Passing Lights Switch

[rumboogy]

When I bought my 2009 Venture about a week ago...I went ahead and paid for passing lights and a luggage rack on the trunk...

 

I assume there is nothing they can really mess up on the luggage rack, but I am a little concerned about the passing lights. I don't want to do it myself, but I would like to "know what I am talking about" when I tell them how I want them mounted.

 

My questions are: 1) Would it be better to have them on a relay? and 2) what type of switch should I ask for and where should it be mounted? I searched and saw that some have it mounted next to the 12 volt auxiliary plug.

 

Any tips?

 

Thanks,

 

Wally

[Bummer]

Ways to mess up? Well, you could always drill the holes for the trunk rack in the wrong places. All I can say about that is measure a dozen times and drill once.

 

Definitely use a relay. There are instructions in there's info in the Relay FAQ in [ame=http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43150]this thread[/ame].

 

(In the spirit of deja vu all over again...) I installed a 3 switch box that mounts on the clutch reservoir in place of the cover. It's supposed to go on the brake reservoir, but that already has a Baron's tach on there. The switch box I used is from Kuryakyn. Since I used it on the left I had to make a small plate to move the audio head about an inch away from the reservoir. Harder to explain than to do. If you decide to try this and need more details, holler.

[Dave77459]

My questions are: 1) Would it be better to have them on a relay? and 2) what type of switch should I ask for and where should it be mounted? I searched and saw that some have it mounted next to the 12 volt auxiliary plug.

 

1) Definitely yes. However, they resist might since it's not the way the instruction manual specifies.

 

2) Mine came with a switch on the lamp housing. That's fine for me since I run them lit all the time. The only time I turn them off is when I get my bike's state inspection.

 

(In the spirit of deja vu all over again...) I installed a 3 switch box that mounts on the clutch reservoir in place of the cover. It's supposed to go on the brake reservoir, but that already has a Baron's tach on there. The switch box I used is from Kuryakyn. Since I used it on the left I had to make a small plate to move the audio head about an inch away from the reservoir. Harder to explain than to do. If you decide to try this and need more details, holler.

I have thought about these switches. Can you show pictures? How did you route the wires down the handlebars? Does the switch replace the cover, or does it cover the entire thing? The instructions imply that it replaces the cover, but it also looks like it slips over the reservoir?

 

Dave

[BradT]

Make sure you light bar wires are long enough that when and if you need to take it off, it can lay down on a covered front fendor.

 

The one I have when you need to take it off it hangs from the wires. Gonna change that someday haha.

 

Brad

[LilBeaver]

+10 to using the relay.

 

Also, if you care - you may want to specify whether you want them on with low beams or high beams as the dealer may assume the one that you don't want...

 

There are many many different lamps to go with, different beam patterns etc so depending on how you want them to be used or how you plan on using them would dictate what kinds of bulbs to put in as well as which way you would want them wired up.

 

Personally, I have mine wired up with the high beams because when I have my high beams on I want to be able to see as much as possible and not blind the oncoming drivers. I have a beam that shoots quite far ahead and I have them aimed slightly to each respective side of the road so they light up the half of the road they are pointed at, well in front of me, as well as a good bit on each respective shoulder.

 

I am not going to get into anything here with anyone, each state has their own laws and I am well aware of that. I am simply offering my perspective and

[rumboogy]

LilBeaver...I do appreciate the advice and explanation. Sounds pretty logical to me.

 

Thanks,

 

Wally

[Dave77459]

+10 to using the relay.

 

Also, if you care - you may want to specify whether you want them on with low beams or high beams as the dealer may assume the one that you don't want...

 

There are many many different lamps to go with, different beam patterns etc so depending on how you want them to be used or how you plan on using them would dictate what kinds of bulbs to put in as well as which way you would want them wired up.

 

Personally, I have mine wired up with the high beams because when I have my high beams on I want to be able to see as much as possible and not blind the oncoming drivers. I have a beam that shoots quite far ahead and I have them aimed slightly to each respective side of the road so they light up the half of the road they are pointed at, well in front of me, as well as a good bit on each respective shoulder.

