Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
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- Cast Iron Member
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Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
Has anyone here replaced the ignition switch with an on/off toggle switch or push button switch? I'm considering removing the stock key ignition to give clearance to an aftermarket headlight. I'd like to have an on/off button. Don't know what park or accessory settings do and I don't use them. Just need the switch to turn the whole bike on and off. Is this difficult or complicated? I'd like to make something that could plug into the wiring harness the same way the old ignition switch did.
Failure is fourplay for success!
- Toehead
- True Blue Steel Biker
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
It's possible . You'd need to look at a wiring diagram and connect the correct wires together.
The easiest way would be to use use two relays to make the connections and a pushbutton that energizes them to activate.
http://s951.photobucket.com/user/cb0019 ... c.jpg.html
The easiest way would be to use use two relays to make the connections and a pushbutton that energizes them to activate.
http://s951.photobucket.com/user/cb0019 ... c.jpg.html
2012 Golf TDI, fast and frugal oil burner
1980 CX500C, All around road warrior (Sold)
1975 TS125 (Sold), old smoker
1977 naked GL1000, Highway cruiser
'81 GL1100 14,000 (reconditioned and sold)
'81 GL1100 50,000 miles (under construction)
2X 1981 CM400 beginner bike (sold)
1980 CB750C (sold)
1994 Virago 750 (Wifey's bike)
'76 GL1000 Sulphur Yellow (Megasquirted efi build) http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59774
1980 CX500C, All around road warrior (Sold)
1975 TS125 (Sold), old smoker
1977 naked GL1000, Highway cruiser
'81 GL1100 14,000 (reconditioned and sold)
'81 GL1100 50,000 miles (under construction)
2X 1981 CM400 beginner bike (sold)
1980 CB750C (sold)
1994 Virago 750 (Wifey's bike)
'76 GL1000 Sulphur Yellow (Megasquirted efi build) http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59774
- ole496
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
This should not be that hard at all. I don't have the wiring diagram with me at the moment but you'd need to move a few wires from the switch after removal - to your new on/off switch and a push button start.
You can keep the starting button on the handlebar or disconnect that and mount a different button somewhere else. Run the wires that would be connected to the start button on the handlebar to the location of the new button and it should work no problem.
The keyed switch on the bike has several wires that run in and out of it. You need to look at the diagram and use the wires that run to the switch on the power side of things and complete that circuit. Those wires just need to be attached to your on/off switch to replace the keyed switch.
You can keep the starting button on the handlebar or disconnect that and mount a different button somewhere else. Run the wires that would be connected to the start button on the handlebar to the location of the new button and it should work no problem.
The keyed switch on the bike has several wires that run in and out of it. You need to look at the diagram and use the wires that run to the switch on the power side of things and complete that circuit. Those wires just need to be attached to your on/off switch to replace the keyed switch.
1976 GL1000 "Double Nature" https://youtu.be/IK0YS2uuZtc
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. -Thomas Edison
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. -Thomas Edison
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
I did this when I built mine. I changed the gauge cluster to just the speedo and removed the ignition since it looked like a unicorn. I ran some wire to a toggle switch in the glove box, so it was still behind a key. No one ever had any idea how to turn it on anyway after I did that. I just looked at the wiring diagram and found the wires I needed to make hot and put a switch on one of them. I'll see if I can find a picture of my setup and put on here. Worked fantastically well.
78 GL1000 - "The Beast"
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
Okay. I was looking at the wiring diagram. Looks like three wires have to be hooked together on one switch and two more on another. The first three are power from the battery, connected to power to fuse block, and something else starter circuit maybe. The last two are the lighting on the bike as far as I can trace. Only reason not to just hook em all together, as far as I can tell, is to keep the lighting running off the fuse block instead of off straight 30amp fused battery power. So easiest way I could think to do it safely. Maybe use a double pole single throw switch. Have the group of three wires energized on one pole of the switch and the group of two wires contact on the other pole. this is the best I can come up with.
Failure is fourplay for success!
- Toehead
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
That should work.
