Honda CRF250L

CRF250L Tail Light / Turn Signal Lighting Guide

One of the most popular mods for the Honda CRF250L is to replace the rear tail light assembly and the front/rear turn signals/flashers. Here is a Tail Light and Turn Signal Lighting Guide for the CRF250L that will help explain some of the options.

CRF250L DRC Edge2 Tail Light Kit

This past week I finally got a chance to install the new DRC Edge2 Tail Light kit on our CRF250L Project bike. This kit bolts right to the sub-frame of the Honda CRF250L and includes an LED tail light that comes on as a running light, then gets brighter when brakes are applied. License plate illumination is provided by 3 white LED's on the bottom of tail light. The kit allows you to re-use your stock rear turn signals/flashers, which can be bolted right to the bracket, or you can use aftermarket LED turn signals/flashers. We decided to go with LED's and went with the DRC Type 602's.

Before (stock tail light and turn signals)

After (DRC Edge2 Tail Light Kit w/ DRC Type 602 Flashers)

Installation:
The kit comes with instructions and is relatively straightforward to install. When we first hooked the kit up, we got the tail light and brake light to work, but could not get the DRC Type 602 LED Flashers to work. This was sort of a surprise, because several weeks ago we installed Zeta XC Flasher protectors up front and had no problems getting those LED flashers to work. After a few days of working with Brooks from 12oClockLabs, we figured out the problem. Brook's theory is that the CRF250L's factory turn signal flasher module is not designed to work well with LED flashers, and having LED flashers both front and rear causes issues. The fix? We hooked up the 12oClockLabs Fixed Rate Turn signal flasher module, and now our LED flashers work front and rear. As a bonus, this will also make the LED flashers flash at a slower rate like the stock flashers do.

This is how we wired the tail light and flashers (click photo to enlarge). The plug you see on the end is what we cut off the factory tail light/turn signal assembly. We spliced the wires from that together with the DRC Edge 2 Tail Light and DRC Flasher wires as shown...

More Photos:
• CRF250L DRC Edge2 Tail Light with DRC Type 602 Flashers
• CRF250L DRC Edge2 Tail Light from below

Where To Buy:
• CRF250L DRC Edge2 Tail Light Kit at SRmoto's Store
• DRC Type 601 Flashers at SRmoto's Store
• DRC Type 602 Flashers at SRmoto's Store
• 12oClockLabs Fixed Rate Turn Signal Flasher at SRmoto's Store
• CRF250L Lighting Package Deal at SRmoto's Store

CRF250L 12oClockLabs Fixed Rate Turn Signal Flasher

The CRF250L's OEM factory turn signal flasher module is not designed to work well with LED flashers/turn signals, and while hooking up the new Edge2 Tail Light kit with DRC Type 602 Flashers to our CRF250L Project Bike, we ran into problems and could not get the LED flashers to work. The fix? 12oClockLabs Fixed Rate Turn Signal Flasher module will allow LED flashers/turn signals to work on your CRF250L, as well as make them flash at the same slow flash rate that the OEM flashers flashed at.

Installation:
Installation is very simple. Remove the right tank shroud and look under the coolant overflow tank. You will see the OEM Flasher Module (Square shaped module made of black plastic). You simply un-plug it, and replace it with the 12oClockLabs module (shown in photo above), which plugs right into the same location. Once plugged in, we used a zip tie to secure it to the OEM mounting point.

Where To Buy:
• 12oClockLabs Fixed Rate Turn Signal Flasher at SRmoto's Store
• CRF250L Lighting Package Deal at SRmoto's Store

CRF250L Turn Signal / Flasher Comparison

Click photo above to see a size comparison between the stock OEM CRF250L Flashers/Turn Signals, and the DRC Type 601 and 602 LED turn signals/flashers.

