Shift Light - What Model and how to?

[exposuredesigns]

Hi guys, i am a new member to this forum from Brisbane Australia. I am looking to add a shiftlight to my bike, as i plan on doing quite a bit of drag racing, and it's a great tool to foster consistency, discourages over-revving.

I am thinking about the MSD unit with the super-bright LED's - part number 289631 http://www.mpsracing.com/products/MSD/sl02.asp. You can get them in differing formats:

• 180 degree calibration
• 360 degree calibration
• 720 degree calibration

I would think that one could alter the rpm level to compensate to some extent (eg set at 4500 to come on at 9000rpm) however i want to know which is the correct one for a Vmax. Mine is a 1985 model, with standard ignition setup.

I would be grateful for any advice in selecting a model, and identifying the correct calilbration for the ignition setup.

PS. Great Forum guys!

 

[backfire]

That is the *exact* same shift light I use on my bike and set my shift point to occur 125 RPM before the 9500 RPM reline of the engine, so it would give me a little buffer time to actually make the shift. In fact, here's the model I use and it's configurable to many different ignition systems with little parts in the kit and it uses an unductive pick-up for it's input signal. http://www.msdignition.com/2006/06-21.htm

It works great and when I get back into the office tomorrow morning, I'll take a picture of it to post up for you and I'll see what I've got it set to also, as I can't remember right now.

 

[exposuredesigns]

That is the *exact* same shift light I use on my bike and set my shift point to occur 125 RPM before the 9500 RPM reline of the engine, so it would give me a little buffer time to actually make the shift. In fact, here's the model I use and it's configurable to many different ignition systems with little parts in the kit and it uses an unductive pick-up for it's input signal. http://www.msdignition.com/2006/06-21.htm

It works great and when I get back into the office tomorrow morning, I'll take a picture of it to post up for you and I'll see what I've got it set to also, as I can't remember right now.

That is awesome - Thanks John. I am also considering the Raptor one, as i know someone else on this forum uses one of those. All the LED ones look pretty good, so long as they are compatible is the big question. :ummm:

 

[backfire]

That is awesome - Thanks John. I am also considering the Raptor one, as i know someone else on this forum uses one of those. All the LED ones look pretty good, so long as they are compatible is the big question. :ummm:

It is compatible- I'm already using it on my bike.

It has instructions with it that tells you how to configure it's trigger when used with either a spark plug wire, coil trigger, magnetic trigger, Hall Effect trigger or whatever. It does not care where the signal comes from or how, just as long as you configure it correctly with the little parts in the kit.

I'm about ready to leave the house and head into the shop, so I'll take a photo of mine. It's pretty easy to install and configure...

 

[maleko89]

I recommend Harlan shift lights. They're waterproof. Hulign has one and it's been through all sorts of weather. RPM is set with dip switches.

http://www.harlan-engineering.com/store/store.html

 

[Rusty McNeil]

The raptors are pretty much compatible with anything out there, and very forgiving on what type of input they'll trigger on.

They are not waterproof since the dip switches are in an open window on the side, but that can be cured with clear packing tape.

Almost everyone I know with a shiftt light on a Vmax runs the Raptor.

I've heard the Harlans are pretty much identical to the Raptor except they are waterproof.

 

[4gasem]

The raptors are pretty much compatible with anything out there, and very forgiving on what type of input they'll trigger on.

They are not waterproof since the dip switches are in an open window on the side, but that can be cured with clear packing tape.

Almost everyone I know with a shiftt light on a Vmax runs the Raptor.

I've heard the Harlans are pretty much identical to the Raptor except they are waterproof.

I have the Raptor and like it... I used it JUST last night when I was F'ing with some poser on a Hardley. I think I scared the **** out of him when I canned it next to him and flew off... :biglaugh:

 

[Hulign]

The Harlan light is a no brainer!! 50 bucks and it works great...even after pressure washing it...lol

Why pay more for the same thing?


