Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Tompamannen]

I think I've read somewhere that you could mod the light switch so you could turn the light completely off. Some peace off plastic in the light switch that you carved away and voila, there's a third position thats turns the headlight off.
Can someone turn me in the right direction?

[EVFX]

On my FX it's just a matter of positioning the switch between low and high.
If you move the switch slowly you'll see it turns off the low beam before it actually connects the high beam.
I just slowly move it until they're off when I need it to.
I ride home from work at around 1-2am and I usually cut them off so they don't shine in my neighbors windows as I park up.

[SHAG]

If you move the switch slowly you'll see it turns off the low beam before it actually connects the high beam.
I just slowly move it until they're off when I need it to.

Great tip ! Thanks ! Works on my bike.

[Tompamannen]

Okay, will try that!

My know-how-to-google is kind of bad . No one ever read about the mod to remove the plastic part in the light switch? It will make the switch go High-Low-Off. The plastic "thing" just sits there so you should not be able to turn light off, for some reason. I think the military version of the FX has this option to flip the switch past Low beam to turn lights down.

The reason for me to be able to switch light off is that I never ride in the dark, and I think its a waste of energy to have 55W light on all the time when riding. For example, if my calculation is correct, with an average speed of 50km/h I can ride another 5-6km of range with the 55W light off. My math says 30Wh/km at 50km/h. In 4 hours the low beam has used 220Wh. 220/30=7km, equals aprox 5-6km.

Why just not pull the bulb out, you might ask. Well, then the Zero becomes illegal and if the cops pull you over you get a fine and you must take the bike to an inspection company before you can ride again. A lot of work and cost

[opengl]

I'd never do that unless I truly rode around nobody else. The reduction in visibility would not be worth it.

[EVFX]

I agree with opengl, but I also felt the same about burning the power away, also why they're halogen I'll never know.
So I swapped all my bulbs to LED and mounted new LED headlamps, they definitely get people's attention during the day, they still draw current, but not 55w.

I didn't hear about a possible position past high on the switch to shut the lights off, but it makes sense to me it could be there. Maybe just a part of the casting that didn't need cleaning up. Might be worth investigating.

[Tompamannen]

Tried EVFX tip, and it actually works perfect! Thanks man Thought the switch would pop into high or low when the bike was shaking going over bumps, but no, it stayed there in between high/low very solid.

I agree with the need of lights so people see you, totally! Especially when there are no "loud pipes save lives" that can aply to the electric bike. On my VW Golf I even programmed the rear lights to allways be on cause I think its ridiculious that the lights turn off in daylight to save a microscopic amount of fuel. Low cost for extra safety to have them on.

On the FX I switched the T10's to Led, a huge difference to the halogens. First I tried 430 Lumens Led but that was to much, don't know the english word for it but it was like looking into the sun for my fellows on the road. Bought Osrams 1W (70 Lumens) and that was a really good combination of uncoming traffic to see me but not to bright so it would blind (correct word?) them.

Link to the Led's if someone interesting.
https://www.osram.com/ecat/LEDriving%20SL%20W5W%20WHITE-LEDriving%20SL%20W5W-LED%20interior%20lamps-Car%20lighting-Automotive/com/en/GPS01_3381096/ZMP_4062039/

[EVFX]

I used the same Osram LEDs for my running lights in the front, but I couldn't find a replacement LED for the main bulb that wasn't too big to fit, and with enough output. I commute at night a lot so light output was important to me.
Aside from swapping the taillight bulb with an LED, and LED turn signals. I decided to completely swap out the headlamp assemblies.

I made a post about it here:
https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=11916.0

[Tompamannen]

Looks like a great upgrade EVFX! I've done 6000km on my FX and only driven in the dark 1 time and I was suprised over the light from the halogens. Especially when holding the high beam flasher so both low and high was on at the same time. My comparision on the other hand is bikes with 35w H1S, which is really bad light

I've done some riding and recharging after installing the Led's 1w and the low beam off. Don't know if I'm imaginary things but it feels like the range is a little better. Especially in long time/slow speed runs around town with all the traffic lights and stops.