Lights with no off switch?

Hi folks.

Back in the dim distant days, the Australian government brought in a
"Lights on" rule for motorcycles, then, after much argument, that rule
was removed, and there was a statement that it was perfectly legal to
retro-fit, or otherwise "fiddle" with a motorcycle which had hard wired
on lights, so that those lights could be switched off.

Does anyone know if that is still legal, and might some one be able to
post a URL to the current rule?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

I believe thats it's legal to ride with your lights off as you can do on all
older motorcycles. I also believe you can legally fit an on/off headlight
sw. to a modern M/C. Sorry no URL just my understanding.

A mate, one of two I have, has fitted a european switchblock with said
om/off headlight sw. to his 916 and didn't have trouble getting a roadworthy
in QLD when he decided to re register it after several years of storage.
Not a very conclusive answer I know and he self insures. If insurance is
your main concern try asking your insurance Co. otherwise maybe contact the
revelent Road and Traffic body in your state, they're allways such a delight
to deal with .


Capt. A. L.

 

The mandated law, made for bikes made after 1992, was rescinded in 1996
after it was pointed out that it could be more dangerous for motorcycles to
have their lights when they had the sun behind them, making them almost
invisible to oncoming traffic.
And other reasons as well.
Europe are going to make it compulsory to have daytime driving lights from
2011, but, Europe does not have the bright setting sun that we have, that is
they get the sun at all.

A few HSV drivers have been complaining they are being pulled over by the
coppers for having driving lights on during the day and they have to explain
to the coppers that the lights are on with the ignition.

 

Yes it is legal, there is no rule anymore.

NZ is a good source of light switches for models that didn't have them
here. I bought a UK light switch for my Trump but haven't bothered
looking for one for DR Suzi.

 

I have fitted the Eurpoean spec switch block to some of my BMW's to enable
the headlight to be switched off.

Not sure it that is "Legal" but never had a problem with the Law on that
point.

Boxer

 

Road rules are 'suggested' by the Fed gov't but must be enacted, and
rescinded, by State Gov'ts. In WA, when the law was repealed, the
Minister of Police supplied the Motorcycle clubs who did all the
complaining with a letter stating that it was quite legal to retrofit
a light switch to motorcycles not so equiped. You will need to check
NSW law.

Theo

 

Hi Boxer.

Yeah, I,too, have bought the Euro spec switch, IIRC on your
recommendation as to supplier, and fitted it to the R850R.

I am now working my self up to a frenzy to fit an off switch to the Triumph.

Unfortunately, Triumph do not seem to build a Street Triple, for any
market, with on/off headlight switch, hence my question about "reverse"
relays.

Neither have I, but I am sure that when the ADR for lights on was
repealed, there was an announcement that allowed the retro-fitting of
on/off switches. I am equally sure that that dispensation has never been
withdrawn. Regardless, I intend to modify my Triumph.

But, I was discussing my plan for re-wiring my Triumph with another
owner of a recent model Triumph, and, while he'd really like to have
such an option, was questioning the legality of it.

I tried to find chapter and verse for the allowing of switches, but my
internet searching skills in the areas of laws and rules and such like
are far inferior to those of others in this group.... hence my question.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Hi Theo.

Yeah, I think you are right.

The feds do the ADRs, which, I think, was the mechanism for the lights
on business while the states do the annual testing....pink slip in
NSW... which requires all the stuff on the bike, when new, to operate as
it did out of the box.

So it might well be a state based dispensation to override hard wired
headlamps.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Cam,
I just had a look at BikeBandit
http://www.bikebandit.com/2008-triumph-motorcycle-street-triple/o/m17742
and it's a bit ambiguous but it seems to indicate that there's a switch on
the LEFT switchblock. Could that be right?

Kath Lilley <> at Jack Lilley's would know for certain
(and be able to give you the best price).
Cheers ....

 

Hi Clem.

Yeah, well the trouble is, the left hand switch block does have the
Dip/Hi-beam switch.

It also has a wee blanking plate where the on/side/off light switch used
to be.

