I hate the stock switches being all ugly on the bars, and I like to switch my bars out from time to time. Easy solution... get them off the bars.

At first I was going to fab up a mount for under the tank, but there just wasn't room. So after a little thinking I decided to put that sheet metal on the forks to work.

Process: using the original switch housing I traced the switches on to the metal, then cut them out using a dremel.



The switches fit, but I realized there wasn't a need for them being separate cutouts. So I cut out a rectangle from top to bottom.

I used two strips of sheet metal that conformed to the backside of the switches, with two holes (top and bottom), drilled two corresponding holes where I made the cuts, secured the switches to the brackets with heavy duty velcro (10lb type), and the brackets to the bike with bolts.

Switches are very secure, velcro helps suck up vibration, and has been over 1000 miles so far with no issue.

Here's the result.




A closer look at the switches, don't mind the nasty cuts. I tried to get fancy with my cuts and that didn't pan out. Used some door trim from Autozone to clean up the edges, but haven't taken a pic of that.




As far as the switches are concerned, everything is stock. That way I can go back to the original bar configuration if I ever need or want to. The left and right side are asymmetrical, the right is a little further down because of a ground wire behind the sheet metal.

 

I like that. Pretty neat idea!

 

Well that is new. I have never seen anyone do that before. I like the look. Is it a pain to use the blinkers, or do you use hand signals?

 

It's not too bad actually, but maybe I have monkey arms. Generally I use hand signals, and I rarely use the horn. Mainly use the blinkers at night or if I have someone following me.

 

Great idea man, the only thing that bothers me now is the gap between your levers and hand grips..I had a similar seat up on my 883 sportster before I sold it I ended up cutting the bars down to get rid of the gap...

 

Yeah, it doesn't bother me too bad at the moment but I might either cut the bars down or LC Fabrications makes a piece to fill the gap and clean up that weird flat spot on the clamp: http://www.shop.lcfabrications.com/product.sc?productId=61&categoryId=5

 

looks way better without it up on the bars. now just get a set of PM basic hand controls / something with billet lower profile look. I did what you did on my Big Dog chopper- but I just completely omitted the turns and horn. headlight is always on high beam and start button is on side by coil. engine kill switch is under right forward edge of seat frame, small toggle switch. definitely an A+ for creative engineering bro- nicely done.

 

Ats pretty damn slick man!

 

The huge gap where the switches used to be looks horrible.

 

Sweet, I'll take a look at those.