Seconday light switch on bars?

[Trigger1985]

So I just made one of those inexpensive light bars out of Angle Aluminum and Wal-Mart driving lights (awesome idea btw) and the only way I've managed to wire it so the switch is ziptied it to the frame between the seat and the tool box cover. It works, but now I've got extra wire under the seat zip ties and a switch that looks slapped on. And to turn the lights on or off I have to move my hand far away from the controls, not my idea of a good time if I suddenly need my horn or clutch.

So I'm sitting at work (I'm a security guard, its what I do most of my day) and I have come to think the best solution would be mount it on the handlebars, near the speedo, to keep it off the angles and away from the wires and cables on the other controls. At the moment I'm using the rectangle rocker that came with the lights but I may change that out, I'm thinking of making a small box out of sheet aluminum and clamping it on with a u-bolt or two around the bars. I plan on mounting some small round fog lights to the fenders (the girlfriend thinks it will looks silly, but then shes said that about every addition to the bike I've made that get compliments) and I'm planning on mounting the switch on the same box, giving me access to 5 lights on low visibility days without moving my hand more that a few inches. I'm just worried about the aesthetics of throwing square box on the round bars next to all the controls with smooth flowing lines, am I worry to much or is there any tips or advice. I don't have access to a metal shop, just house hold tools, but I'm pretty good with a dremel, just can't come up with any ideas, sitting all day fries the brain.

And while I have you attention, I'm thinking of mounting either some flush mount or a narrow trailer turn signal to the radiator cover, more visibility from the sides, and a second turn signal, should work like a side marker like on a cage. Good idea or am I on my way to an M-50 UFO? The girlfriend likes this idea so that kinda worries me...

[womper]

i bought this and looks pretty nice..


now i just have to figure out my nightmare of my wiring... heh

M50-UFO
might be interesting to see those lights... i'm constantly worried about people not seeing me... i was thinking of adding marker lights at the back

[MotoJPizzle]

wow, man that looks 100 times better than stock. I almost squeeged in my pants when I saw that pic. I need some details, unless you are trying to keep those a secret.

oops forgot about the rest of the post.

my buddy has a harley softtail with the running lights and orange leds to match his bike. You can really see it, Wanna talk about a ufo - that thing is almost as bright as the sun. I would do it, but I have no clue about how a motorcycle wiring works and I would probably kill my battery.

[womper]

i'm dumb. i should have posted the link...
it's made by show chrome accessories... i picked mine up at cruisercustomizing.com
no secret here... i haven't figured out how i have to wire it in yet! (and to think i took electronics engineering tech for 6 years)

i would like to put more lights on, but that people can't see unless i turn them on... i'll have to think of something for that

[BlaznBlu]

Here's a different location option I did a couple years ago. Moved the indicator lights above the speedo so I could see them better, chin guard was often in the way.

Placed switches for the LED's and fog lights on the tank.

Everything can convert back to stock very easily.

http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/fo...ification.html

[MotoJPizzle]

that is amazing work - for those who use windshields and who can see the blue indicator reflected in the windshield when the brights are on would love this.

[womper]

yup... i never saw that thread before...
that is ingenious! and ya... would help with the blue dot

might think of doing something like that... it looks so clean

[Trigger1985]

If you decide to do that womper I'll buy your switches off you, man those are pricy, looks great, buts it going to be a little bit before i get the money. Interesting idea BlaznBlu, I have no idea how to do that, but it looks good.

[Trigger1985]

So i just found this while looking for chrome set, looks like it may get the job done for now
single switch
One mounted for each light. looks like it will be the easiest and least costly way to do, oddly enough i had already googled handlebar light switches, couldn't come up with anything useful, my google-fu is weak..

Only problem is that they don't list what size bars... oh well I have a dremel, I can make holes bigger

[womper]

finally changed out my switched and wiring...
the before


and the after



and here is the rats nest under the seat

[Rumrunner]

Originally Posted by womper

finally changed out my switched and wiring...
the before


and the after



and here is the rats nest under the seat

Looks really nice Womp. Does the service manual show where to connect the auxillary lights?

[womper]

not really
the PIAA's were easy to install (relatively) connect relay to the battery and connect their switch to either the battery or a hot wire...

i cut out their switch and re-routed that through the aux switch... the instructions for it were really simple...
switch has 4 wires coming out of it.
red, blue, white, black.
the red has an inline fuse which you connect to the battery (positive)
the black connects to the battery (negative)

whatever your lights use as a power source for the relay switch, you connect it to the blue and/or white

whatever you do, always make sure you have a relay on you lights and inline fuses...
it's better to pop a fuse than your battery

[Rumrunner]

Thanks. Im buying some lights soon and will need to hook em up right.

[womper]

it was pretty easy... there's only a few wires..

two for the lights... the go to a relay and the relay has a pos. and neg. wire.
then the switch plugs into the harness usually...


all i did was bypass the two switches to put it on my duel switch...

on a light harness there's a connector to the switch. three wires go in to the connector
cut there.
one wire if live (from the battery) one is ground and the other is the return to the relay.

the new switch has one connector to the battery, one to ground, and all you do is connect the wire going to the relay to the new switch. done.


you could also wire your switch through the headlight socket that way you can only turn on your lights when the bike is on...

do NOT wire your relay in the headlamp housing... the aux wire shouldn't carry more than 2amps... (people have shorted out their starter switch as it's on the same circuit)

[Trigger1985]

This is the option I went with, Auto Switch its really easy to use, and cost me 23 bucks. I got the single click model, little led pops on letting me know I've held it down long enough, let go and the lights come on. They also make a 2 click model that will work in tandem for when I add the fog lights, ran it to the accessory plug in the headlight. Hey womper, if you don't have the CA model, there is a empty cover on the right side of the bike, just below the seat. There is a bracket that would hold the charcoal canister on the CA model that is rather handy for ziptieing wires to, clean up that rats nest and get those extra EMF's out from under your crotch I hid mine there, or you could mount a NOS bottle in there and blow yourself up..

[womper]

i was thinking about nos... but...