Old Motorcycle Switchgear Refurbishing
Look at the switchgear of a modern motorcycle and marvel that so many functions can be controlled by so few buttons and sliders. This is evolution for you and in this instance the ubiquitous microchip will probably be doing its but unseen somewhere. Yet progress is an iterative process and occurs in step changes.Around 10 years ago the Thai small motorcycle industry was only just waking up to the idea that customers wanted ease of use and not nasty cheap stuff. Switches had historically been of questionable quality, badly made, poorly sited and only semi-reliable. The Japanese big bike industry had shown the way; even the smallest Japanese made motorcycle was beautifully equipped with cast alloy switches that the rider could access with little or no thought. Even better they were well made, reliable and weatherproof.
As per every electrical switch ever made the ones on your motorcycle do one of two things; they either make or break a circuit. They are a modest combination of pivots, levers, springs and contacts yet it's their design that gives them their longevity. Most Japanese switches are uncomplicated but robust, functional in operation yet sophisticated engineered.
They work for years, decades even, yet inevitably time take its toll and things start to get a bit cranky. For some unaccountable reason dealers used to have shelves groaning under the weight of spare switches and as recently as just few years ago it was still possible to pick up switchgear for the Kawasaki GTO for little money.
Refurbishing old switchgear what was on your motorcycle simply didn't made sense; times have changed and yesterday's worthless junk is now today's tired treasure.
If Japanese switchgear is so simple then it should be a breeze to restore surely? How difficult can it be and what are the main issues?Tag: Switchgear Refurbish Maintenance Repair Electrical Switches Buttons Connections Control-Switches
