Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, 850 California Police Lights and lenses
Parts, supplies & service
Table of contents
- Auxiliary rear light bracket
- Dash light bulbs / indicator lights / idiot lights
- Fender reflectors
- Headlight gasket replacement
- Headlight replacement
- Spot light brackets
- Spot light bracket spacers
- Spot light fitment to civilian turn signal brackets
- Spot light replacement
- Spot light replacement light bulbs
- Tail light Aprilia (unknown model number)
- Tail light bracket to fender gasket
- Tail light bulb
- Tail light CEV 9313 replacement
- Tail light CEV 9350
- Tail light lens fading
- Tail light lens replacement
- Tail light lens securing screws
- Tail light lens to tail light gasket
- Tail light to tail light bracket gasket
- Turn signal lens replacement - Civilian Lucas turn signals
- Turn signal replacements / replicas - Civilian Lucas turn signals
- Turn signal replacements / replicas - Police Dietz turn signals
- Turn signals as running lights
Auxiliary rear light bracket
Updated: 2008 Jul 08
Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle and Bruce Giller for providing me with this excellent pattern and pictures. Charlie originally got the idea for this bracket from the bracket on Pat Gilbraith's Ambassador that was created by Pat's late husband, Chuck Galbraith. The biggest difference between Charlie's and the original that Chuck made is that Chuck's was wider and mounted reflectors on either side of the license plate. Bruce crafted the lovely pattern.
Notes from Bruce:
I made Charlie's rear light bracket for my Eldo and here is a picture of it. It is made out of 10 gauge SS - easier to cut than I thought with a right angle grinder and a Zip blade. It is nice to have two more bright lights on the back especially when braking. When I've got stuff on the luggage rack, the light is sometimes hard to see.
You'll notice that I had to make a slight modification to the original design to clear the turn signals; made a 45 degree cut at both ends. So I revised the drawing of the bracket to include the cutoffs.
The lights used are J&P Cycles part no. 3200385 ‘63-‘85 Harley FL style chrome die-cast turn signals.
Dash light bulbs / indicator lights / idiot lights
Updated: 2012 Mar 20
Incandescent bulbs
The Eldorado spare parts catalogs list these light bulbs as MG# 10744910: 12 volt, 3 watt light bulbs. But the specifications end there. You also need a light bulb that has a miniature bayonet base. Here are some part numbers and sources that should work for you. I prefer the #1891 to the #53 because it is about twice as bright (and closer to the original wattage specification).
- McMaster-Carr item #1505K214 / trade #53 (14.4 volt × 0.12 amps = 1.728 watts)
- McMaster-Carr item #1505K93 / trade #1891 (14 volt × 0.24 amps = 3.36 watts)
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of McMaster-Carr.
Photo courtesy of McMaster-Carr.
LED bulbs
While I've always been satisfied with the “1891” incandescent bulbs, I ordered some LED bulbs from Super Bright LEDs to try out as replacement dash bulbs. The bulbs are 12 volt, made to fit a 9 mm bayonet base, have a 32° viewing angle, and are comprised of 4 LEDs each. I ordered these part numbers:
- BA9S-R4-32-12V (red)
- BA9S-G4-32-12V (green)
- BA9S-B4-32-12V (blue)
- BA9S-A4-32-12V (amber)
Photo courtesy of Super Bright LEDs.
These bulbs fit perfectly within the sockets and are visibly brighter than the “1891” incandescent bulbs. As with all LED bulbs, it is important to match the color of the LED bulb to the lends color.
Locating these bulbs on the Super Bright LEDs website can be difficult. Here is how to find them:
- Go to this page
- Locate this section: BA9S-x4-x-xV: 4-LED BA9s Bulb.
- Select volts: 12V AC/DC.
- Select Beam Angle: 32 degrees.
- Select color: red for red lens, green for green lens, blue for blue lens, amber for amber lens. Lens color must be matched with LEDs.
- Add to cart.
Halogen bulbs
Please see the follow-up information at the bottom of this section.
Thanks to Joel Parks for sending me this information in a private email. In Joel's own words:
I'd been having problems remembering to cancel after a turn because the stock lights are hard to see. I tried LEDs but they weren't much better. These are great. They are 5W Halogen and VERY bright. Just what I needed to remind me they are on. Here is the information. The supplier is:
bulbster.com
4142 SE 42nd Ave
Portland, OR 97206
888-323-2852 X2The bulbs I bought are 5W halogens, part #64111. They cost USD $3.91 each with a flat shipping price of USD $8.95 per order. However, my invoice says that if you add a link to their website on your website, you get FREE SHIPPING. They are great people to deal with and the bulbs arrived in four days.
Follow-up
Halogen bulbs produce significantly more heat than do incandescent bulbs. Be careful not to melt plastic.
