Show Chrome handle bar switch housing fit - (not) --MD Tech

[mello dude]

Thought I would tackle replacing the stock switch housings with the Show Chrome parts that have been hanging in the garage....

Package opened.....


Got it all together and then discovered all the radius's that contact the handle bar are too small.... like


You would think that the flip over would be a simple unbolt old, and bolt in to the new...  
But nooooo.... you have to grind all the chrome off the contact area to get it all to fit.... Bleah.

[mello dude]

More.. Sooo, take all the guts out that you just sneaked together and grind, fit?, grind it, file it..fit yet? Then do it again...
Aaaahhhh...

[mello dude]

As a BTW... its a damn fiddly job, on the order of working on a watch.. total bitch.... glad I took photos..

[mello dude]

[mello dude]

The Other side of it..

[Jess from VA]

I must have read 20 posts (some here, some not) over the years on how that was a terrible job.

The Kuryakyn covers weren't much better.

I just polished the OE switch boxes.

[mello dude]

You have to be crazy careful to put it all together or else ---POP! ...lightswitch explodes!... Sh!t.. Mr Murphy is alive and well.

Grrrrr.... I think I can get it back together but its just another step of insanity.....

[mello dude]

I must have read 20 posts (some here, some not) over the years on how that was a terrible job.

The Kuryakyn covers weren't much better.

I just polished the OE switch boxes.

Agree it is a terrible job. Need a 5 year olds fingers and a good magnifying glass....and lots of creative curse words..
....... Well I have the parts.... wish I just got out the polish wheel.

[John Schmidt]

Now you know why I adapted chrome HD controls to my bike. Mounted the switch boxes, ran the wires through the 1 1/4" bars I mounted, took one circuit at a time and voila; chrome switches with turn signals on each side like they're supposed to be. Mount a module to control the turn/brake/4-way and you get self-canceling function without having to move the switch to shut them off. 

It did require I fabricate my improved choke lever, doing away with the cable from the left handlebar. Trouble for years now.

[mello dude]

John, Sounds like you did a great job on the switch gear. Mbe post up some photos..

Generally since I have had umpteen Yamaha's and Hondas, I really have no beef with how the switches are functionally.
I think after all these years with the turn signals on the left bar, splitting them on each side would drive me crazy.
Mostly I did this thread to point out the mediocre quality of the Show Chrome switch boxes........
And to rant a bit on the difficulty of the work, which should be generally simple.

Maybe someone who has done it before can chime in too.

[mello dude]

Got it together..... looks great....but
I did a whole lotta fit check, fit check and it still doesn't go completely together......
Choke works but not smooth like OEM housings. Same for the turn signal switch. And to boot, I rank this as one of the most miserable fumbly jobs I have ever done.....

First --- I will go out on a limb and say these are not recommended...effe it.
I am strongly considering taking the loose stock parts and giving them a good polish and reinstalling them.
From a function first view.... stock, hands down is best.



Photos coming...

[Foozle]

Got it together..... looks great....but
I did a whole lotta fit check, fit check and it still doesn't go completely together......
Choke works but not smooth like OEM housings. Same for the turn signal switch. And to boot, I rank this as one of the most miserable fumbly jobs I have ever done.....

First --- I will go out on a limb and say these are not recommended...effe it.
I am strongly considering taking the loose stock parts and giving them a good polish and reinstalling them.
From a function first view.... stock, hands down is best.

Photos coming...

I think your experience with these has been pretty typical.  I have them on two Valkyries - and it was a test of my religion installing each.  However, once on, I will say that they've stood the test of time pretty well - and that the choke function on one has smoothed out over time (it wasn't an issue on the other).  Even so, in retrospect, I'd consider the whole cost/benefit ratio to be borderline.

Now that you've done the hard part of getting them on, perhaps give them a month or so and see if they "adapt" to the installation.  If not, I have no doubt that OEM is superior in function; cosmetically, the level of polishing will likely tell the tale.

Thanks for sharing your efforts.

Terry

[mello dude]

So....... as a final note........
I threw up my arms with a effe it..  I could not get the turn signal switch to operate smoothly or the also the choke ..same could not get it to operate smoothly........Even after looking at the MD YouTube several times and couple others. I must have torn it down and back 6 times....

I am not a rookie mechanical guy by any chance... so for function purposes, I bought new and there is no comparison.
OEM functionally works best. Damn any esthetics....... it's gotta work right first.

I will be selling it all if you have patience to mess with it.

[Bighead]

Put a set of those on in '99 on my Bee had no problems with fitment or anything else and they look good still today.
I do notice that your package says MOST honda cruisers. My package stated they were for the Valkyrie. Maybe they were a bit different.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Put a set of those on in '99 on my Bee had no problems with fitment or anything else and they look good still today.

Over the years I've put the Show Chrome version on many a Valk - as have quite a few of the Ohio VRCC crowd - and none of us had to do anything apart from moving the switches and cables over. My '99 Tourer still wears the set I put on the bike when we got it for Blondie in 2008.

The Interstates used a different type of housing with the cables exiting the bottom instead of the side, as with the Standard/Tourer. I got hold of an extra I/S housing set, had them chromed and swapped mine. My friend Dan - "CMeNot" from many years ago - put the Standard/Tourer part on his I/S and was always getting cable binding problems. He could have fitted 2" over stock length cables and been fine with the front-exit housings.

Posting this makes me feel old. It seems like yesterday that I took Dan down to Shadyside Honda to pick his I/S up during an Appreciation Days event, when in reality 9/11 was still several months away.

[Bagger John - #3785]

I am strongly considering taking the loose stock parts and giving them a good polish and reinstalling them.

Call the crew at Custom Chrome Plating (Grafton, OH) and ask if they'll chrome the OEMs.

I had them do a set of I/S housings and other Valk parts - both steel and aluminum - over the winter. Used to think that the old H&R Plating (who Rattlebars recommended) was good until I saw CCP's work. The finish I got on my stuff wasn't even considered their "show grade" and it's better than just about anything I've ever seen - OEM or otherwise.

[mello dude]

For the moment, my patience is shot on this, I put too many hours into getting it to work. I'm good for now to have a good functional switch. I have other fish to fry on this bike to get it done!

Thanks for the tip on Custom Chrome Plating.