This is a great mod, I did a variation of it. I closed the switch by soldering a wire between the two posts, then connected the battery leads to the power line going into the highbeam indicator light, and a ground source. So now when the high beam is hit, the garage door opens. Only works when bike is on, and doesnt run on batteries.

 

I used a two way toggle switch and some wiring. All it took was connecting the battery wire (red) and the ignition wire (red/black) to a toggle switch, run the lead of wires through the frame to where I mounted my toggle switch in the electrical caddy, and its good to go. Works like a charm, and now the keys can stay in my pocket However, the keys must be present for the alarm not to engage.

All in all, really simple!

here is a pic of how it mounts up, looks pretty sweet too. The small mods get me almost excited as the big mods do!

made a vid of its operation on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oJ6xyaC5pQ

cheers

 

I hope the garage door opener is able to handle higher than normal voltage level. If I'm not mistaken that led is fed by the bikes running voltage of about 13.5V. While most garage door openers only use a 9V battery.
It might be best if you get a VOM meter and test that line to see how much voltage its really putting into the opener. If its over about 10V a resistor in the line will drop it to 9V for you.
I can't tell you how big a resistor it might need, but if you put a variable resistor (Pot) in between the LED and the opener you can adjust it to put out 9V to the opener and then measure it to find out what you need or just leave it in the circuit.

 

The opener actually takes 12v, so it should be just fine. I've had it running for about 6000km, and havent had any issues.

 

Good deal, but the info should still prove useful for anyone else wanting to do the same thing, like me.
Thanks for the idea. Now I just need to find another opener to do a little 'surgery' on.

 

Great point, sorry, got defensive, I was worried you were right lol.

 

Not a problem, it probably would not be a real problem if you live in an urban or suburban area where you rarely use the high beams.

I just wanted to point out that if you ride a lot in areas where you actually use the high beams for an extended period like I do your setup will have the unit transmitting continuously and keeping it powered up like that with too much voltage will probably wreck it in time. Worse would be if it went up in flames and took something more important out with it instead of just popping a cap or resistor.

Your way would be a lot of fun though if all openers used the same signal, you would be opening and closing doors all over the place.

 

Same here, a little over three years and 20,000 miles with the 12 volt opener, no problems even when running high beams for extended periods of time. (Remote switch wired closed, battery terminals - one to ground, other to high beam wire)






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PART ONE of TWO
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Over the last couple years several folks have asked about the mudBags.

Currently, Delmarksman is sending me a set of 40mm Grenade cans for me to prep for him.

I will modify to a sloped front, then he is going to execute the mounting apparatus....

Friend of mine sells junk, and I saw a pile of these cans in his *store* - Southern Treasure Hunters.
I asked about them and he said - why, you want one??
I said no. I want two. So he told me to take them
Set them on the floor of my shop and was stepping over them for about a week.
Finally, one day I was stepping over, looked down, and said - saddle bags............

This first picture below shows my cans in April of 2007 during the early development of the mudSickle........
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I didn't snap a shot of the cardboard pattern, but that's the first step.

My cans are shown below in the early stage of the operation.

These cans are 14" long, 10 1/2" deep, and about 3 1/4 wide.
I like the compact size, they hang out just a cunnthair beyond the shocks.

Each can will hold about five beers and a sandwich, if you squash the sandwich down.
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Picture below, I am checking alignment before I weld on the hangers.
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Here below are the hangers, they slide between the struts and the fender.
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Below is the position as installed.
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......continued from the previous posting..................
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PART TWO of TWO
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Here below in the first picture you see I welded on a tab to accommodate a locking device.

Also you see one of the hangers and quick release bolts that insure the cans stay where they belong.
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Shown next is the flange nut I welded to the inside and the flange bolt that locks the cans in.
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Here next, another view of both hangers and locking bolts as seen from above.
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I've been running with the cans for going on three years now,
so, finally, the next two pix were snapped in July of 2009.................
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Stay tuned, when I get the Grenade Cans, I will take some more pix.........
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