Shaun Laughy sent me an email informing me that these bulbs have been discontinued by bulbster. I have not looked for them elsewhere.
Fender reflectors
Updated: 2011 Oct 14
Earliest models did not come with fender reflectors at all. Once legally required, Moto Guzzi fit the Lucas RER25 fender reflector with a wide chrome rim (amber in front and red in back). Later models (perhaps around 1973, although my Ambassador manufacturered in 1971 Oct came to me with the later fender reflectors) used the Lucas RER14 fender reflector with the very narrow CAD or Zinc plated rim. Thanks to Charles Hamer, Jahn Olovsson, George Dockray, and Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for sending me this information or posting this information on the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group.
Sources for the Lucas RER25 fender reflector
- Holden sells the red Lucas RER25 reflectors.
- Chris Knight Motorcycles carries both the red and amber Lucas RER25 reflectors.
- Vintage Motor Spares carries the red Lucas RER25 reflectors.
Photo courtesy of Holden.
Photo courtesy of Chris Knight Motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Chris Knight Motorcycles.
Sources for the Lucas RER14 fender reflector
- Holden sells the red Lucas RER14 reflectors.
- Chris Knight Motorcycles carries both the red and amber Lucas RER14 reflectors.
Photo courtesy of Holden.
Photo courtesy of Chris Knight Motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Chris Knight Motorcycles.
Headlight gasket replacement
Updated: 2008 Nov 14
I extracted this information from Mark Etheridge of Moto Guzzi Classics off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).
This is the gasket that fits between the headlight securing trim and the headlight itself. Just run down to your local hardware store and purchase a length of screen-door/screen-window vinyl spline. This is the piece that holds the screen in the sash's channel. Cut to length and you're done.
Charles Hamer informed me that the 0.190 in diameter screening spline works better than the 0.160 in diameter spline I have pictured.
Headlight replacement
Updated: 2008 Nov 14
Charles Hamer provided me with the following information in a private communication. In Charles' own words:
You can basically fit any 7 in sealed headlight in our Loops. Be careful to bend a little the wires at the headlight plug otherwise it will knock fuses out of the fuse panel, it is a very tight fit.
Spot light brackets
Updated: 2010 Dec 08
Before I donated a NOS pair of spot light brackets (MG# 13751340 and MG# 13751440) from my Dad's stash to John Schwartz (to help build his new Ambassador after the old one was totalled during his 2007 wreck in New Mexico), I took ample photos and carefully created a pattern. The spare parts catalogs show these fitted only to the Moto Guzzi 850 California Police motorcycles, though they have certainly been fit to the Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, and Eldorado models as well.
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| 18 KB | 1 page |
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Spot light bracket spacers
Updated: 2011 Aug 14
When fitting spot light brackets to the headlight bucket and windshield bracket, a 8 mm ID (~5⁄16 in) spacer is needed to prevent the bracket from fouling the headlight ears of the fork shrouds AND to ensure proper mating with the windshield bracket. I've not seen any reference to this spacer in the spare parts catalogs. My preference is to use a 12 mm (~1⁄2 in) long spacer sandwiched between two fender washers. The fender washers prevent damage to the headlight ears of the fork shrounds and spot light brackets. The fender washers I use are approximately 1.8 mm thick each (see McMaster-Carr part numbers 92510A797 and 91116A160).
Spot light fitment to civilian turn signal brackets
Updated: 2011 Aug 20
I extracted this information from Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle off of the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group. In Charlie's own words:
On my ‘69 Ambo with the factory “polizia” fairing, there was just enough room for the stock turn signal brackets to clear the bottom of the fairing and for the reproduction Harley FLH spots to avoid the crash bars at full steering lock.
Disclaimer: I've not used a Wixom fairing on any Loop, so the following is at best a guess based on photos of bikes so equipped.
Judging from photos of a Wixom equipped Eldo, it looks like that fairing can be used with the stock signal brackets (I'm sure many were outfitted that way “back in the day” ). The issue then is if the spots will clear the fairing too.
Reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights mounted on civilian turn signal brackets.Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Close-up view of the mounting for the reproduction Harley Davidson FLH spot lights.Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Spot light replacement
Updated: 2011 Oct 18
Moto Guzzi never produced a spot light. Instead, they provided spot light brackets (for police use) which permited individual police departments to fit spot lights of their choosing. A popular choice by police departments was the Dietz brand of spot light. Specifically, their 9-51 model spot light was approximately 51⁄2 in in diamter and 3 in deep. It accepted General Electric bulb style 4001 and could be of a variety of colors (e.g., 4001-R for red). Dietz has long been out of business (first bought out by Federal Mogul, then by Truck-Lite).