Where To Buy:
• DRC Type 601 Flashers at SRmoto
• DRC Type 602 Flashers at SRmoto
• DRC Front Turn Signal Mounting Brackets at SRmoto
• CRF250L Lighting Package Deal at SRmoto

Zeta Armor Handguards for the CRF250L

We recently installed Zeta Armor Hand Guards with Zeta XC Flasher Protectors on our Honda CRF250L. Click video above for a brief overview. Instructions are included with the handguards, but here are the basic steps for the installation...

• Remove factory headlight and un-bolt the factory turn signals

• Wiring... we cut the wires coming out of the stock turn signals to retain the OEM connectors on them. We spliced them together with the wires for the Zeta Handguard Flashers, then plugged it all into the harness on the bike.

The instructions didn't get into detail about matching the wires up, so we had to figure that out ourselves... here's how it went...

RIGHT SIDE:
Factory Green Wire (Ground) goes to the Black Zeta handguard wire
Blue Solid Wire (Turn Signal) goes to the Red Zeta handguard wire
Blue Striped Wire (Running Light) not used

LEFT SIDE:
Factory Green Wire (Ground) goes to the Black Zeta handguard wire
Orange Solid Wire (Turn Signal) goes to the Red Zeta handguard wire
Orange Striped Wire (Running Light) not used

• Once wiring is done, test to make sure the flashers work

• Install aluminum Zeta Armor Handguard on handlebars (instructions included with the handguards). We drilled a hole through the left hand grip to get the insert into the handlebar end, and on the throttle side we trimmed off the end of the grip and end of the throttle tube. Be sure the edge of your throttle tube does not contact the handguard insert.

• Bolt up the XC Flasher protectors to the Armor Handguards, secure wiring where necessary with zip ties, and make necessary adjustments

• Put headlight back on

• Go ride!

Where To Buy:
• Zeta Armor Flasher Handguards at SRmoto

CRF250L DRC Edge Tail Light Video Review

Where To Buy:
• CRF250L DRC Integrated Tail Light at SRmoto's On-Line Store

CRF250L DRC Edge Integrated Tail Light Review

Like many CRF250L owners, I decided the stock rear tail light and turn signal assembly (shown in pic below) had to go. The thing is massive in size, and frankly, it's ugly. Today I spent some time installing the DRC Edge Integrated Tail Light Kit. This product is a collaborative effort between WCS, 12oClockLabs and DRC Products and includes a 12ocklock Labs tail light controller, a DRC Edge (sometimes called Edge2) tail light, and a custom made bracket for the CRF250L. The whole setup bolts directly to the bikes subframe and no drilling is required. It's an integrated tail light w/flashers, so there no need for seperate rear blinkers/flashers. How does that work you say? when you turn on your turn signals, the tail light itself flashes on that side to let others know you are turning.

Before (stock tail light and turn signals)

After (DRC Edge Integrated Tail Light Kit)

The before and after photos shown above give you an idea of the huge improvement this mod makes. Notice how nice and compact the final product is compared to the enormous stock rear tail light and turn signals. And even though the DRC kit is smaller than the factory pieces, I think it is just as visible (maybe even moreso) from behind, since the LED's are so bright compared to the stock light. Also, when you hit your brakes, the tail light will automatically pulse a few times to warn drivers behind you.

This is the huge factory piece that is removed from the bike...

Installation:
The kit comes with instructions, and installation is relatively straightforward. This is how we wired it (click photo to enlarge). The plug you see on the end is what we cut off the factory tail light/turn signal assembly.  We then spliced that together with the wires coming out of the tail light/12oClockLabs Edge2 Processor board as shown...

More Photos:
• Tail Light On (running light)
• Brake Light On

Where To Buy:
• CRF250L DRC Edge Tail Light at SRmoto's On-Line Store

Zeta Armor Hand Guards for the CRF250L

 
Another popular upgrade for the CRF250L is a set of hand guards to protect your hands, levers, and so on. Zeta offers their popular Armor Hand Guards, along with their plastic XC protectors which bolt directly to the aluminum hand guards. You can also get the XC Protectors with built in flashers/turn signals (as shown in photos above).

For More Info:
• CRF250L Zeta Armor Hand Guard Package at SRmoto's On-Line Store