Series 1 or 2 Indicators

[Storkfoot]

Now I have had the cores of the housings drilled out, I thought I’d start a thread about the indicators I have fitted to my Series 2. Over the next few months, I’ll go back through what I have done and what I am changing.







This is the the Series 2 that the resin versions are currently fitted to:

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=15144

[Scooterslag]

Looking forward to reading your thread, I want to fit indicators to my bitza and could do with tips etc , cheers Paul

[Storkfoot]

Looking forward to reading your thread, I want to fit indicators to my bitza and could do with tips etc , cheers Paul

I have decided that I really need indicators at the back too as, from behind, vehicles can’t always see my legshield indicators. Initially, I was going to go with something more in keeping with the originals, however, I have now decided to go with unobtrusive LEDs. They would probably look good front and back on some Series 3s.

[Storkfoot]

These are the two scooters that inspired me. The Series 1 you may have seen before. It lives in Norwich.

[Storkfoot]

Going back to the start. This is the Honda C90 switch as it arrived.



It’s a simple switch with three wires. An orange to the right hand indicator, a light blue to the left and a grey to the flasher relay. Given that there are still so many C90s on the road, there are plenty of remade ones out there. It provides a reassuring “click” when it engages left or right which you can feel through thick gloves.

That said, it is designed to attach to motorcycle handlebar, and so, it needs a lot of work to get it to fit to a Lambretta handlebar. I wanted it to be operational with my right thumb so I didn’t have to take a hand off the handlebar when operating the indicators.

I bought a 4 pin flasher relay along with the indicators themselves and mocked it up on the bench. I even included a Vespa T5 type buzzer and a warning light to be visible in the handlebars. It all worked but I didn’t notice at the time that the indicators flashed too quickly and that I didn’t really need the warning light or the buzzer as I could see the indicators flashing from my riding position.

At this point, I sent the switch away to be modified.

[Wack]

Although I use a 3 pin, you can get 4 pin adjustable relays to alter the flash rate.

[Storkfoot]

Although I use a 3 pin, you can get 4 pin adjustable relays to alter the flash rate.

Indeed you can get 4 pin adjustable relays. I think I discovered that later. But, as I can see the indicators flashing, I am happy to keep with the 3 pins.

Fitting the LED rear indicators has exposed a problem with my system. From what I can tell so far, there seems to be an issue either with the flasher relay itself or, possibly, the earth from the flasher relay which I need to check tomorrow.

When I indicate one way, both front and rear indicators work fine. When I indicate the other way, the rear LED indicator does not work whereas the front does, albeit at a quicker rate than the other side.

[Storkfoot]

It turns out that the problem was a simple disconnection of one of the rear indicator wires in the headset. It meant there was no connection from the switch to the left sided rear indicator.

The headset wiring is a bit busy as I also have my Tom Tom wired into the lighting circuit.

Now I have operational rear lights, I updated my wiring diagram.





At this point, once again, I’ll reiterate that I have a very limited knowledge of electrical circuits

[LambrettaMarky]

Nice work.. Have you thought about running a current to them as running lights?

[Storkfoot]

Nice work.. Have you thought about running a current to them as running lights?

No thanks, Mark. Not for me.

I want my Lambrettas to remain looking like Lambrettas. Running lights always seem a bit odd to me even on sports bikes and cars. The attraction of the small LEDs is that, in my view, they don’t detract from the legshield indicators or the overall shape of the scooter. I wouldn’t want them on all the time. They are very bright.

[LambrettaMarky]

I have the LED indicator & running lights on my BMW R1250 GSA and they certainly divide opinion.

Personally I always assume nobody has seen me so I ride accordingly & do like a hand signal still.

Agree the LEDs look discreet and should, as you say Paul, attract attention.

Lovely Job!

[gaz_powell]

Great piece of work Paul including the casting of the front brackets.

[Storkfoot]

Here are a few more photos showing how I routed the cables behind the legshield beading and out into the headset to connect with the switch wiring and rear indicator wiring. I have also included pictures of the battery, connectors and adjustable flasher relay. Oh, also the switch as I got it back from being worked to fit a Lambretta headset.

[Storkfoot]

I could spend forever polishing and more polishing but this’ll have to do.

[shamrockexpress]

Great Job well done, cant be to safe on modern roads, young drivers have no knowledge that vehicles with NO indicators actually exist which is a scarey reality!!!

[Storkfoot]

Great Job well done, cant be to safe on modern roads, young drivers have no knowledge that vehicles with NO indicators actually exist which is a scarey reality!!!

Dead right

Originally, I’m unsure precisely what indicators were used with these housings. They look like they were just a bulb enclosed in a plastic lens. The ones I have used are bar end indicators from BMW motorcycles apparently. They are pretty sturdy. In the photo of the two of them, the Hella ones are on the right, the copies from eBay are on the left. There is little material difference.







There’s also a picture of my battery isolation switch. I put this in as I believed that the flasher was slowly draining the battery. Since I put it in though, I have hardly used it so I am not so sure it is really needed. That said, I shall use it more over the Winter.

[LambrettaMarky]

Really neat work Paul!

[Storkfoot]

Thanks for the positive comments.

To celebrate the working indicators, I went for a ride yesterday afternoon. It was a short ride.

Initially, the scooter seemed to be suffering fuel starvation. I filled up and then kept going. I was trying to identify whether the poor running was happening at a specific throttle opening. It seemed to be happened when the scooter was under load rather than a specific throttle setting.

Then I got some violent backfires followed by plumes of white smoke.

Blocking the tailpipe didn’t stop the engine so I think I can safely assume that I have blown the drive side oil seal.

Ah well, it is Winter

[LambrettaMarky]

...but were the indicators OK?

Maybe a Hazards function...

[Storkfoot]

...but were the indicators OK?

Maybe a Hazards function...

Indicators work fine

A hazards function would be useful for breakdowns. That rarely happens to me





If any members are interested in a set of unpolished housings at what they cost me, I do have two spare sets. Feel free to PM me.