Topic: Do I need idiot lights on my 1981 CB650?

[raiken1]

All,
I am building a 1981 CB650C into something of a brat bike. I plan to install some dime city mini gauges. There is an option to have the idiot lights (Signal, neutral, oil, high beam) on the gauge, but it requires soldering all the connections. Is there a reason that I would need any of these other than just as an alert?Thanks in advance!

[DaveBarbier]

Do you need them for what?

[spotty]

well, the oil light is kinda handy to give you just those few vital seconds warning you are about to lunch the motor if it loses all oil pressure

the high beam and signal lights may be a legal requirement, they are here

having said that i have done without all of them as well as the speedo/tacho too, may also have been missing mirrors on that bike too but i figured if i was going to get pulled it may as well give the cop some sort of a challenge to see how many things he could spot that were missing

[raiken1]

I was asking if maybe the neutral light or signal lights etc being tied into other circuitry? Will the signals and everything work as normal if I just disconnect them? I had thought that the oil light may be useful, so I could just add a separate light for that.

[DaveBarbier]

It’ll all work just fine.

Is the only reason you don’t want the lights because it takes a little extra work to hook them up? You mentioned soldering...I wouldn’t solder the wires together because that will make the gauge permanent. If you use bullet connectors from cycleterminal.com or even Home Depot (but cycle terminal’s are the same as the factory ones and are weather proof) you can plug and unplug the gauge. Is electrical work not your strong suit? If it’s not, we can help you out. Having the idiot lights is a good thing.

[raiken1]

It’s more an issue of what to do with the bulk of these new connections. I don’t have any room in my aftermarket headlight, so the connections would have to be shrink wrapped outside. I’m not opposed to wiring them in, I was just curious if there was anything tied into them preventing the proper function of the bike without the idiot lights.