Brake light and indicator mod

[Twodogs]

I did this mod about a year ago but have just recently made up a grab rail which I thinks finished off what I felt was missing. I had never liked the look of the rear brake light on the bonnies with it being too large and cheap looking. The indicators I thought also looked out of place and cheap as well. I had a Lucas rear brake light spare which is a common replacement and I felt looked better and like any mod I try to do with my Bonnie I like it to be subtle that unless you know the bikes you wouldn't know what has been changed.

Problem is fitting the lucas light means drilling the guard which is something I didn't want to do and the top mounting screw to me looked a little untidy so that needed to go. To keep the original mounting holes I made an adapter plate that has two studs going through the original holes in the guard and the plate is tapped so the screws for the lucas light can be secured to it.

With the top screw I reshaped (Ground) the housing until the hole was gone and using some of the original mounting bracket from the original light I was able to modify this and attach it to the underside of the light housing so it cannot be seen. The result is a no drill attachment and no screws can be seen.

With the indicators, I had already fitted some smaller ones from BC on my Thruxton and didn't want to do the same again. So really thinking about what really bothered me with the OEM indicators, it was the fact that they are too long and stalky looking. So I simply cut them down by about 30-35mm (Cannot remember exactly). This in my opinion was a subtle change keeping the original OEM part (Sort of) and tidied up the look of the bike and was cheap. This was good on the front in the original position but the rear I had to make up a bracket that picked up off the rear bolts for the rear guard and came out from under the seat.

For a while I felt this just didn't look finished off properly so I made up a grab rail that could incorporate the indicators to make it look like they were meant to be part of the set up and it gave something for my missus to hang onto instead of me giving my wrists a welcomed rest.

 

[The Fonz]

Very tidy and professional looking modification.

 

[slartybartfarst]

Two dogs what a great looking upgrade, I love the balance this bike has with the chrome-work and lights in the right place, what are the rear shocks?

 

[Twodogs]

Cheers on the comments.

The shocks are Hagon Brand classic 111 which I got through British Customs, who ended up sending me the wrong ones, 1 inch lower and 30kg spring rate instead of 20kg, felt like a park bench to sit on. After contacting Hagon it worked out they were to suit a Bonnie American. Part number listings were all wrong so Hagon sent me a correct set .......no charge, pretty good of them plus a work mate has an American so we ended up with a set of Classics each for half price. Most of the chrome is standard T100, I just added the rocker cover and chromed the head brackets. Most of the mods are little things that add up to a total package without being in your face like the rear end stuff, lower bars, bar end mirrors, speedo in the headlight, burton seat upgraded and moved forward, headlight raised 35mm and key relocation, horn and regulator relocated, Madazz pipes, indicators chopped, paint stripe, fork boots, polished alloy components and air box removal.

I love these bikes and have never had so much fun with any other bike I have owned in regards to personalising them and riding. As you can see on this site very few are the same or remain standard for too long.

 

[JimmyR]

Really nice work mate! Very slick.

BTW do you still have to display a rego disc in Qld? here in Perth they have done away with that. All the cops have computers in their cars anyway. So they know more about your rego than we do.

 

[rodhotter]

very nice i would buy one of those for my 2012 bonnie

 

[Twodogs]

Really nice work mate! Very slick.

BTW do you still have to display a rego disc in Qld? here in Perth they have done away with that. All the cops have computers in their cars anyway. So they know more about your rego than we do.

Yeah, you can just see mine in front of the left rear shock. It states that we are to have them on the back or left side of the bike so I figured I would try and put it somewhere that doesn't make the bike look untidy and there was a threaded hole up there just screaming to be used

 

[slartybartfarst]

Two dogs Ive had a number of Hagon shocks, when 1 had a problem they replaced it FOC it was on a second-hand bike, I never bought the shock, they were concerned the fail should not of happened no matter what. Hagons support was exceptional, came as a surprise I never asked them to replace it was just looking for a cost to fix it, Id recommend them.
Spent last night removing the front indicators and fitted the 1970s Lucas pattern type, I cut down the shafts till I got the right look as you say its lots of little subtle mods that make the bike. Rear indicator position with be as yours but again the Lucas pattern and a Maund light on the back.
Ive fitted a Wipac lamp but with HID as I find on other bikes when filtering the HID wakes up the tin boxes, this bike is gonna get used all year round.
I might yet go back to the originals cut down, you got it spot on there, the problem with them is they stick out to far for their size.

 

[Twodogs]

Hagon are exceptional because the only reason I contacted them was because the American supplier would not respond to any of my emails when I was trying to work out what was going on which was getting frustrating because I wanted to ride the bike but couldn't because the arse end was too hard and it made the handling dangerous. When Hagon then worked out what the shocks were actually for they just said we will send another set and inform the supplier. What was also impressive was they would respond to an email with in the hour, sometimes immediately.

Once you have done the Mods you will have to get some pictures on here.

 

[slartybartfarst]

Yea ill post some pics of the bike when done and probably start a new thread on fitting the HID lamp (where/how to wire it all in the headlamp housing ) and the heated seat mod using an old car seat heater (we need that here at the moment Im out in 3 deg C and its raining) did 40 Miles today on muddy/wet roads and it was still fun!

 

[Twodogs]

when putting my speedo in the headlight bucket I needed to reduce the amount of idiot lights there were, so I wired up and mounted two small LEDS, one Blue (High Beam) and one (Green indicators) in the speedo facia. The other standard idiot lights neutral and oil I mounted in the bucket. Two was less of a clutter than four in the bucket and had an old style look to it. Without really knowing much about electrics and the poms wanting to run the earth through opposite indicators definitely had me scratching my head for a while but I eventually worked it out a few diodes and thingy ma whatzits latter only to look at some earlier threads on this site and somebody had already done one about wiring up LED indicators......doooooh!! But hey at least I got it the same as what he had done. But it is surprising what is in here. So your input will probably surprise somebody who thinks, oh buggar it I will just type in heated seat on the off chance. Is that 3deg C on the bike or standing?? because if that is standing than buggar the seat, I would be fitting a hot tub. One you can sit in and still reach the bars.