2012 Golf TDI, fast and frugal oil burner
1980 CX500C, All around road warrior (Sold)
1975 TS125 (Sold), old smoker
1977 naked GL1000, Highway cruiser
'81 GL1100 14,000 (reconditioned and sold)
'81 GL1100 50,000 miles (under construction)
2X 1981 CM400 beginner bike (sold)
1980 CB750C (sold)
1994 Virago 750 (Wifey's bike)
'76 GL1000 Sulphur Yellow (Megasquirted efi build) http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59774
1980 CX500C, All around road warrior (Sold)
1975 TS125 (Sold), old smoker
1977 naked GL1000, Highway cruiser
'81 GL1100 14,000 (reconditioned and sold)
'81 GL1100 50,000 miles (under construction)
2X 1981 CM400 beginner bike (sold)
1980 CB750C (sold)
1994 Virago 750 (Wifey's bike)
'76 GL1000 Sulphur Yellow (Megasquirted efi build) http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59774
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
Another option might be to connect all the wires permanent at the connector and activate the bike with a battery kill switch on the battery. I kinda like that idea. Don't know if all the electronics would like the hard shut off but I can't fathom it being much different from flicking the key off. You could just build a jumper connector to mate with the ignition switch connector and use it as a key of sorts.
Failure is fourplay for success!
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
When I did it, I had 2 switches based on what I thought I needed from the wiring diagram. One was ignition, and the other one made the tail lights go on and off when the first switch was on, did nothing else. The only problem I had at all was that I put them in the glove box, and things would slide around in there and hit the switch the lights were on. The first time it happened, I spent 2 hours going through my wiring trying to figure out why my brand new LED tail light wasn't on!
78 GL1000 - "The Beast"
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
My new ignition switch/key. Just ran solder bridges across the contacts. Plug in and go. Or leave plugged in and use the battery shut off. Unfortunately the aftermarket headlight still didn't fit. So yeah. I'm extending the headlight brackets anyway.
Failure is fourplay for success!
- Sidecar Bob
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
I used a keyswitch for a CT-70 on mine. It is much smaller & easier to find a place for and you can still use a key to turn it on & off like normal. And it only has 2 positions so you can't accidentally leave the tail light on and kill the battery (easy to do when the keyswitch isn't right in front of you). It DOES NOT have an Accessory position so you won't be able to run the battery down by using the stereo when the bike is off either. It should be connected to the red & black wires.
As for the tail light/parking light circuit, it all depends on where you live. If parking lights are required you need to have a way to turn them on but if you are in the US or Canada you can just connect the appropriate wires (2 brown/white wires IIRC) together so that the tail light is on whenever the key is on.
As for the tail light/parking light circuit, it all depends on where you live. If parking lights are required you need to have a way to turn them on but if you are in the US or Canada you can just connect the appropriate wires (2 brown/white wires IIRC) together so that the tail light is on whenever the key is on.
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The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
- Track T 2411
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
That's kinda cool! I like that idea!Mojogameplay wrote:20161227_094006.jpgMy new ignition switch/key. Just ran solder bridges across the contacts. Plug in and go. Or leave plugged in and use the battery shut off. Unfortunately the aftermarket headlight still didn't fit. So yeah. I'm extending the headlight brackets anyway.
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow
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New2U Bike? Read Me.
"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow
"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown
Current Rides:
'Grumpy' - '81 Standard, now fully dressed.
'Layla' - '81 Standard w/dealer installed fairing and Hondaline bags.
'Scarlett' '76 'Survivor' nekkid as a j-bird!
Under Construction:
The 'Jalopy' '78-'79 Mash-up
'Quikie' '81 gl1100I back on the lift, project with the step-son!
In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson!
New2U Bike? Read Me.
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
So the whole point of the ignition switch removal was to get this headlight installed. I found in the build your own headlight page at 4into1.com. It didn't fit without removing the ignition switch. Then it didn't fit without modifying the gauge bracket, mounting the gauges up close to the rider. Moving the gauges interfered with the airline between forks. So I moved up the fork tubes a centimeter. If I had a time machine I wouldn't buy the headlight again. But it fits.
Attached is a picture of the gauge bracket bolts extended and the headlight installed. Probably upside down.
Resized and renamed the photo on my phone. Apparently that keeps it from going upside-down. ☺
Attached is a picture of the gauge bracket bolts extended and the headlight installed. Probably upside down.
Resized and renamed the photo on my phone. Apparently that keeps it from going upside-down. ☺
Failure is fourplay for success!
- kerryb
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
Looks like you could gain mounting room by flipping the headlight brackets to the other side of the tubes. Lower the headlight a couple inches.
intrigued by the wail...seduced by the scream.
'78 cb750K, '83 GL1100s,I,&A,'08FXSTC, '79 WilMac trike
'78 cb750K, '83 GL1100s,I,&A,'08FXSTC, '79 WilMac trike
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Re: Replace ignition switch with toggle or pushbutton switch
That might be a project for another time if the steering turns out to be too positive. The lower headlight would probably look faster.
Failure is fourplay for success!
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