cliffa
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Great minds and all that…Hadn't spotted that
Any successful DIY neutral switch installs on MK2?
- Thread starter art6
- Start date
Thanks all. I'm attempting to use a roller-contact switch, shown below. Different hole and threads, but it won't score the zit on the cam plate. Not finished yet - I'll report back if it works. Or not.
BTW, why do I want a neutral indicator? That embarrassing lurch forward when I think I'm in neutral and release the clutch.
And as an engineer I just can't help myself.
BTW, why do I want a neutral indicator? That embarrassing lurch forward when I think I'm in neutral and release the clutch.
And as an engineer I just can't help myself.
Here's what I've got:
No pointer, and IMHO not a great way to confirm neutral due to play in the shift lever, or at night. Number stampings probably done Friday afternoon just before the pubs opened. Yes, I habitually click up and down to confirm neutral at stop lights, and don't think about it. I'm just spoiled by *other* bikes after riding for 55 years and wanted to see if I could do something about it. But I still believe that kick starting is a motorcycle ritual that should be required by law, so there.
No pointer, and IMHO not a great way to confirm neutral due to play in the shift lever, or at night. Number stampings probably done Friday afternoon just before the pubs opened. Yes, I habitually click up and down to confirm neutral at stop lights, and don't think about it. I'm just spoiled by *other* bikes after riding for 55 years and wanted to see if I could do something about it. But I still believe that kick starting is a motorcycle ritual that should be required by law, so there.
The pointer isn't attached to the shift lever, and doesn't actually touch the shift lever, give it a try, I ran for years without one, then added one to see if it helped anything. And its main use for me is when I'm working on the bike and want to see what gear its in
Thanks. A pointer it is. And my funky neutral light, so I don't have to wear my bifocals when riding. Mo lights, mo betta. And I certainly have nothing against pubs after work on Fridays.
It’s telling that British bikes didn’t include a neutral light on their large premier products when even small Japanese bikes had been so equipped for years. I guess it boils down to an arrogance by management concluding that the purchasers of these bikes didn’t need them. This may be true but anyone in marketing will tell you that everyone likes a few ‘bells and whistles’ at the time of purchase. All it did was to further alienate younger potential owners who looked at the small steering head consoles on jap bikes with a neat array of warning lights and ignition switch and considered anything less than that primitive. My first big bike (T160) was so equipped as was the Mk3 but it astounds me that it took so long. As to why Nortons didn’t include an oil pressure switch, I have no idea. Even when in financial extremis so much more could have been done to keep the bike’s equipment level vaguely comparable to their Japanese opposition.
ashman
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Who need friggin warning lights, my Triumphs had all them bloody bells and whistles for every thing, when I converted my 850 to the Featherbed frame back in th1980 I got rid of everything, no oil/ignition light nothing after 50 + years of owning my Norton I know just by feel of my gear lever when its in neutral or not, I know every sound my bike makes when normal, I just know my Norton, and the best part I run with very min wiring and even less with the Joe Hunt magneto and a very small battery, but that is about to change when I install the electric starter kit, thick wiring for the starter a bigger battery, in fact a few extra changes to be able to run the ES kit, after losing my lower right leg, I had my Norton set up right the way I built it 45+ years ago everything was built simple and now I have to change it all, I like simplicity, with all the bells and whistles to many things can go wrong and why make things harder.
Maybe you are just overthinking things even without a gear indicator on my gear lever I still know what gear my Norton is in just by feel alone and it also tells me my clutch and primary chain is set right just by feel alone, who needs a fu cking neutral switch and trying to solve a problem that not a problem when you know your own bike, but then so many don't know their own bike, same as new Norton owners don't have the knack of using the kicker, the way your bike is set up is how thing work right.
Ashley
Maybe you are just overthinking things even without a gear indicator on my gear lever I still know what gear my Norton is in just by feel alone and it also tells me my clutch and primary chain is set right just by feel alone, who needs a fu cking neutral switch and trying to solve a problem that not a problem when you know your own bike, but then so many don't know their own bike, same as new Norton owners don't have the knack of using the kicker, the way your bike is set up is how thing work right.
Ashley
Hi Ashley, I don’t doubt that everything you say is true, particularly in reference to your experience and what you know and expect from a bike. However the whole point of a motorcycle industry is to sell the bikes and unquestionably by 1970 new purchasers were expecting various refinements. This is irrespective of the fact that many rusted on tragics may have considered them unnecessary and superfluous gadgets. We must honestly and without prejudice ask the question; if faced with the choice of two bikes without brand loyalty, why would you choose one without an electric start for example. If you answer that Norton riders are purists who value light weight simplicity over technology you have instantly alienated are huge much share that given time could have been repeat buyers. Regards Alan