A good replacement for the original spot lights are these 43⁄4 in spot lights and bulbs sold by JC Whitney (thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for making me aware of these spot lights). Note that the housing/body and sealed beam lens/bulb are sold separately.
Spot light replacement light bulbs
Updated: 2011 Aug 20
Some period spot lights which were commonly fit to “police” models (Moto Guzzi never produced a spot light for our machines) require light bulbs with a “BA20s” base (12 volt, 60 watt light bulbs with a 20 mm base). These bulbs were quite difficult to come by in the U.S. Thanks to Scott Peatross for sending me the following information:
The replacement bulb for [my] spot lights, (12 volt, 60 watt with the BA20s single contact base) is industry standard #A7278. Apparently was quite rare, but is now manufactured by Eiko. If you Google Eiko 660B you will find them readily available from many sources for less than USD $3.00 each.
Data from Eiko:
- Lamp No: 660B
- Bar Code: 48054
- Volts: 12.8
- Watts: 60
- Filament: C-6
- MOL in/mm: 2.60/66.0
- MOD in/mm: 1.42/36.0
- Avg Life: 75
- Bulb: SB-35
- Base: SC Bayonet European (BA20s)
- Watts amps: 60
- MSCP: 75
- Replaces: A7278 & 410-5018
Tail light Aprilia (unknown model number)
Updated: 2011 Apr 14
Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for sending me this information.
This tail light was used on some Moto Guzzi 850 GT models. Note the bracket is different as well (a CEV unit). The lens is labeled “Catalux” with the number “02 8169” . Reproduction tail lights and replacement lenses are available from Guzzino. Guzzino also carries a bracket that may work.
Aprilia tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Aprilia tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Aprilia tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Aprilia tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle.
Tail light bracket to fender gasket
Updated: 2011 Aug 24
Moto Guzzi never used a rubber gasket in this location. However, I like to use one there, especially with fresh paint. Here is a pattern I made for the rubber gasket that goes between the tail light bracket and the fender. 1⁄8 in thick rubber material works great. An old chunk of inner tube will do, though I prefer thicker material.
| Download Name and Link | File Size | Number of Pages in File |
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| 17 KB | 1 page |
! ! ! ! ! Note on printing this PDF file ! ! ! ! !
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Tail light bulb
Updated: 2011 Aug 29
The original tail light bulb was made by CEV and used 5 watts on the “running” light circuit and “21” watts on the “brake” light circuit.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Tail light CEV 9313 replacement
Updated: 2010 Dec 08
Larry Pease sent me the following information via email.
As an alternative to the original CEV 9313 tail light, the manufacturer Truck-Lite sells complete tail light assemblies and replacement lenses. Theirs are powder coated metal. Look for Truck-Lite part number 80463R for the complete assembly or Truck-Lite part number 99083R for the replacement lens.
Photo courtesy of Truck-Lite.
Tail light CEV 9350
Updated: 2011 Mar 14
Thanks to Jim B for posting this information on the Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group. In Jim's own words:
I found some CEV 9350 tail lights for sale new (old stock) at Moped Warehouse. They are old Harley lights in the Harley package likely for the Harley Italian bikes. Price with shipping USD $56.52.
Robert F. Greene sent me the following information via email.
My father replaced the CEV 9313 tail light on his 1973 Eldorado soon after buying the bike new in 1973. He did so for one reason and one reason alone: the original tail lamp just seemed too small to be seen. The replacement was a tail light for a Yamaha, and on my honor, you'd never know that it didn't come on the bike originally, as it complimented the bike perfectly. It is a rectangle shape, and has nearly twice the reflective surface area as the CEV 9313, which means twice as much red brake light directed at those following the bike. Since I followed the bike periodically when he would drop it off for service appointments, the visibility of the Yamaha brake light was quite a bit better than the original.
For Ambo and Eldo owners out there who wouldn't mind a slightly more visible tail light without completely sacrificing an OEM look, a great compromise is the CEV 9350, which was actually original equipment on many 1974 and later Moto Guzzis, including T-3s and Eldorados. My disc Eldorado came with a CEV 9350, and the rare 1975 police Eldos that I have seen were all equipped with 9350s as well. They are not dramatically larger than the old 9313, but the additional surface area of the reflector puts a bit more braking light out there behind you. For the past several weeks, there have been dozens of NOS CEV 9350 tail lights on eBay (not just the lens, but complete units with chrome-finished plastic back) for about $30 plus shipping. The reflector inside my original CEV 9350 was chipped and broken in several places (vibration perhaps?) and rather badly dulled from age, (although the lens cleaned up beautifully with a treatment of 3M Optical Plastic cleaner). I bought a NOS 9350 on eBay. It was a great deal, it looks great on the bike, and assures me of improved brake light visibility.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
CEV 9350 tail light as used on some of the Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Robert F. Greene.
