So, I'm tired of replacing my 6volt battery every year and I'd like to finally convert this thing over to 12volt lights. I've researched this in the past but never followed through with it. I have a US model Rally 180 with battery. I want to keep the points ignition, just want to switch the 6volt coils out for 12volt ones. Please guide me in the correct direction on how to do this and a good source for 12volt coils (ebay?). I heard in the past I could get a bajaj stator and steal the coils from that, not sure if this is still a viable option these days... Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks!

-mothy

you can get part number LCB1 from scooterworks for $25 and swap them onto your stator plate. you will also pretty much need to rewire your original harness beyond recognition, or buy a new harness.

that being said, i wouldn't count on running 12v lights- they'd be marginal at idle. your better bet would be to run a regulated 6v AC setup.

best bet is to buy the LCB1 coil pair, and the EIKHK 6V LF kit.
If you are running the original dual-filament bulb taillight, that will need to be changed as well.

Thanks for the quick reply Rob. I was hoping there would be an easier way without modifying my wiring harness. What other options are out there if I also switched to electronic ignition? My ultimate goal is to have BRIGHT 12v lights without straying too far from the stock setup of the Rally180.

so, you don't want to change the stock setup, just everything about it?

6V can be as bright as 12v. voltage has next to nothing to do with brightness.

if you want copious amounts of power, to run things like a 65w headlight, you're talking crank swap time.
you'd need to swap in a modified p200 crankshaft, stator, and flywheel.

and if you go that way, you'd use the same EIK harness kit, just with a 12v voltage regulator.
so, going to the 6VAC setup with that harness actually provides a pretty good upgrade path.

I've got a lathe in my shop and could do the modifications for you, if you wanted.

there are other ways to go, particularly if you go all-battery. if you want i can go into those options.

I've been through a battery every year since I got the bike back in 2003. And even with the battery at full charge I can't see beyond 5 feet in front of me at night. I'm considering getting accessory floodlights and a secondary 12v battery and hiding it in my glovebox. Also, would I benefit from getting this battery? http://www.scooterworks.com/Original-Bl ... 6C446.aspx

-mothy

no. that's just a restoration-grade replica of an SS180/GS160 battery.
it's the same battery in a vintage looking case

first off- what shape is the headlight assembly in? having a bad reflector makes a major difference.
second, have you aimed your headlight properly?
third, are you using the stock bulb, or trying to run something else, like one of those halogen bulbs?

Reflector is in good shape, using stock bulb. I did swap the original headlight with one of the reflectors that you can change the bulbs out and not the entire reflector housing. I have done one thing to the bike that is making me wonder if its had an effect on the battery. I swapped the USA style round taillight with the dual filament bulb with a euro style rally tail light with 2 little bulbs. I also have the front brake light switch disabled, I have the two wires that goto the switch taped off so that they aren't shorting out on to anything. I'm considering going back to the round USA taillight because the repro euro light is starting to look ugly after 10 years of weather.

witch era and market rally 180 is this- does the headlight work when the bike is not running?

Its a 1971 rally 180 US market. Has the smaller headset, no ignition key on the headset.
The headlight does turn on if the engine isn't running and the battery has a goot charge. Otherwise the battery usually only puts out enough juice for the rear light and brake light...hmmmm
I might have just answered my own question.

Pic : http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8155/7606 ... 4a61_c.jpg

have you had the flywheel remagnetized?

Sorry to thread-jack, but who is the best for remagnetizing flywheels? ScooterWest? I have a '57 widebody allstate flywheel that needs to get done.

Hey Rob,
Are there stock vintage Vespas that have headlights that work when the bike is not running? I was under the impression that they only are supposed to be on when the bike is running ( Ie. not running off the battery) . It would explain eating batteries on a yearly basis when they are supposed to last 2-3 years.

