Switch block paint flaking, stickers??

[Gijoerambo]

I have a 1989 bike that is in great condition however both right and left switch block controls are flaking their paint.
Obviously painting them black is no issue, however the small writing is going to be lost... as the lettering no is not “indented” it seems to have been printed on...

Has anyone Refurbed these? Using stickers? Any ideas??

 

[Bill Seward]

The lettering on my 1985s switches wore off years ago. The red kill switch has faded to a pink color, too. The paint by the edges of the right switch where my hand rubs it when moving the throttle has also worn off. The only thing I could suggest I'd to find a newer set of switch blocks and replace them. Or powder coat them. After 33 years, I remember what all the switches do. I always thought labeling everything was kind of dumb. Like having the shift pattern cast into the crankcase cover by the shifter. Does the government think I'm going to lean over to look down there at 60 miles per hour to see which way to move the shifter to get 5th gear?

I do seem to recall someone was reproducing stickers to replicate the lettering, but can't recall who..

 

[Gijoerambo]

Yea I hear what your saying, but I’m just a bit of a stickler for detail.
I’ve spotted a couple of newer ones from the use eBay I might be better just buying.
I’ll keep hunting the forum for stickers etc

 

[Bill Seward]

I was the same way with Godzilla till the years and the miles made it impossible to keep it pristine.
Now it wears its miles like a badge of honor..

 

[MaxMidnight]

Has anyone Refurbed these? Using stickers? Any ideas??

A Google search using the term 'Yamaha switch stickers' yielded this and a bit more digging yielded this.

Suggest you do similar and you may find what you want?

 

[Gijoerambo]

Thank you mate!!
I literally spent hours last night through google and eBay... however I was sticking with “switchblock” stickers....
These look great for now!

 

[sdt354]

New switches/housings can still be bought I believe.

 

[vwaxxed]

New switches/housings can still be bought I believe.

Yep, Yamaha still sells them, but they aren't cheap. Left side is around $250 and right side around $170 new from my local dealer if I recall correctly.

 

[[email protected]]

Yep, Yamaha still sells them, but they aren't cheap. Left side is around $250 and right side around $170 new from my local dealer if I recall correctly.

$104, and $153 on Partzilla.
Pretty steep.



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[Gbianchi]

Does the government think I'm going to lean over to look down there at 60 miles per hour to see which way to move the shifter to get 5th gear?, Please don't tell me I'm not supposed to be looking to see what gear I'm in, how else can you tell, just kidding of course, love the statement.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Does the government think I'm going to lean over to look down there at 60 miles per hour to see which way to move the shifter to get 5th gear?

No but if you are getting on to a bike for the first time it would help if you were unsure.
Now days the pattern seems to be universal (unless someone knows otherwise) of down for first and up for the other gears.
That wasn't always the case.

 

[Eugene Brad]

No but if you are getting on to a bike for the first time it would help if you were unsure.
Now days the pattern seems to be universal (unless someone knows otherwise) of down for first and up for the other gears.
That wasn't always the case.

I remember a 50 and an 80 that I had as a kid that were all up all down to shift. There was no clutch either. I think the 80 might have been a Yamaha PW but not certain. Can't think of any big bikes like that though.

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[Bill Seward]

There were many shift patterns used over the 50+ years I've been riding. Britbikes and some old Harley Sportsters™ had right foot shifts. Some Japanese bikes had what was called "Rotary Shift".
All up - 1-2-3-4-N-1-2-3-4, etc.. That one didn't last too long.

 

[Eugene Brad]

There were many shift patterns used over the 50+ years I've been riding. Britbikes and some old Harley Sportsters[emoji769] had right foot shifts. Some Japanese bikes had what was called "Rotary Shift".
All up - 1-2-3-4-N-1-2-3-4, etc.. That one didn't last too long.

That last example would be weird. I could see myself not keeping track of what gear I'm in and trying to grab another and hit neutral. I'm guessing probably why it wasn't so popular.

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[Drifter2406]

I can remember riding an old Norton years ago for the first time and every time I changed gear I hit the back brake, finally got used to it but looked a tit at the start.

 

[Fire-medic]

OK, I'm game, more comments for an old thread. Was it about 1973 the DOT mandated the uniform shifting on the left, & right for rear brake?

As to 'rotary shifting,' pretty sure that Bridgestone was one of the manufacturers doing that. Bridgestone was distributed in the USA by Rockford, and enjoyed a lucrative % of the motorcycle market here. They had a reputation for engineering innovation. Some of the things I recall from back then were rotary valves on two-strokes, and an emphasis on performance, easy and relatively inexpensive to achieve on two-strokes. their singles and twins were well-received in the marketplace, and while the styling was definitely Japanese, it seemed to be a bit more-appealing than some of the other manufacturers. The couple of bikes I recall being excited about from Bridgestone were the 175 Hurricane twin, and he 350 GTO. Both had better than normal levels of performance. The bikes had good ads too, and since word-of-mouth was positive, they were successful in the USA market. The 350 GTO was capable of being tuned to British 500/650 beating levels of performance, and racetracks saw the 350 GTO earn its 'giant-killer' reputation. For those on a budget, the 175 twin two-stroke was capable of class-leading performance.

You might compare the Bridgestone to the Kawasaki of 1969+. Performance oriented, affordable, and word of mouth was good. So why isn't Bridgestone in the motorcycle marketplace now? Two words: Honda threats.

Honda was already the #1 manufacturer, a title held by BSA in the 1920's, and then DKW after WWII (they developed the resonant expansion chamber for two strokes, boosting power tremendously and they had the largest engineering staff in the industry, they had more engineers than some of the English companies had employees!) but upstart Bridgestone was in possession of a small but lucrative part of the motorcycle industry. Bridgestone also manufactured motorcycle tires, and they were an OEM supplier to Honda. Honda gave Bridgestone a choice: "sell us motorcycle tires, lots of motorcycle tires, or sell your own motorcycles, and no bike tires to us!" Bridgestone made their choice.

 

[Bill Seward]

I owned a 175 for a short time back around 1974. Never put it on the road legally, but the few times I got it out illegally impressed me with it's performance. I seem to recall they used chrome plated bores in the 175. They also made a 90cc bike without chrome bore. The 2 engines were the same bore, and (this is really going back in the memory banks!) I recall that a number of 175s were built using the 90cc rings-which we're chromed. Chrome rings on chrome bores didn't last too long. This also may have contributed to the demise of the brand. Around 1970 or 1971 I was working at a small local shop (Dean's Performance, in case any old timers from Buffalo can remember that far back.). Anyway, I got the chance to ride a 350. I believe that bike was every bit a match for a Yamaha R5 or maybe even the RD350. I remember Cycle Magazine's test of the 350. They commented that the gas tank looked like it was put on backwards.

 

[Bill Seward]

I just downloaded a pic of the 350 GTO. I'd forgotten that the bike had rotary valves..