ignition switch name plate
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2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Devon
ignition switch name plate
Hi, I have a 1994 Uk spec softail custom. within the headlight unit is a small sidelight bulb which doesn't apper on the US models. Now my ignition plate reading from left to right say's : ignition lights off accesories, and when i turn it to lights only the sidelight bulb comes on, but then when i switch it to ignition the main headlight comes on. So my question is; what happens to US spec models when you turn it to lights and also i've seen ignition plates in reverse saying lights ignition off accessories, why is the first two reversed?
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 339
From: Northeastern Indiana
on older bikes we could run the bike without running the headlight ... we would turn the switch to LIGHTS as it got dark ... daytime headlight was not required when I started riding
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,570
Likes: 7,943
From: Long Island, New York
When Daytime running lights became mandatory for motorcycles, the factory wired the bikes so that when you turned the switch to "ignition", the lights came on, The second turn to "lights" did nothing differnt. A couple of years later they changed the ignition switches to just have one turn. On the early version of the running light bikes, you can cut the wire for the headlight and make it work like the older bikes, first turn "ignition" second "lights". I did that on my 1991 XLH in 1991. Hope that makes sense.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
David, I have owned my 1990 FLHS from new and it has a similar switch to your bike. I also have a 2008 Buell and 2011 Harley and both are wired so the headlights come on when turning the ignition on, as Architect describes. I suspect you will find that things have changed on several occasions over the years, due to local standards changing, but eventually standards have become universal. On my 1974 SuperGlide the indicators were operated by a button on each handlebar and had to be pressed all the time you wanted them to function, but then standardisation to a single switch was introduced, and so on. I'm sure a book could be written on this subject!
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Thanks Rufus, steadily improving after an 'exciting' time on the health front. I hope to be fit enough to service a bike when the weather improves.....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,570
Likes: 7,943
From: Long Island, New York
The old guys knew what they were talking about when they said "...at least you have your health". I had my own issues last year, happy to have them behind me.
I hope you feel better and get your knees back in the breeze!!!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 9,332
Likes: 3,873
From: Upstate New York
As I remember, my '94 had four positions, accessories, off, lights and lights/ignition. This was changed in '94 to make it a bit more difficult to bypass the "lights always on" rule. I figured out how to do it anyway.
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