Thanks for the continued education.

for re-mag, i know first kick, SF scooter centre and scooterworks have machines, and that sportique has an incomplete one tha tthey may have working by now.

i've personally remagged flywheels on the SF machine and the scooterworks one.

go wherever closer, but I'd recommend SF scooter centre, since barry's a good friend of mine.


as for the headlight of the battery, yes. believe it or not there are a few early 1970's US market systems that are like that.
the one he has is a system tha ti've never been able to get a wiring diagram for; it just doesn't exist.

and before you show one to me, you're wrong- the one commonly passed off as US market no turn signal battery rally is actually a different, german market diagram.

I have a '74 rally 200 with the headlight that runs off the battery. I usually have to replace it every 5 years or so. I have a few things that I always do that I think help.
1. I never run with my lights on during the day, I like to give the battery a good charge when I can.
2. I always turn the lights off before I shut the engine off to try and get that last bit of charge.
3. I never turn the lights on until after the engine is running.

Whenever I start to have problems I check all the connections, I always find something loose or corroded.

Good luck

I've never had the flywheel re magnetized. Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a new or used flywheel that has been re magnetized? Is there a way to test to see if I need to re magnetize?

well.. rally flywheels don't exactly grow on trees, and a remag only costs like $20.

Prior to just sending your flywheel off you may want to test the AC output from your stator plate with the harness disconnected to see how much power you get.

The green is a grounded coil. So you simply rev the engine and see what voltage you get when the voltmeter is connected to the green wire and grounded on the other leg.

If your headlight is running from an "open" ground like the yellow and blue wires as shown on this diagram;
http://www.scooterhelp.com/electrics/wiring/VSD1.pdf
Then you will need to ground one side of the coil and then put the test lead to the voltmeter on the other wire coming out of the coil.


When testing; Rev the motor at contant RPM's and test at low and high speeds to see the variation. If you get less than 6 volts then you may need a flywheel remag.


If you get a solid 6 volts but not higher than 12 volts then you may be stuck with a 6 volt system. There are good 6 volt clipper regulators for about $30 that you may want to use to just convert to a batteryless system and keep from blowing bulbs. There are also aftermarket regulators with integral rectifiers that can make solid 6 volts DC for charging a battery or running the scoot on the DC harness without a battery (the turn signals and/or horn/lights just would not work well unless the engine is reving).

If you get higher than 12 volts then you may want to think about getting an aftermarket 12 volt regulator and/or rectifier and swithcing the bulbs and everything over to 12 volt. But I warn you that the horn is hard to get in 12 volt style. For the horn there may be a way to reduce the voltage with a resistor or something, but the AC/DC change for the horn can be a problem. If you have higher than 12 volts then I'd still highly get a robust aftermarket 6 volt clipper/regulator and then have a very solid 6 volts ac and/or DC at most all rev ranges.

Good luck

Also FYI I have a 74 Rally with original harness and components. I did have to replace my regulator/rectifier with a 6 volt one that s made for I beleive a GY6 type scooter with 6 volt system, it cost about $30. Once I did this my battery charged fine (i have very solid 6 to 8 volts DC). I have replaced the battery when I got the scooter about 5 years ago and it still seems fine. And yes my headlight runs off the battery and stays lit when the engine is not running. I kept mine stock with the battery and 6 volt DC because I wanted to keep the horn and turn signals, my stator was putting out between 8 volts and 17 volts when it was not regulated. I also like the look of the stock fuse box and stock size battery/strap.

In addition to this please be aware that the stock regulators/rectifiers (if you have them) will only regulate the votlage for stock RPM ranges. If you change the exhaust or top end or rev the scooter higher than reasonable levels then you risk producing excessive voltage that the stock components can not handle and the result will be fried batteries, lights, and horns. If you install aftermarket universal and more robust regulators then they can handle the higher voltages that are created at high revs and the rest of your system can remain as stock.

good luck

It was a bone stock Rally 180 when Chelsea and I sold it to him in 2003.