How many accessory switches do you need?

[virgilmobile]

Ok.I have a ulterior motive for this question.
Sure everybody wants a bunch of switches to play with while riding but how many are really necessary to quickly operate.
What would they operate?
I can think of one..Driving lights...
This idea would be to operate something with your hand still on the left grip rather than reaching for the switch on the master cylinder or body panel.
Would 2 be enough?
What kind of switch...Rocker on/off..momentary contact push..

[Wilcoy02]

I have 2 switches.
One for the driving lights--Which I never turn off.
2) Switch to turn my back end light off. It blinks when a car is on my a** . I turn it off during the day so it doesn't blink.

[virgilmobile]

Thanks.The more usages for easy to reach switches helps me in my idea.

[gipsy42]

Here is my setup, done it many years ago; they are managed with the thumb, there are from left:
Momentary contact push for air horn
idem for driving light #1
idem for driving light #2
SPDT center off for driving light #1 (steady)
SPDT center off for driving light #2 (steady) or (flashing)
Driving lights were original 55W incandescent bulbs, now converted to LEDs.
They're all fused and relay actuated individually.
For DL #2 I built a modulator that works at 5 cps, very noticeable from long distance, which i keep always on.

PD: Sorry, I doesn't allow me to attach the pictures, they're too big.

[virgilmobile]

I like the mount.Your thumb must be as long as my index finger to reach all those buttons...Pretty cool.

[kane67]

I just have one extra switch..

Off - one headlight on (halogen 35w)
Pos 1 - 35w hl + fog lights (led bulbs)
Pos 2 - dual headlight 55w hl + 35w hl + fog lights (led bulbs)

My default is Pos 1 in daylight drive.
Made did just for saving amperes, I serviced my OEM alternator 2 years ago, it charges 14.3V from idle to high rpm so it works well.

Maybe a push button for high beam would be good to have.

[virgilmobile]

Thanks.Im looking at possible switch types.

[WingAdmin]

I have one of these, but I have the one that mounts on my clutch reservoir:

From left to right: driving lights, front-facing wheel-mounted running lights, ring of fire lights. I could combine the second two (usually never turn one on without the other) but I don't really have a need for a third switch. If I did, I'd shuffle them around.

[virgilmobile]

This is about all I see available.Im just not fond of taking my hand off the grip and pushing a switch right above it.Especially on a winding road trying to turn on extra lighting.

[WingAdmin]

This is about all I see available.Im just not fond of taking my hand off the grip and pushing a switch right above it.Especially on a winding road trying to turn on extra lighting.

Virgil, you're more than capable. I recommend a box of relays connected to an ARM processor running a speech recognition algorithm (or ASIC) and wired to the intercom mic circuit.

[GramKate]

While I agree that having all of those pretty and fun bells and whistles on your bikes, they can also be a huge distraction while you're riding. One of the first things that I learned while learning to ride was that the most important thing on a motorcycle is the driver. And the driver needs to be paying attention at all times. Looking away for even one second can put you in harm's way. Those add-ons can be as hazardous as people in cars using cell phones, playing with their radios and more.

[WingAdmin]

While I agree that having all of those pretty and fun bells and whistles on your bikes, they can also be a huge distraction while you're riding. One of the first things that I learned while learning to ride was that the most important thing on a motorcycle is the driver. And the driver needs to be paying attention at all times. Looking away for even one second can put you in harm's way. Those add-ons can be as hazardous as people in cars using cell phones, playing with their radios and more.

I agree - all of the switches and controls I've added to my bike I can operate without taking my eyes off the road.

The only buttons I regularly have to look down to operate are my radio buttons. I can adjust the radio and intercom volume by feel, but any of the others, I have to look. Too many buttons, all look and feel the same, and I don't use them often enough to have muscle memory for them.

[Viking]

I don't have any extra switches or buttons. This bike already has way more than is sensible. There are at least two on my audio control panel that I have never even touched. Then the ones on the right side for headlight elevation. I also do not use them. I also do not ride at night, so no need for them. I have not yet done the NAVI mod so I could play with those buttons while riding. I can stop to turn the NAV on. As was mentioned above, there are way too many distractions with the controls where they are, and I have not memorized them, nor will I probably ever. I have the volume switch on the left handlebar, and the cruise on the right. If the CB is on, then I have the transmit on the left. I have not crashed for many years now, and hope to never again have that experience, and driving very very defensively helps a lot. Do I do that all the time - hell no. I ride to have fun. I take a lot of care in towns and cities, on highways with traffic access from either side, and known animal egress areas. One day a moose might get me, but that is up to God.

Too much rattling on, I know.

[AZgl1800]

about the only thing that I don't need to look for, is the starter button

the rest of them require me to look down away from the road.

[SlowTyper]

I have had switches on my Wing before, but I don't like them and have figured out how to get along without them.