 

I am not going to get into anything here with anyone, each state has their own laws and I am well aware of that. I am simply offering my perspective and

FWIW, my dealer put them on with the low beams, no relay. I rewired them this summer so that they are on all the time, high or low beam. I use the running lights to energize the relay.

 

Most of our roads are busy enough that on-coming traffic forces me to use low beams. Just because I am on low beams doesn't mean deer aren't there. I find the passing lamps particularly useful on low beam. Also, in town, I want that triangle of light, and I need to be on low beam all the time.

 

Also, my Silverstar Ultra headlight (rumboogy, this is a worthy upgrade--just a bulb swap out) is bright enough that oncoming cars will often "flip me off". I can pop the highbeams (burning their corneas) to demonstrate that I was on low beams and still have my passing lamps. I don't know much about filaments these days, but it seems most lights burn out when they turn on. Toggling them on and off is inviting a filament death, I think.

 

Dave

[Bummer]

...

I have thought about these switches. Can you show pictures? How did you route the wires down the handlebars? Does the switch replace the cover, or does it cover the entire thing? The instructions imply that it replaces the cover, but it also looks like it slips over the reservoir?

 

Dave

The switch base replaces the metal part of the existing reservoir cover. The original plastic and rubber parts are re-used.

 

The body of the switch box slips onto the cover and is bolted from the back. I ran the wires alongside the other wiring running from the audio head.

 

It's on the "wrong" side, I have the Baron tach on the right, so it's a tight fit. The third pic shows the adapter I crafted to move the audio head to gain clearance. I do not think the switches with longer toggles would work on the left. Of course if you do not plan to use the Baron tach it would be a straight forward install on the right.

[Dave77459]

The switch base replaces the metal part of the existing reservoir cover. The original plastic and rubber parts are re-used.

 

The body of the switch box slips onto the cover and is bolted from the back. I ran the wires alongside the other wiring running from the audio head.

 

It's on the "wrong" side, I have the Baron tach on the right, so it's a tight fit. The third pic shows the adapter I crafted to move the audio head to gain clearance. I do not think the switches with longer toggles would work on the left. Of course if you do not plan to use the Baron tach it would be a straight forward install on the right.

 

Thanks for the photos! Do you find the mix of chrome and aluminum to be glaringly obvious?

 

Dave

[Bummer]

Thanks for the photos! Do you find the mix of chrome and aluminum to be glaringly obvious?

 

Dave

I can't say if others notice it, but I don't. Of course it's sort of symmetrical. I have a chrome tach on top of the right master cylinder and a chrome switch box on the left master cylinder. Bear in mind, the right side switch assembly wasn't brushed or chromed and it took me a couple of months to notice. Plus I'm going to be replacing my front brake master cylinder with a 14mm unit, and I don't care it it's chrome or brushed as long as it's the right size.

 

Perhaps I'm not the best judge of the glaringly obvious.

[DMW]

Their is a switch that requires no switch, you use your highbeem switch to activate the switch, which operates a relay.

A visual LED blinks rapidly during the timed "window" up to 10 seconds long when you should release the trigger signal (high beam switch). The single tap to flash the high beams or leaving the high beams on will not activate the Autoswitch. LED shines green to indicate power to your auxiliary lights relay.

 

I used their AS5P model. They have dealer list on their site. Link Below

http://www.autoswitch.com/

 

 

Directions look diffilcult but fairly simple.

[Bummer]

DMW, that looks like a pretty nice solution for those who do not need additional switches.

 

It doesn't look significantly more difficult than setting up the passing lamps in the first place. They really need to be on a relay and this just adds one more connection to the existing wiring.

 

I've bookmarked their site. Thanks for the info.

[Blue Angel]

What type light bulb should use to replace aging light bulbs are my passing lights? I needs something very bright.

Thanks you.