This is for bikes without a headlight control switch (like the EFI bikes) - this fairly simple mod will keep the lights off completely until after it is started.*
Even if you incorporate the starter relay bypass mod -
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...ge=3#Post500861 - this will still function the same way
Currently, when the ignition is initially turned on, the headlights come on immediately.
Triumph incorporated a 'cut while starting' feature however, so that the lights go off while the starter motor is engaged.
But here is a fairly simple modification that takes it a step further
- by adding in one more relay,
the lights will remain off completely until after the starter is pressed and released.
(note that lights will not come on until the button is actually
released, not when initially pressed)
Total cost will be less than $10
You need one 12V relay (20A minimum rating), a couple of diodes and some wire - that is it!
How it works: When ignition is first turned on, the new relay will be 'off' inhibiting power to the OEM starter relay.
When the starter button is pressed, the new relay will energize along with the OEM starter relay, completing the circuit through both relays to the starter solenoid.
When the starter button is released, the 'new' relay will remain on however - it will self-latch because of the connection from its output (87) back to the input (86).
The diode in the starter line prevents the current from flowing back to the starter relay, otherwise it would keep the starter relay energized.
i.e. diode allows the starter signal to flow to the new relay, but not from the new relay to flow back to the starter signal.
And when the starter button is released, the OEM starter relay de-energizes and switches power from the now-latched new relay, to the headlights.
The new relay will remain latched on as long as ignition switch is on - will reset when ignition turned off.
The diode is added across the coil for turn-off spike suppression (good practice when adding relays for ANY purpose)
This will make for minimal drain from battery when you first turn on ignition. Also useful for those maintenance activities (like TuneECU for example) where you might want to have the ignition on, but not have lights on.
A couple of assembly tips:
you can actually pop the cover off the relay and solder the suppression diode and the 87 to 86 link directly inside and replace the cover. Then you just have wires/spades coming off the relay.
You can make up your relay assembly with its wire harness off pins 87, 86 & 85 - then when installing just remove the spade with the blue/yellow from the OEM relay & install on the new relay pin 30.
Then replace that terminal with the new wire from the new relay output (87) and finally splice the new relay coil wires to the starter signal (via diode) & ground
When installing diode in-line on the new starter signal wire, you can slip a piece of heatshrink tubing over the entire diode once soldered - add something like a piece of zip-tie inside the heatshrink just to add some rigidity to prevent the joint ever breaking from handling. (like a medical 'splint')
Diode secection requirement is fairly liberal electrically - will only be about 150mA of current through it - but a higher rated current diode is likely to have thicker leads, which is preferable from a purely mechanical perespective.
* Note that if bike fails to start initially, after the starter button is released, the lights will be on even if engine has not fired; however they will 'cut' again as soon as the button is pressed again, as per the 'normal' cut function.
