hooking that up soon...will want to run a few extra lights just so I light up the rear end :) Looks like we might be somewhat close neighbors (soon as I find where your town is

[LonnieD]

thanks addonii, makes sense to me.. so far of the short trips I've taken and I haven't even burned a tank of gas yet :) it's a combination of "new" bike and being off one for 30 years and I wanting to feel comfortable with my legs to feel good on it (military disabilities) reason why I'm adding trike kit (helps the wife feel more comfortable with me riding that way)

[debron]

Thanks Ron in Ore...Looks like we might be somewhat close neighbors (soon as I find where your town is

I'm 25 miles east of Salem, which is 45 miles south of Portland.

[LonnieD]

I see your town on google maps! cool we love to hang-out at Spirit Mt Casino and take the slow drive down from Portland so we can stop at some wineries and the wine tasting rooms on the main highway between Salem and The casino...(name escapes me) but two of them (tasting rooms) are right in the middle of know where. Actually kind of close to prison. Nice drive..