Ok,
My duty pistol has night sights, maybe I should cover them up too. Even something along the lines of night sights on a pistol that stay illuminated for about 10 years even if it was low illumination. I had some open road and played around last night. I can find the headlight and horn but my suggestion was just a little bit of illumination just to help find it in the dark.
Jeff

 

Huh! I like them like that.

 

I have to agree with the original poster in a big way ... it doesn't have anything to do with being 'used to' the controls, or even having to find them ... it would just be nice to see all of the control buttons like in a car

But having said that, it sure would help first time riders, or riders that are new to that bike, or riders with gloves on (mentioned on page 1) and so on … I can think of plenty of reasons to have them

I've seen FAR more strange and lazy accessories on Harleys, so don't go there about the switch lights

and it wouldn't be twice the wiring - there's already power going to most switches, and a super low wattage LED uses next to nothing as far as power goesand have 40,000 hour+ lifespan, so the wires can be the smallest available and still be overkill

In fact, just like automotive switches, there wouldn’t have to be any additional wiring, it can almost always be done internally … I’ve got a ton of lit switches in my Jeep for the air compressor, lockers, air suspension, electric stuff – just about everything, and the marine style switches that I've been buying are already lit without me having to do any wiring at all

lit switches are one nicety that I think our bikes should have from the factory ... not bright lights, but about the same as the power window switches in a car ... and I don't see any reason that they couldn't put a dimmer on the bike for the gauges and the switch lighting ... or even a way to deactivate them for those that just can'tstand the switch illumination (I've had bikes before with a dimmer for the gauges, so I know it's not against any regs)

we put lights EVERYWHERE on these bikes - big, bright yellow, orange, red and blue ones ... think of all of the lighting accessories available - I don't think this is asking too much, and I definitely don't think it makes the bike look like a trainer or a baby bike any more than the lettering on the switches

nobody reads where it says 'HIGH and LOW' writing on the headlight dimmer switch, but it's still there

 

ZJ, no fair pitchin a softball up there - and then hitting it outta the park yourself...

 

$65/HR ???? What a deal!!!!!!!!!!!! Where you at???

 

For 2010 harley is coming out with a voice-activated system on all touring bikes; say the word "left" and the blinker comes on, say the word "stop" and the brakes come on..................just be very careful not to say "OH $HIT", unless you really, really mean it

 

I don't care about the voice activation system that's comong (I heard '09, not 2010) ... as long as it has the seatbelts, stirrupsand the front and side curtain airbags I'll buy one

 

 

Probably a repeat as I haven't read the other responses but you should know where they are without looking !!

 

Gotta love this place. A guy asks a simple, inquisitive question and all the "bikers" get out their torches.

Lighting the switch boxes would be simple enough. ONE hot from the main light/ignition switch to each side to an LED would be enough to "glow" the switches. But then it would ADD much more dollars to the cost of a new machine as the switches would have to be made to accept light thru them. Engineering that would be expensive I'm sure knowing HD.

I doubt the extra light would distract anyone unless your easily distracted. After all, most people drive their cages with a TON of lights shining in them. The whole dashboard is lit up on some.

If HD's were available with lit bar switches, I'm very sure those that didn't like it or couldn't handle the extra lighting, could easily disconnect the two wires.

I wouldn't mind the switches being lit, but then that's just my opinion and we all know about those.