How-to: Aftermarket turnsignals: Where to get 'em, hacks, LEDS, fixes

[NobleHops]

Alrighty, we all like wonderful original bikes but some of the weaker components on the twin-shock CBXs were a little problematic, and not so easy or practical to repair. Our massive pendulous turnsignals fall into that category: The bases are really thin, and prone to cracking, and the plastic is prone to getting really scaly and punky. With patience and persistence they can definitely be restored, sanding the plastic and repainting it. filling the cracks in the stems, etc. But if you're building a 'rider' CBX and don't really value the originality of these parts, there are now some B+ aftermarket parts that look very similar to the stock item (minus the OEM STANLEY lettering), and they are an excellent value too. But they are not perfect, and need a little hackery sometimes to make them work very well.


This is a stock turnsignal - note the STANLEY lettering, and the shape is a skosh less rounded than the aftermarket:

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This is the aftermarket part, the shape is a little different, and it's missing the lettering:

IMG_1594.jpeg

These are found on Ebay and periodically at any of a few specialty suppliers that serve the CBX community. This seller is selling sets of front AND rear:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175334142811

Note that these come in two flavors, same as found on our bikes. There are numerous sellers of the two-wire versions that would be used on the rear of our bikes. Those are single-function only, they only light up when the turnsignal is used.

There are comparatively fewer sellers of the three-wire version that would be found on the FRONT of our bikes in the USA and Canada, those are dual function - they act as running lights when the ignition is on, and flash when the turnsignal is used. You can certainly use the two-wire versions on the front if you don't care about the running lights, then you'd just have an unused light blue-white and orange-white wire in your headlight bucket. These have been harder to find, but are periodically available from this seller:

https://www.ebay.com/str/bmotobikestore

Recent listing 2/2023

https://www.ebay.com/itm/172469548194

I've bought a bunch of these from this dude, he's a good seller.

These are B+ parts in my opinion, they need a little work to fit and work just right sometimes.

[NobleHops]

There are two problems that we've experienced with these: Both versions have a small manufacturing flaw - they weren't threaded quite as deeply as they needed to be. And so when installing these onto the threaded turnsignal stems, you'll get 7/8 of the way there, and then it starts to get increasingly difficult to get them all the way on. You can simply gorrila these on there, we did that with the first set or two we used and you might get away with that long-term, but you may be putting a lot of pressure on the molded plastic that could cause it to crack, or you could damage them with the force of the installation.

The best way to deal with this is to finish threading them, but unfortunately that requires a tap that you are not likely to have: it's an M14 x 1.5mm "plug" or "bottoming" tap.

IMG_9456.jpg

This is how we employ this. Put the tap in a vice, mark the depth needed with a little wrap of tape on the tap, start it into the turnsignal stem and then put a few drops of light oil down the stem from the inside. You're going to need to remove the guts of the turnsignal to do this, but that is quickly and easily done.

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And as you can see, this is definitely necessary:

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When this is done and the swarf blown out, the reassembled turnsignals are easily installed on the stems, no drama, no risk of cracking or damaging them. But wait, there's more!

[NobleHops]

At ~370 watts max output more or less, our charging systems have their hands full supplying all the current the bike needs to do its thing, and many bikes are running around with charging systems that are not up to full snuff, which makes that even worse. Fortunately the aftermarket has come up with really good LEDs that can now be easily used in our bikes, saving a meaningful about of watts, with superior function, plug and play, with the addition of a turnsignal relay module that is optimized for their use. The replacement module is needed to prevent "hyperflashing' as will happen if you use a standard bimetal flasher module with LED turnsignals, as was stock on our bikes.

We've bought a bunch of these from an outfit called SuperBrightLEDs, at www.superbrightleds.com


This is the dual-function unit that will provide running lights and turnsignals, that you'd use in a three-wire front turnsignal with running lights:

IMG_9457.jpg

...and this is the single-function unit that you'd use in a two-wire rear turnsignal:

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And this is how they look, installed:

IMG_9455.jpg

Hat tip to my very close friend and collaborator JoeInTus for breaking this ground for us. We've banished the feeble old incandescent bulbs on all of our personal CBXs by now, plus the bikes we've recently sold. Would never use incandescent bulbs again, given this superior alternative. They work better, are easier on the bike's electrics, and are tons more visible to other motorists.

Here's the mysterious man himself, after I Tom-Sawyer'ed him yet again to help me install my exhaust on the Bitsa Bike project:

IMG_1203.jpg

[NobleHops]

One more bit of hackery:

The rear turnsignals use a simple single-pole electrical contact for the positive, centered on the springy pad within the socket. We've never had an issue with those making good contact.

The FRONT, however can be a little flaky. Those use dual contacts, in a line, and are more prone to losing their connection, given the somewhat loose fit on the sides. They may work fine when installed, but with a little jostling, they can lose their connection, and the running light or turn signal may or may not work, which is kind-of annoying.

The fix is fast and easy and can be done on the bike - unscrew the base from the turn signal housing pull it out just enough to get a grip on the outer edge of the sheet metal socket with a pair of pliers and give it a little squeeze where the openings are for the locking nubs on the lamp units (bulbs) to tighten up the fit there.

https://photos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/ ... 0-1280.mp4

[NobleHops]

Joe detailed much of the LED stuff he researched including information about flashers that are suited to them in this thread here:

http://www.cbxclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11771

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

Nils and Joe, thanks for the info on the replacement signals and the installation tips.

[daves79x]

I side note to another excellent thread - the reason the three-wire front reproduction signals are so hard to find is that, apart from the US and Canada, the rest of the CBXs in the world did not have running lights built into the front signals from the factory.

Dave

[Duffey Lake rd.]

I recently bought an advanced self-canceling turn signal device for my CBX.
Now $150
You just put rubber bumpers in your existing turn signal switch to make it into a momentary contact, and the module knows when to cancel, or you can still do it manually.

https://st2-systems.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiA ... CoQAvD_BwE

Honda Rebel (2017-2019) - ST2 SELF-CANCELLING TURN SIGNAL MODULE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-QLj30aKI

-Scott

[divan]

Nils -- Superb post! on this mod. Thanks so much. Just in the nick of time, too (ha!). I have been preparing to replace my old original TS/Running lights units and had just begun the process not only of hunting down usable repro units, but making them actually work. You've saved me (and a lot of others, I'd bet) all that online hassle. And I already have an M4 x 1.5 flat tap.

Thanks for sharing and for putting this all together for us.

Dick

[NobleHops]

My pleasure fellas, and thanks for the fill-in there, Dave, I edited my post with that good info.