When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
controls are tight, and they cannot clock individually as once pushed together the master cylinder portion of the two controls only allow the throttle portion to slide in one way
First Id try loosening the brake lever screws and turn it a little bit one way or the other so lever goes up or down like youre twisting the throttle. Ive got the original switch on my 88 but when I replaced the lever I had this problem. Changing position a touch fixed it.
the throttle control cannot twist much if at all separate from the master cylinder as the throttle slips in almost keyed to the master cylinder control
the throttle control cannot twist much if at all separate from the master cylinder as the throttle slips in almost keyed to the master cylinder control
if I remember correctly it doesnt take much, do it with the lights on so you can see if it goes out. You may have a completely different issue but its worth a try.
Good luck.
This is a newer bike but hes talking about the same issue:
also make sure the throttle assembly and the master cylinder assembly are pushed together. It looks like they are one piece but they arent and sometimes a small gap could cause this issue.
They are a pita especially if you have aftermarket chrome housings. Just loosen the 2 master cylinder screws and push it back. If you look into the mechanism you can see the lever that controls the switch. With small screw driver push the switch lever down. If you not far enough out with master cylinder the leaver won’t go all the way down, because the lever is hitting the top of the switch button. push the cylinder away a little more and try again. After it’s down push the master cylinder back in place and and tighten the screw. Sounds complicated be it really is not.
I have after market housings and the only way mine worked is by pulling that switch lever out and bending the end pushes the switch in a little more so contacts button sooner.
I got so good at I can do the process in a couple of minutes.
Ima gonna pull it apart in a bit.
the lever does not active the brake switch one bit.
the piston in the master cylinder has a tan on it that hits the brake switch. The piston clocks quite a bite and rolls off the switch
They are a pita especially if you have aftermarket chrome housings. Just loosen the 2 master cylinder screws and push it back. If you look into the mechanism you can see the lever that controls the switch. With small screw driver push the switch lever down. If you not far enough out with master cylinder the leaver wont go all the way down, because the lever is hitting the top of the switch button. push the cylinder away a little more and try again. After its down push the master cylinder back in place and and tighten the screw. Sounds complicated be it really is not.
I have after market housings and the only way mine worked is by pulling that switch lever out and bending the end pushes the switch in a little more so contacts button sooner.
I got so good at I can do the process in a couple of minutes.
just went to a mom and pop type bike shop, Ive beeen a few times and they are great. Ol man behind counter knew exactly what I was talking about and expressed the same fix you did. He said sometimes w age, the metal tab bends back and loses some spring or strength and rolls off the button vs activating it and he said bend it forward a little and angle it up/down
Fixed it. I pulled the piston and tab and its obvious over time it had a slight bend from the pressure. I bent it forward to make contact sooner and angled it so when it hit the button if it moved it slide up into the housing. Worked like a charm.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.