Switch for headlight question

[bobcat]

I have various reasons for wanting to do this...I want to install a off/on toggle switch so I can shut off my headlight when I feel like it..Has anyone done this? I was wondering if I did shut off the headlight would the red light start flashing and would the high and low beam icon also start flashing....

Edited October 4, 2009 by bobcat

[bongobobny]

Yes the indicator lights will think the bulb burned out...

[Ozlander]

Not true. Blow the fuse, you don't get a light.

One way to turn the headlight off is to push the starter switch. I've had trouble with the switch sticking in. Ridden to work that way, 15 miles, doesn't seem to hurt anything.

 

Any way, it's doable, but why.

[Guest Ken8143]

Why would you want the headlight not to shine? Just curious

[bobcat]

Why would you want the headlight not to shine? Just curious

 

I have at times wished I could shut my headlight off..here's a couple of reasons...There have been times when I have gotten a motel room where the parking spot was not in front of my room and when I parked my bike I was lined up with the window of someone elses room..I would have prefer to shut my light off out of courtesy...that also goes for entering a campground at night

 

Also, although its never happened the thought crossed my mind if I were ever in a situation where my bike was losing charge and I was out in the middle of nowhere that I could go many miles further with the headlight off...

[MasterGuns]

Well, there is a way to do this. The first ever VR I had was an 86 in 1987. At the time I was serving in the Marine Corps on Okinawa, Japan and in those days, your headlight had to be off when approaching any one of the mannned gates of a military base. Also all vehicles had to pass a Japanese Compulsory Inspection and when I picked up that bike after the mandatory JCI inspection, they had installed a push button switch on the left handle bar that did exactly what you are describing; shutting down the head light. Whenever I used it to turn the headlight off, it did so without any CMS activity. The problem is that I never checked out how they hooked that switch in. It was just a two wire affair. I, too, am interested in trying to figure this out again for the 86 I have now and for the 2d reason you described. The 55 or 60 watts but in my case 80 or a 100 watts sure would come in handy in a case where you was many miles from home and your charging system failed.

[bobcat]

Masterguns

 

I just finished installing a off/on switch so I can shut off the headlight...real simple. I removed the headlight fuse and wired the switch there..The switch itself I installed inboard of the radio..If you remove the radio panel you'll find the spot I'm talking about..I had to drill a small hole for the wires from the switch to go through and of course a hole for the switch itself....

 

I've been wanting to do this for years. Its was so simple I now wonder why I procrastinated so long....

[MasterGuns]

Hey Bob, absolutely great mod. I will install the same thing as soon as possible. Glad you figured out how to do this without activating the Warning Light. Now, if I ever need to save juice for something else, like my warming jacket, gloves, etc.; am riding out in the middle of nowhere during the day, I will just turn off the headlight. Thanks