Shift Light Install How-To

[Trace]

About 15 years ago, I "discovered" the advantages of a shift light vs. watching a tachometer and trying to anticipate when that needle will reach my chosen/safe shift point. Looking out the windshield, concentrating on driving, preparing to shift...and then you see a flash and BANG--next gear!

I have a Raptor brand shift light in my Z-06, set at 6400 rpm to just miss the 6500 rev control. That motor spools up real fast, and until I got my Raptor shift light installed, I was always "hittin' the stop". I LOVE full-throttle max rpm shifting....but I don't like having the car nose over hard when the fuel is shut off by Mr. Goodwrench.

When I got my VFR last spring, I was very leery of the odd redline markings on the tach (what IS redline, anyway?), very leery of rumors of it reading 400 high, and very, very leery of looking at the thing at 12,000+ rpm when I should be looking forward! Solution? Spend $85 and get an adjustable, precise, bright Raptor shift light! http://www.raptorperformance.com/ There are several LED colors available, and the same for the housing. Of course I picked nice, bright fast YELLOW, with a simple black housing, but I suspect many of you will choose the slower RED version. BLUE is kinda cool, for you oddballs who have blue bikes, and I don't know WHAT you SILVER guys are gonna do. Anyway, to each their own. Each light comes with a color matched cap which is fine in a car interior at night, but no good for us during the day. Use it to cover the light in rain or when washing the bike. The Raptor isn't a waterproof unit, (it is all solid state/low voltage, so no big deal with water for me or other bikers, as far as I know) so don't drench it. Raptor says a waterproof version is in the works for cycles, since so many people are now using this little gem on bikes. You'll notice that the light can be used with 1-12 cylinder engines, and it works up to 19,800 rpm. All that's required is to set the cylinder switches and the rpm dials. (We won't be setting it for 4 cylinders OR 12,400 rpm, more on that below)

Start by removing the side fairings and the front (headlight) fairing, which includes mirrors, windshield and the bezel around the gauge panel. Use a thick towel taped to the front fender so you can let the front fairing rest there while you unplug the headlight connectors (not 100% necessary), and the turn signals, if you haven't already done so by then. When removing the bezel, be careful around the triples and hydraulic reservoirs, as it's easily scuffed. Put some masking tape on all those items (ALL of 'em!!) to prevent heartbreak.

Okay, now locate the light. Use the smaller, less "robust" light clip, as it provides more clearance from the forks/triples/stuff and is easier to get the light in and out for adjustments. I found that it could go surprisingly close to the center without interference, as you can see in this photo.

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Shift Light Location

Do NOT cheap out and secure the clip to the bezel with a cheesy sheetmetal screw, as it will certainly loosen up in no time! Use a nice stainless 10/32 machine screw (1/2 inch long or so) and nut, drill thru the bezel about an inch down from the top edge, and screw the clip down nice and tight (a drop of Loctite on the nut is a good idea). Now you can put the bezel back on. Hopefully, you didn't scuff it....but I'm betting that you did, because you didn't listen to my precaution about using masking tape/towels, etc. It's your own fault.

Now to the electricals. The instructions with the Raptor are very good, so if it seems like I'm glossing over things here....there's plenty of info with the light.

For the rpm signal to the light, we tap the number 2 ignition coil. We DON'T tap the ECU tach wire or the speed sensor or whatever. If you do that, you're sure to fry the electronics....and that puny milliamp/millivolt ECU signal won't fire the light anyway. And who KNOWS what that signal's frequency is and what it's telling the LCD electronic tach. So....simply connect the light's green trigger wire to the number 2 coil primary wire, like this:

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Ignition Coil Tap

As you can see, I simply used the crimp-type splice/tap connectors. Works great for these very low amperage applications, but I don't trust them for "serious" power tapping, i.e. anything that should use a fuse, like that old 8-track tape player you've been wanting to add to your Goldwing. Just to avoid any confusion, you can hook this green wire to ANY coil primary wire....but the number coil 2 is simply convenient.

Now you need power and ground for the light's red and black wires, respectively. You have plenty of choices, but you'll want to use a power lead that's energized only when the key is ON. I found a nice little power source and ground coming off of the bank angle/engine shutoff/tilt sensor thingo. The fat white wire is power, the fat green is ground. You don't want to touch the red/white striped wire. And pay no attention to the color of the wires I used that lead back to the shift light....I spliced in the thick red and blue wires for some reason (don't remember why...not important, might have been due to the particular crimp taps I had laying around..dunno), but you can certainly use Raptor's wires to tap power and ground....they come about 10 feet long!

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Power and Ground Taps

I won't go into details of wire routing....you're on your own but it's no big deal at all. The 3 wires out of the light are in a black plastic sheathing and it simply disappears amongst all the other wires down there. You need to leave some slack for removing the light and changing rpm setting, but not more than a foot or so.

Okay, if you think you're all hooked up, set the light on 1 cylinder (remember that one coil you tapped?) and set the rpm to something easy like 4000, but no more than 9000. Turn the key to ON and the light will count out for you its setting by going through a blink sequence. Then, start bike and rev it slowly, watching the tach. At 4400 rpm your light will go off, because the @#&*#$%^ tach reads 400 rpm high!! So, now you know the light works and fires at 4000 rpm, and you've confirmed that the factory tach is bogus. Good.

Now, on the one cylinder mode, you can only set the light for 9,900 rpm. But we want to go higher!! To do that, as discussed in the Raptor info, you simply set the light for twice as many cylinders and halve the rpm setting, and somehow the electronicals inside the light make the right decision. :P So, I set my light for 11,800 rpm by changing to the 2 cylinder mode and then turning the two rpm dial settings to 5000 and 900. 5900 x 2=11,800. I choose this setting because it gives you a few heartbeats of time to actually perform the shift....be it full-throttle, closed-throttle or whatever, and from what I've learned here, the motor is running out of breath at that point anyway. But I gotta tell you....having a shift light makes it really easy and fun to probe the higher limits of our horsepower (and noise!) range. My bike, with my PC changes (particularly timing) still pulls pretty hard up there. :thumbsup: I might go up to a 12,000 rpm setting, but I don't see any real need to.

Here's the light with the color matched cap. And it comes with a black cap, if, for some strange reason you DON'T want to see the light. (?)

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Shift Light w/ Yellow Cap

Before long, you'll forget the light is there, until one day soon you'll really wick it up, watching that car you're passing or that Harley you're showing off to instead of the tach. You'll see that flash of your chosen color.....next gear! http://www.raptorperformance.com/

Oh...there is one odd thing about this mod. When you toot the horn, the light will flash for a bit...a second or two. It's not a big deal, because you're probably not tooting at 12,000 rpm....at least I hope you're not. At first I thought it was because of a momentary voltage drop due to current draw to the horn. But those are big wires I tapped into, and aren't part of any direct horn electrics. So....I thought maybe it's due to the magnetic field that's generated around the horn. Or maybe the Dilithium Crystals are low on power. Anyway, I've gotten to where I sorta like it. Toot! Flash!

[magellan]

Good write-up. I'll be doing this before spring. And yes, I'll use masking tape... :P

[kaldek]

I found a nice little power source and ground coming off of the bank angle/engine shutoff/tilt sensor thingo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Indeed! I just used this very same power source to feed my SmarTire pressure monitoring system, which I'll be writing a HowTo on very shortly. I was lazy and sliced off the insulation before splicing into the wires, whereas I should have just put some money into some 3M ScotchLok splice connectors which do all the work for you just by clipping them over the wire.

Kaldek

[Guest aduff85k5]

nice write up. my bike is bone stock....well other than the fender trim that was forced upon me. but as i read through these how to sections i find myself wanting to modify. i think this may-be my first mod. looks simple enough. are the 02 bikes similar, or do you think it'll be more diff>

[enzed_viffer]

Good writings, Mr Trace. :thumbsup: I expecially liked the humorous bits like the "8-track for your Goldwing", as I'm easily bored (as you know) and this is a technical topic (which you also knew).

Very good.

Edited December 13, 2005 by enzed_viffer

[Trace]

Good writings, Mr Trace.  :thumbsup:  I expecially liked the humorous bits like the "8-track for your Goldwing", as I'm easily bored (as you know) and this is a technical topic (which you also knew).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd thunk you'd have something witty and pithy to say about "BLUE is kinda cool, for you oddballs who have blue bikes"..... :goofy:

[enzed_viffer]

I'd thunk you'd have something witty and pithy to say about "BLUE is kinda cool, for you oddballs who have blue bikes"..... :goofy:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hadn't had my kawfee yet... just having it now (not that it'll help much).

How about: "my balls ain't odd" ?

Or, "Haven't you heard - blue is the new black!" ?

Anywayz, I was a bit taken aback by how clean'n'shiny your bike looks in the pix. Mine is the same year, but looks like a junker in comparison. :beer:

Edited December 13, 2005 by enzed_viffer

[Trace]

Bump. See my edit (in red) about the horn making the shift light act unruly! :beer:

[enzed_viffer]

Bump.? See my edit (in red) about the horn making the shift light act unruly!? :beer:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it's because you're drawing your power from the tilt thingo, and when you blow the horn, it goes, "Aha! He's tilting at windmills again!", activates the tilt angle sensor, and viola! (a small stringed instrument) - the light flashes.

"A hit! A Hit! A very palpable hit, M'Lord"

"Nay, Squire; tis but a near miss. Avast! Let us seek another windmill. Forsooth!"

Edited December 15, 2005 by enzed_viffer

[m-crew]

I think it's because you're drawing your power from the tilt thingo, and when you blow the horn, it goes, "Aha! He's tilting at windmills again!", activates the tilt angle senor, and viola! (a small stringed instrument) - the light flashes.

"A hit! A Hit! A very palpable hit, M-Lord"

"nay, Squire; tis but a near miss. Avast! Let us look for another windmill."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I must agree with you,Sounds about right. :lol: :D

[VolatileVFR]

Very cool!! Check'n out there sight right now... That yellow looks good, even for it being installed on a red bike too....Although, it will definitely slow the red bike down a bit.... Hmmm....

Maybe I can label the housing red with a sticky pad and it will psychology start to think after a few days that it REALLY is red...then..... ZOOOOOOOOOMMMM.....

Very nice write-up.. I was debating on finding a different ignition accessory line to hook into, but I also kinda like the whole Toot, bling... idea... <...Just helping you call it "Bling" so you can say this added to the whole Bling Bling Factor.....> :beer:

[VolatileVFR]

On a different note Trace, gotta couple questions...

1. I do own the 5th gen red, and am debating LED colors... Yellow is a great almost stereotypical shift light, even with the hot rods... What I would like to know is the bright factor... I assume you will say it is bright enough at night, so I will ask about daytime usage... Why I ask:

LED intensity Specs as listed on Raptor:

Blue 2000 mcd/LED

Red 3000 mcd/LED

Yellow 1200 mcd/LED

Green 300 mcd/LED

They say although the red is showing more mcds, the blue is perceived brighter via human spectrum... So, you see the specs.. is it profitable for me to jump up to the red? Does your yellow give you what you want during the daytime, or "would you take more"? If you would "take more", then i think the red would be for me... But, would you Want any more brightness or mcds out of your light?

2. <...Trying not to be long-winded again.... > Waterproofing... Are you not worrying about the gaps for RPM manipulation?? I saw what you wrote in the original post, but, if given the time, does it seem to be an area that could be easily siliconed, or dealt with?? I called them in NC and they said that is one area they want to waterproof, and also a tiny water accessible area around the LED's and the housing (maybe 5/1000").... Trimmed clear silicone can definitely deal with that, if done neatly and properly..

Thanks Trace...

:beer:

Edited December 16, 2005 by VolatileVFR

[VolatileVFR]

How about one more favor Trace..hehe..

Any way you can post a close up of the mounting you did with "less robust" bracket and the screw mount on to the bezel.... Would be great!!

Not only to know where you mounted, but also to see how the bracket is actually holding the housing of the light... The site is not that specific on the pics.. According to the pics, I would assume the housing could literally slide out when needed without any type of tightening method... Thanks again Trace....

Send me a account overview for billed time on my posts... <_<

[Guest Flailer]

... What I would like to know is the bright factor... I assume you will say it is bright enough at night, so I will ask about daytime usage... Why I ask:   

    LED intensity Specs as listed on Raptor:

    Blue 2000 mcd/LED

    Red  3000 mcd/LED

    Yellow  1200 mcd/LED

    Green  300 mcd/LED

  They say although the red is showing more mcds, the blue is perceived brighter via human spectrum... So, you see the specs.. is it profitable for me to jump up to the red?  Does your yellow give you what you want during the daytime, or "would you take more"?  If you would "take more", then i think the red would be for me... But, would you Want any more brightness or mcds out of your light?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Armed with info on the links below, and the wavelength of each (fairly broad-band i'm sure) - one would have a nice comparsion of eye response for each.

Cause green is right there at the eye's peak efficiency - it often is the best (but like the yellow, it may slow your bike down quite a bit)

Just guesimating: the Green @ (510nm, 300 mcd) will appear 5,000 to 6,000 times brighter than the Red (@ 650nm, 3,000 mcd) (but thatz cause red travels so fast, yeah - right - that it!)

And the Green will appear to be twice as bright as yellow (@ 570nm)

There are a fair number of ass-sumptions in all this - including that all the diff models has the same number of LEDs per package (rating provided is mcd per LED)

LUMINOUS EFFICIENCY FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN RETINA:

http://www.4colorvision.com/files/scotopiceffic.htm

NASA - color-metrics:

http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/Wavelen...for_Colors.html

WhatEverrrr

[VolatileVFR]

ok....Congrats on the good links :beer: ..The second via Nasa info particularly renewed my knowledge on particular wavelength values and reminded me of my Physics days back in college (not that long ago AT ALL...seriously... young one here). However, the first link presented a nice complication in reading for me. Perhaps my age has yet to entail 'that great an understanding' on sight, or the lack/loss thereof... But, I assume that you got the particular "eye's peak efficiency" idea from the first article at hand. Tell me, how did you come up with 5-6,000 times brighter than red?? Those numbers did not, or do not make sense to me. Technically (with no research), my first ideas would have thought yellow or green to be the worst in the brightness scale, however, I can understand the sense being made with the visual spectrum... Any more pros out there.. Flailer, you got more for me?

In the meanwhile, I will be searching through my and my internet's vast amount of knowledge to make myself a bit more prepared for this color choice/bright fight.... :beer:

[Guest SillyViffer]

Why do you need a shift light anyway....dont most riders shift according to engine sound and feel? you cant tell me you were looking down on every shift before the shift light...

[VolatileVFR]

If you own/ride any motorcycle or manual geared mode of transportation, you accoringly shift via engine sound and/or feel. Common sense?? Sure...

BUt....

What if you are on your motorcycle, rather than automobile for the sake of example, and you are/will be pushing your Horsepower machine to its power limits... Now, with the motorcycle being the example, when you push any motorcycle to its limits you are not going 20-25 MPH at your first shift... You are flying like a jet engine straddled by your torso... Now, let's increase this example to say that you now shifted out of 1st, out of 2nd, and are bordering on shifting to 3rd or 4th, if not 5th...hell, 6th... Unless you are on a drag strip there are always potential risk features in the environment... And, even so, drag strips are not that wide in most cases. So, would you like to be staring down at your tach while hitting some of these high and non-commonplace speeds of power?? Notice I said "staring"... Although I know nobody is twisting the throttle and staring at the tach, take into count the distance you cover while slightly glancing down at the tach (at the high speeds you are bordering on, or have already flown past) , letting the info process to your brain, still concentrating on your throttle pull, thinking sub-consciously about steering, and remembering that hot sex from the night before.... ok ok..forget the last one, but hell, it Was great!! Anyways, point should be taken rather easily... Why add to your risk factor when you can avoid it and concentrate solely on the road with your ever-so-precious eyes....

I am not saying this light would be used on every shift, much less even every ride, but when you DO use it, it will be an exhilerating rush when you can shift knowingly and confidently at the top or peak of your power range only to prepare for another peak power shift with the flash of the next light.. :beer:

[Guest Flailer]

ok....Congrats on the good links  :beer: ..The second via Nasa info particularly renewed my knowledge on particular wavelength values and reminded me of my Physics days back in college  (not that long ago AT ALL...seriously... young one here).  However, the first link presented a nice complication in reading for me.  Perhaps my age has yet to entail 'that great an understanding' on sight, or the lack/loss thereof... But, I assume that you got the particular "eye's peak efficiency" idea from the first article at hand.  Tell me, how did you come up with 5-6,000 times brighter than red??  Those numbers did not, or do not make sense to me.  Technically (with no research), my first ideas would have thought yellow or green to be the worst in the brightness scale, however, I can understand the sense being made with the visual spectrum...  Any more pros out there..  Flailer, you got more for me?

  In the meanwhile, I will be searching through my and my internet's vast amount of knowledge to make myself a bit more prepared for this color choice/bright fight....    :beer:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ya, you want more punishment, eh? As a Laser-Electro-Optics Engineer i am pretty familiar with the stuff. Didnt do any work, or number crunching for my last posting - as i pulled the links off my work 'puter for your consideration, and did the math in my head.

First, there are quite a few assumptions in my numbers - and i only told you of the most important one - the one that i didnt dig into what-so-ever: That being the number of light emitting diodes per package.

Clearly the second most significant assumption was reading from the chart - After all, it is a Semi-Log graph ? and it woulda been bedder to crunch the numbers rather than read off a graph. And this graph is where i did the conversion to ?perceived brightness? ? and is where i came up with the 5 to 6K brighter statement. The reason it is not 10,000 times "brighter" is cause it has about half the mcd per emitter - if you see what i mean. And now you can see the general accuracy of the values i submitted for your consideration.

And third item of concern is the bandwidth of the LEDs (spatial-frequency of the LED output, if you will) They say "Red", and "Blue", and "Green" - but what does the power per wavelength curve really look like? my work is by far mostly with Lasers (which are truly coherence) and Optics - but i have messed around quite a bit in the past with LEDs - particularly the ones with shorter wavelengths (blue end of the spectrum) , and what i noted was that they are very broadband, with many-many-many wavelengths being produced. So many wavelengths in fact we don?t bother to use the proper terminology of ?lines?

Lastly, i use a ?greenie? laser pointer for presentations. It produces ~1mW output ? As apposed to using the much more common, and powerful, red LED laser pointer (if i can i would state here and now that most ?laser? products on the market are NOT lasers at all, just LEDs ? just like these so-called laser pointers) . Anyway, my point in blabbing on about greenies and reddies is that my very low power greenie is perceived as being 100 times brighter than my much more powerful red pointer, even though it has less than 1/5 the power. The greenie is so bright in fact that i generally will not use it in a darkened room as it is too bright, and detracts from the presentation.

[VolatileVFR]

Very interesting.. thanks Flailer... It looks like for my own confidence, I will need to see a red and green side by side...not these shift lights, but something a bit different just to validate the color effects in my head. I would like to find something that I can manipulate the power with so I can compare at the same power levels and so on....

Thanks again.... My interest in green is really increasing!! At first, it was behind yellow, which was second to last.... :beer:

Edited December 18, 2005 by VolatileVFR

[theoxmole]

Why do you need a shift light anyway....dont most riders shift according to engine sound and feel? you cant tell me you were looking down on every shift before the shift light...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto.

I'm not trying to take anything away from the install. Kudos for that. It looks nice and clean. :beer:

BUT. . . I don't need a light to tell me when to shift; my ass and ears tell me it's time. In fact, I'm guessing the shift light would be distracting at night. Are you looking at the shift light for each shift? If so, how is that any different than looking at a tach?

Maybe me riding a VTEC has something to do with it. I am ALWAYS aware of where 7K is and I'm absolutely sure to be above it when I'm approaching a corner if I'm seriously riding corners. I just don't see the advantage. Farkle value though . . .

[enzed_viffer]

Are you looking at the shift light for each shift?  If so, how is that any different than looking at a tach? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Unlike a tach, where you need to look at the dial to interpret it, a shift light doesn't require you to look at it at all, as you will notice it in your peripheral vision when it comes on. Like at traffic lights, the faster takeoff comes from not staring at the light waiting for it to change but from looking straight ahead. You'll see the light change in the 'corner of your eye' without needing to fix your gaze on it.

Something people have overlooked is that you don't necessarily have to set the shift light for maximum revs - you could set it for the revs where maximum HP occurs, where max torque is, or even just where you habitually change gears.

[VolatileVFR]

Something people have overlooked is that you don't necessarily have to set the shift light for maximum revs - you could set it for the revs where maximum HP occurs, where max torque is, or even just where you habitually change gears.

Good point Enzed.. Although I did not mention it, it was previously mentioned in the initial post I believe.

I don't need a light to tell me when to shift; my ass and ears tell me it's time. In fact, I'm guessing the shift light would be distracting at night

oxmole...the only thing I can say for this is that if it becomes too overly distracting there are 2 things that can be done:

1. The assembly comes with a black cover that will absorb all light/cover up the light assembly and take away the shift light mechanism.. Pop it over the top and Bingo, you are good to go...

2. Depending on where you set your shift light to go off (mine would be anywhere from max HP to redline), then surely you are not hitting these RPMs on a constant shift to shift basis. Hence, the light should not be distracting unless you are making it distracting. If you are, maybe you should go out and get a GSXR... :beer: And, if nothing else, this could be sort of like a warning light for yourself to keep from hitting any RPM's you do not want to be hitting...

Just my thoughts.... :thumbsup:

[theoxmole]

If you are, maybe you should go out and get a GSXR...  :beer: 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Isn't it the newer GSXRs that come with the shift light? If you wanted a shift light, that would be the way for you to go. :beer:

Look, I'm not looking to start anything at all. Like I said you did a fine job installing it and it probably serves its purpose for you. I applaud the effort and appreciate you posting your how-to. I just don't know what I'd use it for. I don't think of my VFR as anything resembling a drag bike. That's what the 'Busa is for.

Let's all be friends. . . .

[Baileyrock]

Isn't it the newer GSXRs that come with the shift light?  If you wanted a shift light, that would be the way for you to go.  :warranty:

Look, I'm not looking to start anything at all.  Like I said you did a fine job installing it and it probably serves its purpose for you.  I applaud the effort and appreciate you posting your how-to.  I just don't know what I'd use it for.  I don't think of my VFR as anything resembling a drag bike.  That's what the 'Busa is for. 

Let's all be friends. . . .

Agreed on two things, (a.) nice write-up and install; (b.) a shift light is something I'll never need. One thing I would say is that the light needs to be much higher on the dash than it's current install, the higher the easier it is to see even peripherally.

I hate straights so I will never be out road because someone has a shift light, but it's cool ! :thumbsup: Good job guys.

[Darth Bling]

You know what, I just thinking about something. It would be kinda cool to set up the shift light to come on at the VTEC engagement point. That way, you don't have to worry about the VTEC transition sneaking up on you. Even better, if you had two shift lights, one at 5800 and another at 6200, you'll always know when VTEC is about to kick in.