Of course all the original factory buttons (including the radio) are still there still for me to fiddle with, and there are buttons on the GPS I added and my cellphone (which I mount to my handlebar).

I have hooked my LED driving lights thru a resistor to my low beam. I also hooked them thru diodes to my high beam and brake lights. Thus, typically they are on dimly when I am riding -- which helps make me more visible to other drivers. However, when I turn on my high beam or when I apply the brakes, they come on full brightness. This means they improve and widen what I can see at night, and give me better visibility to other drivers whenever I brake. If I am concerned that a driver on a side street may not see me, I flick my brakes (which can be done without letting go of the hand grips) so that they hopefully will notice my flashing LED driving lights.

Before I had LED driving lights, I had halogens. This of course was more than the GL1200 stator could keep up with during in town riding. I originally used a relay that connected them in series for in town riding and in parallel for highway riding. This relay was connected to my high beam, so the brightness & power consumption would only go to max during nighttime highway riding. Later, I replaced the relay with a FET that was wired to act as a dimmer circuit. The amount of dimming was determined by the width of the FET ON pulse, which was controlled by a 555 timer circuit that was configured to respond to battery voltage. In short, the circuit adjusted the brightness of the halogen lights such as to keep the stator charging voltage at 14 volts minimum. (This meant that at idle the halogens might go completely dark -- but the battery stayed charged.)

When I first got this bike, the original owner had a bank of switches to control the marker lights he had added. However, I converted all the bulbs to LED so I could have them on continuously without exceeding the capability of the stator. That eliminated those switches.

I also have a burglar/theft alarm. But it has no switch -- it is always On.

I also have an HID headlight. But it too is controlled automatically. It does not turn on until the battery charging voltage has exceeded 13 volts for 3 seconds, or the high beam is turned on (for manual control). It also does not turn off until the ignition has been off for 3 seconds. That prevents the HID lamp from power cycling during starting of the bike. (Power cycling of HID bulbs reduces their life.)

[WingAdmin]

Before I had LED driving lights, I had halogens. This of course was more than the GL1200 stator could keep up with during in town riding. I originally used a relay that connected them in series for in town riding and in parallel for highway riding. This relay was connected to my high beam, so the brightness & power consumption would only go to max during nighttime highway riding. Later, I replaced the relay with a FET that was wired to act as a dimmer circuit. The amount of dimming was determined by the width of the FET ON pulse, which was controlled by a 555 timer circuit that was configured to respond to battery voltage. In short, the circuit adjusted the brightness of the halogen lights such as to keep the stator charging voltage at 14 volts minimum. (This meant that at idle the halogens might go completely dark -- but the battery stayed charged.)

I also have an HID headlight. But it too is controlled automatically. It does not turn on until the battery charging voltage has exceeded 13 volts for 3 seconds, or the high beam is turned on (for manual control). It also does not turn off until the ignition has been off for 3 seconds. That prevents the HID lamp from power cycling during starting of the bike. (Power cycling of HID bulbs reduces their life.)

I love your ideas! Using a PWM modulated FET to dim the halogens based on voltage level is brilliant. I built the exact same kind of circuit (but with the 555 at a fixed frequency triggering the FET) to switch my LED taillights between "running" and "brake":



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On my 1100, I had my halogens switched through a relay that was triggered by the neutral switch. When the bike was sitting idling, in neutral, the halogens were off. When I was in gear, and the stator was making more power, the halogens were on.

I also like your idea for the HID, being voltage control. When I had a HID headlight, I used a couple of relays set up latching, with the first one triggered by oil pressure. When it saw oil pressure (indicating that the engine had started), it switched on, which latched the second relay, and turned on the HIDs. They stayed on even if the engine stopped/restarted, and would not turn off until the power to the bike was turned off.

[virgilmobile]

This is great.Im finalizing my plans.
A universal mount.
My options for my 1500.
Finger button to flash the high beam.I don't use a modulator.
Thumb switch to operate driving lights.
I will review what I'm gonna use.
Or any other combinations one desires with up to 2 double Rocker center off switches.

[SilverDave]

You can get one of these for the older 1200's and your 1500.. as well

They fit over the brake reservoir or clutch reservoir ..
at first I thought that only 4 was not enough ... But once I switched to almost all LED's , one for LED driving lights, and the other three front ( Ring-of-fire, fender lights ) rear ( high ) and rear / side ( low )

with LED's , the current is so very small that you can combine wires into one switch function .

So, IMHO, 4 switches is enough . I want to focus on the road, not drive along fiddling with switches ...

SilverDave

[virgilmobile]

I've seen them.There not what I have in mind.When winding down a dark road I don't want to take my hand off the grip to flip a switch on and off.
I'm finishing up my universal design.
(I just broke my 3d printer..waiting for parts this week.)
It will suit my mind's eye for function.
As soon as I get it done I'll post pictures,wiring and options.
As far as I remember,this should fit all the wings from the 1000 to the 1500's.