Dodged a bullet today.

[John Schmidt]

I had just installed some passenger pegs on the trike for Nancy to use to get on/off the trike now that it's back on the road. I had found a set with a short standoff that allows me to use the parking brake lever when the peg is flipped up. Once installed, I had Nancy come out to try getting on/off as she had in the past. With her knee replacement and being a bit short on one end, it's nearly impossible for her to do it. In the process, I noticed when I turned on the key to make sure it was in gear to keep from rolling during her attempts, the neutral light was on even while in gear. I did a quick test by running it up/down through the gears(motor off) and every time the neutral light was on. Well nuts, now what? When we finished with Nancy's attempts(no luck so far), I grabbed the shop manual and started looking at the gear ID circuit, noting it involved a light green/red wire. Now in my rather quiet past() I've had to replace the gear indicator switch in the engine, most recently was in the GL-1200 I restored. The front of the motor has to come off so I wasn't real excited about that possibility on the Valk...which now has a Wing motor in it for the benefit of reverse. So, later this evening, having found TV not inspiring, I went out to the shop to at least sit and glare at the trike. I put it through the paces again, shifting up/down with the key on and yes...neutral light is on all the time. I then suddenly recalled having clipped a wire not to be used when converting the Wing motor to Valk use. The Wing motor's internal gear switch would give you gear indication and I only needed the Neutral to show so I clipped the unused wire and tucked it in behind the cover just behind the neck. I pulled that triangular cover and lo and behold...it's light green/red. I pulled it out, turned on the key and went through the gears and neutral only lit up when actually in neutral. Next with each gear position, I touched the end of that wire to the frame...bingo...neutral light on. I promptly insulated and isolated the end of the wire and tucked it back where it was, started the bike and went through the gears. No light except for when in neutral. Woohoo!

That could have been dangerous otherwise. If the bike was in gear but the neutral light was on and you thought it was in neutral when you tried starting...not good. Remember, this is a trike so the kickstand switch is permanently in the "up" position.

Now if we can just figure out a way for Nancy to get on, my backrest post creates a problem for her to clear when trying to scoot back to the passenger seat...I won't go into her somewhat ribald joke. I could remove the backrest altogether which would make it easier for her, making her my backrest which was fodder for another comment. We do enjoy our life together.