The older TT600 (?) had an almost identical switch block, but with the
on/side/off switch included.

Trouble is, there isn't (AFAIK) any market where the Street Triple is
sold where it has the light switch, so, I don't imagine that the wiring
loom will have any way of accepting, say, a switch block from a TT600.

On some of the dedicated Striple fora, a few of the poms are a bit
pissed off about this, since the UK doesn't require headlights on, but,
apparently Europe either does, or perhaps, will require them on.

A wiring diagram for a Street Triple seems to be top secret, and not
available to the average punter...even if you wave money. :-(

regards,
CrazyCam

 

WA might be a special case (yes, ok), because IIRC it was the only State
that doidn't sign up to ADRs. True? If true, is that still the situation?

 

Try an earlier Speed Triple switchblock. The switch block for my T595
just plugged in to the same plug that the original did. Nothing else needed.

 

What year? My Manuals cover up to VIN 210444 for the OEM and up to the
'05 models for the Haynes.

 

hippo wrote:

Hi hippo.


Well, it wouldn't really surprise me. ;-)

I didn't actually think that states got a choice in signing up for ADRs,
but, cricket is a funny old game, and Australia is a fairly strange, and
at times, illogical country. (Albeit, I love it!)

<with that thought, I grab an other beer>

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Hi Toosmoky.

The thing is, the Street Triple came out after Triumph seem to have
decided that headlights need to be on...... everywhere. :-(

There isn't (AFAIK) a market where that model has a working on/side/off
switch, so would they (as in Triumph) bother to design the capability
into a new wiring loom?

The BM was a piece of piss, 'cos they sold the bike in various places,
some places had switches, others didn't, so the loom worked with both
options, but..... a new bike, new loom, no alternatives planned
for....<shrug>

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Aaah, *Street* Triple. I still read Speed Triple when I see that...

 

WA might be a special case (yes, ok), because IIRC it was the only State
that doidn't sign up to ADRs. True? If true, is that still the situation?[/QUOTE]

No. It is up to each State to incorporate ADR into their laws. As it
is much easier than making local ADRs they mostly comply.

Theo

 

I would switch it by building a sub loom between the bulb and the original
bulb plug, utilising an aftermarket bulb batton.

Boxer

 

Hmm.. I just read your thread on Triumphrat and I see what you mean.
Have a look at the switchblock connector to be sure; mine had less wires on
the swithblock side and a link joining two of the pins. When I got the
replacement it had the missing wires (and the switch).

Did you read the thread about Striples not starting without the headlights
connected? That might need a little bit of investigation.

Last but least; if it's just starting that you're after (which I'm fairly
sure it ISN'T) you can run a relay off the sidestand light to kill the
headlights when the sidestand is down. This is what I did on my old Sprint
to save the battery.

Cheers .... Clem

 

Knobdoodle wrote:

Hmm, I had forgotten about Triumphrat ... too much advertising for my
limited download. :-|

Well, from the wee bit of wiring diagram here:-
http://www.street-triple.co.uk/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=2320.0
the box marked 3, looks like one of those SPDT relays, with the
"normally closed" position feeding electricity to the lights, and the
switched position feeding power to the starter. (diagram doesn't show
starting detail)

The "not starting without headlights connected" probably came from early
attempts of pulling the fuse, box 2 in diagram, which feeds both lights
and starter.

Certainly, when the starter button is pushed, the headlights only appear
to dim, but I suspect that is showing power to them being cut, but only
for the very short length of time required for the motor to fire up.

Sidestand light? What decadence! ;-)

While it would be elegant to find a TT600 switch block, and wire it into
the lights the way it should have been done, I'm pretty much convinced
that the least disturbance and risk will be adding an extra switch to
the bars, one extra relay, and wiring as per Theo's post.

Assuming the existing relay uses "normal" spade connectors, and I can
find room for the extra relay, I should be able to do what I want
without actually cutting or modifying any existing wires, thus I'll be
able to undo this mod if required.

regards,
CrazyCam