Disabling headlight on all the time

[billy sugger]

Below is a pic of my Cbf600sa8 wiring diagram.

I am looking to fit an on/off switch in the dipped beam circuit to disable the light being on from the moment the key is turned to start the bike, (it momentarily goes off as the starter button is pressed. 

My commute to work is only 3.9miles and I believe the light being on is detrimental to charging the battery. I have a voltage indicator fitted, and this is showing a reading of 11.6 volt. The bike starts first time and runs fine, but I think the trip is too short to replace what's used and I don't want to bugger up the battery as its less than six months old. 

So to all you electrical wizards out there, where should I break into the wiring? 

 

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

If you open the headlight housing and put a switch in line with the live cable that would do the trick.

 

But to be honest it won't really make much difference. I'd rather keep the headlight for safety and if necessary install a charger lead to trickle charge the battery each night. 

[Gerontious]

I realise we’re all different, but personally, I just wouldn’t use a mid size bike for such a short commute. Sub 4 miles just isn’t far enough for the engine to warm up properly. And that would be a greater concern to me than the battery. But regardless of that I feel you have created a problem that doesn’t really exis, the drain from a dip beam is negligible and not worth worrying about.

[onesea]

I feel your pain my commute to work is 1.5miles, it eats car batteries if I use the car particularly in the winter.
 

My solution on the bike is to charge the battery at work every couple of weeks. Although I have a bike alarm that further drains the battery.

 

I don’t think it’s the headlight that drains the battery, they’re just not getting enough run time to get a decent charge back in the battery. Particularly after the amp-age used to start the engine.

It is the downside of such a short commute, it’s hard on motor vehicles.

 

I know I am in theoretical walking/ cycling distance. However I don’t fancy my chances at all hours on unlit roads (that are a bit of a rat run) with no pavements.

[Stu]

What about fitting an LED bulb instead? 

 

You can get some really good ones that don't scatter the light 

 

LED will obviously be less of a drain on the battery 

[billy sugger]

When I had the rear tyre blow out on the way home from Narborough it was on an unlit country road at night so the engine was left running whilst waiting for recovery. Only the headlight was on yet it drained the battery on tickover. The recovery guy turned off the ignition, not sure why, then realised he needed the engine running but it would not start due to a flat battery. My headlight is a HID unit, so probably consumes a lot of juice. I already have a smart battery maintainer wired to the battery so it's just a case of plug it in and forget it. @Gerontious the 600 was never meant to be my commuter bike, but the 500 engine bust a conrod and I'm in the middle of repairing it 

[billy sugger]

6 minutes ago, Stu said:

What about fitting an LED bulb instead? 

 

You can get some really good ones that don't scatter the light 

 

LED will obviously be less of a drain on the battery 

I tried a LED light but couldn't get on with it, as it didn't light up the back roads very well, and I missed the beam of light you got with conventional bulbs

[Stu]

Just now, billy sugger said:

I tried a LED light but couldn't get on with it, as it didn't light up the back roads very well, and I missed the beam of light you got with conventional bulbs

 

Did you use a cheap one? 

 

Some of the cheaper ones have the led in the wrong place so the beam of light is altered 

 

I fitted some to the FJR and they was brilliant 

[billy sugger]

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

Did you use a cheap one? 

 

Some of the cheaper ones have the led in the wrong place so the beam of light is altered 

 

I fitted some to the FJR and they was brilliant 

No it wasn't cheap, Stu. On the face of it it actually looked really bright when setting it up against my garage wall, but in reality, (to me anyway), on the dark roads home I could see even less of the tarmac than under halogen so I ditched it and went for HID. it probably didn't help having separate lenses for high and dipped beam, so the reflector shape could have been wrong, but the HID unit is designed for my light set-up so that's what I use now, and I have to admit it's brilliant at night

[Tiggie]

2 hours ago, onesea said:

I feel your pain my commute to work is 1.5miles, it eats car batteries if I use the car particularly in the winter.
 

