On/off switch for headlight, taillight

[longranger44]

Has anyone wired in an on/off switch for the headlight and taillight? Not a fan of them always being on anytime the ignition on my 82 750t is on

[unfocused]

The early models, like my 77's, had a factory installed off/on switch. Turned everything off except the brake light. Now when I had my race cars in my youth, we had switches for our brake/tail lights for purposes that my lawyer has asked me not to discuss

[longranger44]

The early models, like my 77's, had a factory installed off/on switch. Turned everything off except the brake light. Now when I had my race cars in my youth, we had switches for our brake/tail lights for purposes that my lawyer has asked me not to discuss

Right lol, I'd imagine that's a sought after feature in the crotch rocket crowd. That along with their flip up license plates.
I'm wondering if anyone with a tscc era gs has wired in a switch like your older one has.

[rphillips]

I put one on one of my my "80" GS1100E Lunchboxes, just for headlight, not tail. On that bike there was a space on the center of the dash, straight above the trip reset button. I just put a black push on push off switch on there, cut the ground wire to the headlight and wired it through that switch. No trouble and worked great. It just didn't make sense having the headlight on while cranking the eng. I think Suzuki was the last UJM to quit doing it.

[longranger44]

I put one on one of my my "80" GS1100E Lunchboxes, just for headlight, not tail. On that bike there was a space on the center of the dash, straight above the trip reset button. I just put a black push on push off switch on there, cut the ground wire to the headlight and wired it through that switch. No trouble and worked great. It just didn't make sense having the headlight on while cranking the eng. I think Suzuki was the last UJM to quit doing it.

Yeah I don't like it either, especially with all the troubleshooting I've had to do it's annoying to have it on constantly. I had it where I was having trouble with it stalling and the first time I started it after rebuilding the carb I let it idle for like 5 minutes and then went inside and when I came back out it had stalled and the stupid headlight and taillight were of course still on, sitting there draining the battery. I wonder if there'd be a good way to wire them both through the same switch, I see on the wiring diagram they're on separate circuits. My Toyota car has drl's that can't be shut of and I hate that too.
Sounds like you have a sweet setup

[pdqford]

My 1980 GS 750 has a light switch but it was locked in the on position. I didn't like the headlight on when hitting the starter, either. I was able to open the light switch and remove the little thingy the factory put in there to make it an always on switch. Now I can turn the headlight on when I want it on and off when I want it off. I don't recall if it had an effect on the number of stator poles, as I did this like 30 years ago.

[rphillips]

Yep, 1979 was the first yr. the U.S. govt required all motorcycle headlights had to stay on. Easiest way for Suzuki to do it was put a stop on the headlight slide switch. Most everybody around me either trimmed off the plastic stop or just installed a slide switch from a "78" model that didn't have the stop thing on it.

[longranger44]

Yep, 1979 was the first yr. the U.S. govt required all motorcycle headlights had to stay on. Easiest way for Suzuki to do it was put a stop on the headlight slide switch. Most everybody around me either trimmed off the plastic stop or just installed a slide switch from a "78" model that didn't have the stop thing on it.

I wonder what year they eliminated the switch altogether because my 82 doesn't have it

[rphillips]

Evidently different GS's were different yrs. The GS1100's, GS1000's, and GS850's had no headlight switch in "80". I was surprised to see the GS750's did still have one.

[Cipher]

Yeah I don't like it either, especially with all the troubleshooting I've had to do it's annoying to have it on constantly. I had it where I was having trouble with it stalling and the first time I started it after rebuilding the carb I let it idle for like 5 minutes and then went inside and when I came back out it had stalled and the stupid headlight and taillight were of course still on, sitting there draining the battery. I wonder if there'd be a good way to wire them both through the same switch, I see on the wiring diagram they're on separate circuits. My Toyota car has drl's that can't be shut of and I hate that too.
Sounds like you have a sweet setup

Pull the fuse. Oh and the mod you want will nullify insurance.

[rphillips]

Not wanting to kill permanently, just never saw a need to have the large draw for the lights at the same time as the large draw from the starter. Lights off, start eng. then lights back on. Flip a switch, not fooling with a fuse.

[longranger44]

Pull the fuse. Oh and the mod you want will nullify insurance.

Sounds like the fuse to your brain has been pulled

[Cipher]

Sounds like the fuse to your brain has been pulled

Sounds like an incompetent neophyte needs to learn how laws for modding work.
ah and GFY.