Another Complaint about H-D's electrics

OK, I griped enough about my malfunctioning odometer, now I have another one that has bugged the heck out of me until today.

The indicator lights on my '95 Sportster have to be the cheapest arrangement ever conceived by man! There are NO sockets per se for the flat bottomed bulbs with little wires - sorta like the cheap Chicom little Christmas tree lights, but even those have a "socket"! And they are made in China! Go figure.

Not H-D! They have a small brass "track" on each of the 2 wires that go to each light. Wiggle, jiggle, or look at one of the two wires crosseyed and the light won't work. It slips either up or down and electical contact with the little wire on the bulb is no longer. Don't run over a road turtle, or you will lose blinkers, the neuteral lite, high beam and the low oil pressure lights all at once probably!

Today I got them all working and coated the outside of the wires up where they go in the cheap plastic holder with bathtub/sink adhesive caulk to glue them in place and painted it black. Not the best looking thing in the world but for one whole day all of my indicator lights worked! Unfortunately when it gets back to 115 deg. out, the caulk will melt and I'll have my problem back again.

I honestly thought the low oil pressure light would only come on IF the engine was actually running and it had low oil pressure. Now that I have them fixed, it comes on with the key on, but goes out when the engine is running. I think that's how it's supposed to be.

Tommorow AM, I AM calling H-D. May not get me anywhere but for the prices they charge, they could at least buy a string of Chicom Christmas tree lights and use the little green sockets!

I don't suppose anybody from Harley reads these threads do they? I sure wish they would! $35.00 - $45.00 MSRP for a chrome or chrome with "gold" eagle top clamp for the risers. I got a brand new take-off on e-bay for $12.00 including the freight! I'll live with my wiring patch for now until I can find a good aftermarket set-up, or Harley gives me a set that works. (I know, in my dreams)! To quote Charlie Brown: "aaaarrrrggggghhhhhh"!

I phoned H-D customer service first thing this morning (0630 my time) to discuss this situation. Allegedly they will "look into it and call me back".

While at it, since they asked for my VIN, I was advised that I had a H-D voluntary safety recall notice SB M-1063A to replace the Vacuum operated fuel whatever. That was real nice of them for an 11 year old bike, BUT, and that's a BIG BUTT, I have had this bike into my freindly neighborhood H-D dealer TWICE. How come they never said anything?

I'll be sure to ask while I'm there.

Yo HRK! I agree with everything you said, and yes, I can see this as a "sales tool" to get you into the shop and then perhaps find other non-warranty related repairs/service required.

I DID call my H-D dealer and they looked up my VIN and I was told that the work WAS performed, and that he was looking at the same records that H-D Corporate does. As I'm typing this I am on HOLD at H-D, so I'll finish this when I ask them who should I believe on this? (It might be tomorrow at this rate, hehehe ) (I finally gave up and left a message )


As far as the electrical, I'm SOL! I have some Chicom green Christmas light strings with the sockets in the garage and I'm going to see if they will fit the bulbs and the indicator panel. If so, I got a good fix. They are rated at 110V and we are running 12V and I think 1.5 amp bulbs, so I don't see any problem that way. I just hope my wife doesn't notice the 5 light sockets missing on our christmas tree this year!!!

If that doesn't work, I'm going to remove the exterior caulk and dump some super glue in from the inside. Think of it as a poor man's electrical potting compound!