Headlight Kill Switch

My headlight is one of those that always stays on. I'd like to be able to turn it off, so it would seem that the best method might be to create an inline switch and mount it near the handlebars. If someone has a better idea let me know, thanks.

Hi sakiguy... not sure what symptom you are trying to eliminate...

It really depends why you want to do this... for safety it really is much better to have your little bike light up like a Christmas tree for all the cars and trucks around you to see.

Having a Canadian model, my bike has no ON/OFF switch either and I thought this was a disadvantage when trying to electric start it. So I decided to modify the Head Light circuit such that the Head Light is automatically turned OFF whenever I push the electric Start Button.

This is how I did mine:

Link (K2)

Just another thought... if your bike came without a light ON/OFF switch you may have problems if you get pulled over and the law realizes that your light is not always ON or your bike has to go through the road worthiness inspection... I don't know where you are so it's hard to say.

Hope this helps.

Best of success.
Bill

PS
Could you add your year, model and location to your signature to help get the best responses... and it's considered real friendly too.
Bill

I just wired a retro looking switch into the dash, inline with the headlights power wire.

Just don't let the police see, I've already gotten in #&$! for mine. Totally illegal.

Cheers.

I'm in California, so it's legal to not have headlights on during the day, if it's clear out.

You might be able to use the stock handlebar switch off a little older model. My ’77 KZ650 has an ON/OFF headlight switch built into the right handlebar switch. It might take a little creative wiring to hook up, but the ’77 KZ650 wiring diagram is available online so that might help. Ed

sakiguy wrote:

I'm in California, so it's legal to not have headlights on during the day, if it's clear out.

Depends. If the bike came from the factory with "always on" lights, it may not be legal to disable that feature. Kali has some bizarre laws about modifications to lighting. Call the CHP and ask, they usually know what's up.

I did the same as the previous poster: put in a relay that disconnects the headlights, tail lights, running lights etc when the strter is energized. That will make the battery life about 3X increase. It's an easy mod at the fusebox.

Completely forgot I had this circuit. I forgot who it was for, but someone asked about this a couple years ago. we devised a way to use the neutral switch as a trigger. The lights come on only after the bike is put into gear the first time after being started, then stays on after that.

There are many ways to make a holding circuit for this purpose, but this one can probably be made a little more compact than a two-relay version.

home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Lightin...eadlightTrigger.html

650ed wrote:

You might be able to use the stock handlebar switch off a little older model. My ’77 KZ650 has an ON/OFF headlight switch built into the right handlebar switch. It might take a little creative wiring to hook up, but the ’77 KZ650 wiring diagram is available online so that might help. Ed

Thanks Ed. I'd like to keep the stock switch on there and not mess with it. That would probably be a better permanent fix though. Guess I'll start looking on ebay.

TeK9iNe wrote:

I just wired a retro looking switch into the dash, inline with the headlights power wire.

Just don't let the police see, I've already gotten in #&$! for mine. Totally illegal.

Cheers.

That was the idea. In my mind it will save the battery and perhaps make your headlight last longer. Far more dangerous affair to be running around at night and your headlight lamp goes out, say on the freeway than running without the headlight during the day when it's perfectly clear out.

I was thinking exactly of doing what you did. I was going to just mount like a cheap switch from radio shack from the headlights power wire, and just make some kind of handlebar mount for it. Not too sure if this would be legal. If it's illegal I won't do it. But I see lots of riders running around w/o headlights during the day.

Just get a switch housing for the Canadian models. That is what I did. In Florida the headlight must remain "ON" at all times. I like to be able to turn it off when I want to for a variety of reasons.

loudhvx wrote:

Completely forgot I had this circuit. I forgot who it was for, but someone asked about this a couple years ago. we devised a way to use the neutral switch as a trigger. The lights come on only after the bike is put into gear the first time after being started, then stays on after that.

There are many ways to make a holding circuit for this purpose, but this one can probably be made a little more compact than a two-relay version.

home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Lightin...eadlightTrigger.html

IMHO, this is a neat concept and tidy implementation... and I am a fan of your circuits.

My only reservation with this circuit is that it does not appear to be a fail-to-safe circuit. As I understand it, if the relay's coil fails then the Head Light (High and or Low Beam) turns OFF... ouch in the dark. :S

It would be interesting to see if the same concept could be implemented as a fail-to-safe such that if the relay's coil fails then the Head Light stays ON. Just a thought.

Again, thanks for your ongoing contributions and, of course, best of success.
Bill

Thanks, Bill. The relay can be in parallel to a regular switch, but if the bike has a reserve lighting unit, the circuit could be wired so if the relay fails, the reserve will apply the high beam.

One note about the Radio Shack switches...
I've had friends use them for lights or ignition, and the cheap plastic ones, regardless of current ratings, seem to melt. Definitely get one that has a metal or bakelite housing. It's probably better to get one from an auto-supply store with the highest rating you can find.