Frank

 

[QuarterHorse]

The Harlan light is a no brainer!! 50 bucks and it works great...even after pressure washing it...lol

Why pay more for the same thing?


Frank

Do you have pics of it mounted on your bike I could see?

 

[4gasem]

The Harlan light is a no brainer!! 50 bucks and it works great...even after pressure washing it...lol

Why pay more for the same thing?


Frank

Agreed!

I wish I knew about it 2 years ago! :bang head: ?? is, is it the same diameter as the Raptor? I have a mount I use so it matters to me...

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Here's one of the Raptor; it's the one on the right.

Rusty

 

[shawn kloker]

I like the Harlen.

I really wish that we could find somebody that could make ignitions besides Dynotek. Analog and digital.

 

[Mitchell]

Raptor = 0.75" diameter x 3.125 long / 7 LEDS
Harlan = 1.0" diameter x 3.0" long / 6 LEDS

$50 more for essentially 1 LED :damn angry: That sucks, since I just ordered a Raptor last Monday. Sure wished I woulda knew about the Harlan:bang head:

Does the Harlan come with any type of mounting bracket?

 

[maleko89]

You can get a simple bracket for an additional $1.50. Or, you can get velcro tape and fasten to your speedometer.

 

[Mitchell]

You can get a simple bracket for an additional $1.50. Or, you can get velcro tape and fasten to your speedometer.

Thanks Mark. Twist the knife, why don't ya. I knew I shoulda did more research:bang head:

 

[maleko89]

No biggie Clay. Harlan stopped making them for awhile and just started back up again last year.

I would sell the Raptor on Ebay. They're pretty popular and can be used on different makes/models.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Love the look and the price of the Harlan. One stupid question: Do you have to set it up as a 2cyl and turn it on at 50% of the desired RPM due to the funky firing order of the Max? Thanks in advance for the help:biglaugh:

 

[backfire]

Here is my MSD Shift Light installed on my bike. (photos below)

I chose the MSD Light not just for a cheap prices, but because it had the many features I wanted and it was produced by a well-known supplier that's been around for decades. It's a very low profile design and fits snugly to the speedo, as I didn't want some gaudy, fat light sticking high off the speedo cup where it didn't appear stock looking and just added further wind drag that what this bike already has now.

Plus, it's got settings for 4 different gears, where I set the 1-to-2 gear light to come on 200 RPM earlier than the 9500 RPM redline and the 2-3-4 gears which come on 125 RPM earlier, since the accelerating engine RPM slope is greater in 1st gear than it is in the rest of the gears. This allows me to hit the clutchless shift point dead-on everytime with this buffer installed, regardless of the gear I'm in, as hitting a clean 2nd gear under hard accel. is the most important overall and the is most likely to miss... Once I get me that Pingle push-button shifter button kit combined with Dale Walker's remote shift solenoid kit, I can probably zero those buffers out in the shift light, since the bike will shift even faster.

I modified the shift light bracket to the speedo cup with 3 very small 1/16" aluminum rivets, which allow the shift light to closely hug the speedo for a factory look and the modded bracket actually locks the shift light into a parallel position with the speedo cup, so it will never go out of adjustment from engine vibration or wind drag. The original bracket that comes in the kit sets the shift light off the speedo approx. 1 1/4", but my way tightens it down to 3/8" off the cup. Much better...



Works very slick and if you take all the silly stickers off the thing it comes with, it looks nearly O.E.M.

 

[maleko89]

Jim, great talking to ya this afternoon. I checked with Frank and he said you do set the Harlan to 2 cylinder. He couldn't remember if you 1/2 the dip switches for the rpms but that's easy enough to test.

 

[exposuredesigns]

Thanks very much for all your help guys. I have ordered a Chrome Raptor one - to blend in with the gauges. There is an Australian Distributor here who thinks he can still get the chrome.

I will post up pics once i get it mounted. :clapping: