spotlights

[bmh]

I was wondering if anyone knew for sure what the factory wiring was for spot lights and pursuit lamps on early panheads? Most police units seem to have a bar mounted switch in addition to the toggles on the lights themselves. It seems almost 50-50 on the civilian bikes though. The parts book only lists the switch with the pursuit lamps complete but not the spots. Yet the switch itself is the spotlight handlebar switch. So am I correct in my guess that if I checked the spotlights box on the order form or specified pursuit lamps they would have installed them with the handlebar switch? But if I ordered a set of spots from the catalog the switch would need to be purchased separately so most dealer\owner installs didn't have the switch? Thanks.

[Perry Ruiter]

Here's a scan of the factory installation instructions and wiring diagram. Sorry for the bad quality, one day in my copious amounts of free time (cough, cough) I hope to clean them up. Note that when wired as indicated by the factory you either have the spotlights on or the headlight on. You can't have both on ... Perry

[bmh]

Well that also explains about the cut-out relay setting. Draw should be similar. So was the switch supplied with the kit if purchased at the parts counter? Just curious as I see so many without it.

[Perry Ruiter]

So was the switch supplied with the kit if purchased at the parts counter? Just curious as I see so many without it.

Here's a scan from the 1956 dealer's accessory catalogue ... Perry

[bmh]

Thanks so much for helping clear that up for me. I guess some guys didn't bother with the switch as they prefered to run all the lights all the time.

[Chris Haynes]

On civilian bikes the spot or pursuit lamps only work on low beam. Police models had the switch on the headlite nacelle.

[Perry Ruiter]

On civilian bikes the spot or pursuit lamps only work on low beam.

Sorry Chris - I gotta disagree. Look at the wiring diagram I posted. If the spots are on the headlight is off. I have a 1947 wiring diagram and the spots are wired the same on it too. Spots and headlight are mutually exclusive ... Perry

[Chris Haynes]

Perry,
How many stock Panheads have you owned or ridden at night? The way they are wired from the factory the spots only work when the headlight is on low beam. The instructions you show, circa 1951, are for installing accessory spotlamps post factory. I don't know what the difference is.

[bmh]

Chris, That wouldn't be a problem on 58 and up machines with regulators but what would be the correct setting for a cut out relay on a set up like that? Would it be 4 amps over the high beam or the low and spots? I also would've imagined that on a police bike the pursuit lights would be set up to work regardless of if the headlight was on or not, but I really don't know.

[Chris Haynes]

would've imagined that on a police bike the pursuit lights would be set up to work regardless of if the headlight was on or not, but I really don't know.

That is correct.

[Rubone]

Gentlemen, the Knucklehead diagrams show the headlights off when the spotlights are on for all civilian models, but police pursuit lights can be switched on at any time. That is even stated on the diagram. I suspect early Panheads would have been the same as there was no difference in the charging systems. Most of the police models I recall only had two wires from the spotlight switch. Also, most dealer installed spotlights had the wiring externally mounted on the bars and used the band type clamps to hold the switch in place. I suspect most riders changed the layout to be able to use both headlight and spotlight together. I seem to recall reading in a riders handbook to only use the spotlights to pass and then switch them off to preserve the battery, which would indicate that they were wired to be on at the same time! I haven't been able to find that statement yet.
Robbie

[Perry Ruiter]

Perry,
The way they are wired from the factory the spots only work when the headlight is on low beam. The instructions you show, circa 1951, are for installing accessory spotlamps post factory.

I fail to see why Harley would wire spotlights one way at the factory and advise the customer to install them differently themselves. So, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree Chris. As bmh notes, perhaps this changed in 58 with the improved generator making spots and low beam de rigueur ... Perry