Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum
Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Iron Barrel => Topic started by: Seipgam on November 08, 2018, 09:35:03 am
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On my 1995 Bullet you can turn the headlight on with the ignition in the off position, is this normal?
I like to ride with my headlight on but don't want to do the obvious and leave it on when I turn the bike off (and I know I will).
Can it be easily wired to only operate in the on position?
Also - wet sumping, I know to leave it at TDC but it still seems to do it, is there any advantage/disadvantage to leaving on the side stand rather than the centre stand?
Cheers, Geoff.
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You can have the power for the light switch from the ignition side, not a problem. Normally only US models had the lights wired into the ignition side, and quite a few of the guys here have removed the connection so that they can actually run the lights independently of the ignition.
If you have the old-style rotary light switch in the headlamp casquette, it will have a number of threaded brass pin terminals underneath, they're all numbered if you look closely, terminal no. 3 is for the power supply to the the switch with a 12V system. Run a wire from there to the points side of the ignition switch and hope your ignition switch will handle the additional current! Fit a beefier ignition switch if an any doubt.
A.
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The only disadvantage I had with keeping it on sidestand was my carb would overflow(no fault of the sidestand btw... I had a faulty float pin)..
Other disadvantage of keeping it on sidestand for long periods is ... The side stand gets distorted and with time the bike leans lower on a side stand.(Don't try to rotate the bike using the side stand as a pivot. Seen a lot of UCE RE riders do it and their bike leans very low when on side stand.)
As for the light and ignition it is totally possible. Adrian II has already explained
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Normally only US models had the lights wired into the ignition side, and quite a few of the guys here have removed the connection so that they can actually run the lights independently of the ignition.
Sort of... you still need the ignition on for the lights to function. Removing the jumper enables the switch to turn the lights off with the ignition on...
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Thanks guys.
Geoff.
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Sort of... you still need the ignition on for the lights to function. Removing the jumper enables the switch to turn the lights off with the ignition on...
Does Seipgam's 1995 bike have that jumper? :-[
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As far as we have been able to find out it's an Indian home-market Bullet which was imported into Australia, I suspect there's nothing US market about the wiring...
A.
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Don't know what you mean by "that jumper".
And yes its a '95 Indian 500 that has a "1970" plate on it, numerous parts on the bike have 1995 production dates.
Geoff.
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Geoff - we're referring to a small connector that resides inside the headlight shell, which serves to bypass the right-hand control's lighting switch, so that the lights are always on (with ignition on) per US DOT regulations. Keeping in mind that a little information can be a dangerous thing, I have not idea when RE started this, so I couldn't guess whether your bike might be so equipped.
I believe current USA-spec RE models have hand controls without any lighting switch, so the "jumper" may no longer be in use - not needed if there's no light switch!
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I'd bet my lunch that there's no US-spec jumper thingy in your headlamp wiring, we're just muddying the waters.
What DOES happen with some Indian restorations however, is that they will chuck parts meant for later models on (not necessarily a bad thing), so what ought to be on your bike might not be what was actually fitted for a 1970 model (the 500 engine being a classic example).
Now if the Indian has retro-fitted a post 1999 lighting system with AC headlights (the sort that only works with the engine running) things get a little more complicated, though there will still be a way of carrying out your desired modification.
So on reflection, we need to know a little more about your electrics.
What sort of switch gear is fitted, both to the headlamp casquette AND on the handlebars (might say Minda or Magura)?
How many wires are coming off the alternator stator, and what colour/color are they?
Let's see if we can get a handle on this.
A.
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I'd bet my lunch that there's no US-spec jumper thingy in your headlamp wiring, we're just muddying the waters.
Agreed. Who mentioned that thing, anyway? ;)
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Agreed. Who mentioned that thing, anyway? ;)
I'll never tell :) :) :) :)
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Ok just to clarify a couple of things -
I want to be able to turn the headlamp off with the ignition. Currently headlamp only turns off when I turn the headlamp switch off.
Might be handy to be able to still turn it on with the ignition switch in the the accessory (anti clockwise) position - the indicators can also operate in this position
Cant see the jumper thing in the wiring.
Has a halogen H4 headlamp fitted which has been crimped into the original wiring.
I'm sure it's a 1995 model, probably Indian domestic imported to Australia at a later date and fitted with a plate with "model 1970" on it.
3 wires from the stator - white, green and what looks like pink.
Minda light switch on the casquette, can't see a brand on the handlebar switches but it has the red horn button.
Thanks again,
Geoff.
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Forget the jumper - Adrian is right, you don't have one.
Apologies for cluttering your thread with "jokes"...
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RIGHT - the fog is lifting!
If it's a 1995 type wiring loom your light switch should look like this (picture lifted from ebay):
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X30AAOSw7qpbUu3Z/s-l1600.jpg)
or this, depending on which way up it is (down-under bike, don't forget! ;D )
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/smEAAOSwixlbUu3j/s-l1600.jpg)
If this is the switch on your bike and the bike has a 12V system with the H4 headlamp bulb (the alternator wire colours suggest that it's an older type of 12V stator fitted, the pink wire is probably faded purple), then my original comments still stand, run the power supply to terminal no. 3 on the light switch from your ignition switch.
By sheer coincidence, when you look at the picture of the underside of the switch, terminal no. 3 is in the 3 o'clock position...
A.
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Thanks again,
It may be some time before I get to this job, but I'll come back to you all if I can't make sense of it at the time.
Geoff.
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So I've altered the wiring to only operate the headlight with the ignition on.
I didn't come back and check what Adrian had said, and I've wired it from the positive side of the coil to position 3 on the light switch (removing the old brown wire from 3).
It operates as I want and I've done 150 k's so all seems fine.
Any issues with doing it like this?
Cheers, Geoff.