Nightster Winter Makeover
#761
They were beautiful, so beautiful I couldn't resist messing with them. They'd been drying for five hours and felt dry to the touch so I figured I'd stick them on the bike and snap some pics. I am dying to see what they look like on the bike. Bad move. The paint, despite feeling dry to the touch was still soft. I set them down on the bench for five seconds and when I picked them up again there were marks all ove the paint.
#762
#763
No worries man. Happens a lot at work, even with my co-workers. One guy paints something, someone else comes by next shift thinking it's good, grabs them and runs then complains to us because they got all messed up in the truck (military.) Then I remind him when we painted them and how long they take to dry and he shut up. Even higher ups comin into the shop stealing their parts so they can finish work just to ruin them, but in the end it's just paint and they don't care.
#767
#768
Here, I have to check with Ozzie and find out where he got the switches. When I find out I'll post it. I think he may have gotten them from a friend of a friend but I'll see what I can find out. We haven't wired the bars yet...still waiting for them to dry COMPLETELY before I do anything with them...but I'll give a full accounting of all that when the time comes. The basic layout in the pics above is as follows:
Top housing is the left side (clutch) - the toggle will be high/low beam. The button will be left turn signal.
Bottom housing is the right side with the stock master cylinder reservoir - the outside button will be the starter and the inside button will be the right signal.
Turn signals were an easy and obvious choice, at least for me. For those of us in the states that require signals on later model bikes you either put the buttons on the bars or hide them someplace and essentially don't use them for anything other than passing inspection. I wanted them on the bars so as to be useful. I got my license in '72, before signals were popular or required, and most motorists are going to be looking for them today...most probably have no idea what hand signals even mean.
I wanted the starter button on the throttle side, same as stock. We debated the location of the high/low beam toggle switch vs. the horn. The way I looked at it, I never use the useless and embarassing stock horn so having the button for it on the bars is a waste of space. So as depicted above I have the high/low beam toggle on the bars and we were probably gonna put the horn button on the top/back of the headlight. But, as I look at the pic and give it more thought, it would probably look better...more symetrical, to have the horn button on the bars and put the toggle on the headlight. Frankly, the high/low beam switch is almost as useless for me as the horn. I almost always run the high beam, even at night. The stock headlight (which is what I'm keeping) ain't all that bright and keeping the high beam on at night doesn't blind on-coming traffic and makes you more noticeable, and hence safer. I'm thinking. And for that reason, maybe I'll put the horn on the bars and the high/low toggle on the headlight. That would give me two red buttons on each housing and balance the look. I don't know. Wiring is six of one, half dozen the other. Oz and I will have to talk it over some more.
What do you guys think?
Last edited by Ergonight; 06-14-2012 at 03:52 PM.
#769
So if I'm understanding correctly you'll have hi/low switch and left signal on left. Then on the right you'll have start button and right signal? And the current dilemma is what to do with the start button?
2 possible options.
A soleniod mounted starter button. Would be nice and hidden out of sight.
Or replace your current key/ignition for an automotive style one. With a key position that would be Off/Run/Start.
2 possible options.
A soleniod mounted starter button. Would be nice and hidden out of sight.
Or replace your current key/ignition for an automotive style one. With a key position that would be Off/Run/Start.