What controls on left and right?

I am wiring my 1974 Commando and noticed according to my wiring diagram in factory manual the left side switch controls the flasher and the right side controls dip, headlight flash, horn, etc....I thought maybe I had mixed these up when reassembling the switches after cleaning because I had them just the opposite..I switched them back to way the diagram said and researched more after finishing for the day..I noticed the Rider's Manual states the right side is for flashers..Is this another mistake in the factory manual?

Never trust a misprint in a factory manual- Chinese proverb

Put them what ever side suits, I have the turn signal switch on the right side which I prefer and also the horn then is on the left which matches my Victors.

Beach said:

Is this another mistake in the factory manual?

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No, it's just that the factory swapped the switch clusters over on later models due to customer demand.

handlebar-switches-t2185.html

No, it's just that the factory swapped the switch clusters over on later models due to customer demand.

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I stand corrected. :shock:

Beach said:

I am wiring my 1974 Commando and noticed according to my wiring diagram in factory manual the left side switch controls the flasher and the right side controls dip, headlight flash, horn, etc....I thought maybe I had mixed these up when reassembling the switches after cleaning because I had them just the opposite..I switched them back to way the diagram said and researched more after finishing for the day..I noticed the Rider's Manual states the right side is for flashers..Is this another mistake in the factory manual?

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I thought the same thing, but the logo's on the two switches are left/right-specific, which, when installed upright, puts the flasher on the right, dip on the left. If I remember correctly, my '72 Trident was just the opposite. Maybe it has something to do with the GP shift pattern... :roll:

Other than the brake light switch, I have no controls on the right side.

I went with a Sparx MKIII switch gear on the left which has all I need. This is particularly usefull and an excellant option when going with an upgraded aftermarket mastercylinder.

The headlamp switch is on the headlight housing, the hi/low beam, the turn signals, the horn and the highbeam flasher is all on the left. I do not have a kill switch and quite frankly do not want one.

The only issue with going this way was to chop the combo connectors, add the bullets and make the appropriate connections. It's clean, simple and looks good to me.

You might consider simplifying the whole matter by consolidating everything you need into one switch from Colordo Norton Works. All you really need is high/low beam, turn signals, and horn. The sinlge switch from CNW has the turn signal moving from right to left instead of up and down .... what a concept.

My '71 Norton has the switches oriented exactly as shown in the 'Rider's Handbook':

Anglophile said:

My '71 Norton has the switches oriented exactly as shown in the 'Rider's Handbook':

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Excellent picture.
Googling for pictures of original 1971 Fastbacks never seemed to get the returns of the later Commando's with regard to how things were placed or used.
That pic (never thought of a owners manual) shows pretty much everything.
My 71 came with a excellent condition S700 headlight with a two position switch only (MkIII perhaps) and ended up with numerous 3 light units as a replacements in the quest for a good one.
It had no air lever and it seemed it was on the right so got one of those complete,then somewhere else seemed to suggest it was on the left so I got one of those. :lol:
It had no airbox so got one of those,then I picked up a NOS 1971 power take off only to find it mounts on the airbox front panel so I ended up getting another 1971 airbox that had the holes for the screws.
All I could really save from the Lucas switch blocks was the front panels so ended up picking up two very good complete replacements (US) then two incomplete NOS ones came up (UK) along with two NOS levers so got those too,then two complete NOS ones typically turn up locally . :?
Its a bumpy road to having some originality back without becoming a hoarder.
You know something is up when SWMBO buys you a 55 items 'Lock and Lock watertight,four latch tops Tupperware set that comes in a box that would hold close to two Norton fuel tanks.

I would agree,even though the plastic thumb levers are a little fragile (it seems) running the original Lucas switches to relays and they would last long term no problems.








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