 

My commute is the same. My car is parked on a hill at home so I started bumping it to preserve the battery   I have to make sure I go for a longer run once a week in winter otherwise I end up having to put it on charge in shed

[TimR]

1 hour ago, Tiggie said:

 

My commute is the same. My car is parked on a hill at home so I started bumping it to preserve the battery   I have to make sure I go for a longer run once a week in winter otherwise I end up having to put it on charge in shed

Hope it doesn't have a cat convertor as bumping 'new'cars can cause issues to these by injecting unburnt fuel 

[Tiggie]

I get the theory behind it happening but haven't had an issue myself for years over different cars when bump starting. Worth bearing in mind though 

 

My car is a Toyota Aygo and ridiculously easy to bump. Barely need to get moving and it'll fire right up when you let clutch out slowly in 2nd. 

 

 

[husoi]

Keep in mind that it is mandatory for motorbikes to have the dipped headlights on at all times while ridding.

I would advise a trickle charger at home over night instead.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

2 hours ago, husoi said:

Keep in mind that it is mandatory for motorbikes to have the dipped headlights on at all times while ridding.

I would advise a trickle charger at home over night instead.

I didn't know that it is mandatory. I thought it was just done out of common sense. 

[Ian Frog]

I thought it was like Saab`s and Volvo`s someone started doing it and common sense meant other manufacturers followed.

Does this mean my old GS750 shouldn`t have been granted it last few MOT`s as I rode it to the test centre without the lights on and the tester had to turn them on ?

Cheers

Ian

[Tiggie]

It became mandatory after a certain year. Can't be arsed googling when, it's too hot 

 

My 2001 Suzuki didn't have them 

[Ian Frog]

Wow I must have slept through that one lol.

Must pay more attention.

My 2004 ZRX is the earliest thing I remember where the light on/off switch was missing.

Cheers

Ian

[Throttled]

It will likely invalidate your insurance, since it is regarded as a safety matter.

[oldgrump]

My VFR800's have light switches, 98/2000 plates, only bike I have is the 2004 SV1000, that came with lights permanently on!! But my mate who brought the Sv from new put a switch in to turn it off, because he was worried battery would go flat! on start up.

 

I never use the switch on SV, but sometimes on the VFR's I turn the lights off. 

[husoi]

1st January 2016

---

The introduction of AOH (always on headlights) which applies to all new motorcycles imported into the UK from 1st January 2016 is a source of concern to MAG. MAG is concerned that this has been pushed through by EU bureaucrats with no evidence to prove that it will deliver enough benefit to justify the measure.

[onesea]

39 minutes ago, husoi said:

1st January 2016

---

The introduction of AOH (always on headlights) which applies to all new motorcycles imported into the UK from 1st January 2016 is a source of concern to MAG. MAG is concerned that this has been pushed through by EU bureaucrats with no evidence to prove that it will deliver enough benefit to justify the measure.

I think a bigger threat to most motorcyclists now is the number of cars with daylight running lights.  Meaning there lights can hide cyclists and motorcycles.
The battle to the brightest lights is not necessarily a good thing.

[MikeHorton]

2 hours ago, onesea said:

I think a bigger threat to most motorcyclists now is the number of cars with daylight running lights.  Meaning there lights can hide cyclists and motorcycles.
The battle to the brightest lights is not necessarily a good thing.

I don't like a lot of the new cars especially ev that seem to have a light spanning across the whole width of the front of the car 

[billy sugger]

Where that idea come from?  I know, let's build an electric/battery driven car and stick lots of energy using lights on it

[Copycat73]

21 hours ago, Tiggie said:

It became mandatory after a certain year. Can't be arsed googling when, it's too hot 

 

My 2001 Suzuki didn't have them 

There is no legislation requiring motorcycles to be fitted with DRL

[Copycat73]

21 hours ago, Throttled said:

It will likely invalidate your insurance, since it is regarded as a safety matter.

There is no legislation requiring motorcycles to be fitted with DRL .. so it likely wont ..