Tail light lens fading
Updated: 2006 Aug 21
I extracted this information from Mark Etheridge of Moto Guzzi Classics off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).
If your tail light lens is faded, you can restore the color by boiling it in red RIT dye.
- Boil the dye (a concentrated amount).
- Submerge the lens for a couple of minutes…carefully monitor the progress as you don't want to destroy the lens.
Photo courtesy of RIT.
Tail light lens replacement
Updated: 2008 Dec 08
If your round tail light lens needs to be replaced, you may find it difficult to find a suitable replacement that looks close to original. I have seen New Old Stock (NOS) CEV tail light lenses go for upwards of USD $60.00 on ebay…too steep for a hunk of plastic in my opinion.
Fortunately, there is a very-close replacement that can be purchased at your local Wal-Mart. It is a “Universal Stop, Turn and Tail Light” that is manufactured by Peterson Manufacturing Company. The model number is 428. The package comes complete with the entire light, but the lens itself is all you need (the lens part number is 420-15, if you can find it - Bob Taylor informed me the lenses are available at Northern Tool). It screws right on to your stock CEV tail light.
Tail light lens securing screws
Updated: 2011 Aug 29
The tail light lens (CEV 7266 for the CEV 9313 tail light) is secured to the tail light using two pan head machine screws. A good fitting replacement screw for this application is a 7⁄8 in long, #6 screw. I use McMaster-Carr part number 92470A152.
Tail light lens to tail light gasket
Updated: 2011 Sep 06
Moto Guzzi originally placed a rubber gasket between the tail light lens and the tail light (MG# 12741721 or CEV part number 4292). The purpose of the gasket was to seal the lens to the tail light and to provide vibration protection for the lens.
Steven Vadjinia has reproduced this gasket using thick, high quality EDPM material. Steven sells this pieces on eBay as part of a rubber restoration kit. His eBay user name is roadfuel.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Tail light to tail light bracket gasket
Updated: 2011 Sep 06
Moto Guzzi originally placed a rubber gasket between the tail light and the tail light bracket (MG# 12741725 or CEV part number 10447). The purpose of the gasket was to provide vibration protection for the tail light bulb.
Steven Vadjinia has reproduced this gasket using thick, high quality EDPM material. Steven sells this pieces on eBay as part of a rubber restoration kit. His eBay user name is roadfuel.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Bender.
Here is a pattern I made for the rubber gasket that goes between the tail light and the tail light bracket. I used an old gasket (believed to be original) as my pattern. 1⁄8 in thick rubber material works great. An old chunk of inner tube will do, though I prefer thicker material. This corresponds to MG# 12741725 or CEV part number 10447.
| Download Name and Link | File Size | Number of Pages in File |
|---|---|---|
| 16 KB | 1 page |
! ! ! ! ! Note on printing this PDF file ! ! ! ! !
When printing this PDF file, be absolutely sure that "Page scaling" is set to "None". If you don't do this, your print will not be of the proper size.
To view PDF files, you will need to download and install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
NOTE: If you have trouble viewing PDF files inside your browser, try saving them to your computer (right-click the link, then choose the save option). Then, open each file directly in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Turn signal lens replacement - Civilian Lucas turn signals
Updated: 2010 Feb 09
Thanks to David Griffiths for sending me this information via email.
The Land Rover Defender uses lenses identical to ours. You can find them on eBay by searching for “Land Rover Defender Lens” .
Turn signal replacements / replicas - Civilian Lucas turn signals
Updated: 2010 Jun 22
Please see the follow-up information at the bottom of this section.
The best approach
Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for sending me this information via email. In Charlie's own words:
[I] bought a pair of genuine Lucas signals with long stems from Old Britts, part no. 062060, USD $39.99 ea., for a customer's Eldo. Equal in quality to the 36 year old originals, sturdy plastic housing, fiber washer holding the bulb contact. Much better than the reproductions, in this case you get what you pay for!
I modified the stems to match the short originals by cutting them off, machining them down to .420 in diameter and then threading them 7⁄16 in-20.
Modified Lucas turn signal stems to match the original dimensions used on Moto Guzzi 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.Photo courtesy of Charlie Mullendore, Antietam Classic Cycle.
The worse approach
Not having the original Lucas turn signals and not wanting to purchase NOS or piece together a set of used signals, I purchased four of the common Lucas replica turn signals from MG Cycle. The only problem with the replicas is that they have an 85 mm stem, which the originals never had. I set out to fix this problem. Here's what I did:
- I disassembled the turn signal, removing the stem entirely. The stem is just attached with a nut, so it's very easy to do.
- I enlarged the hole in each turn signal body to 1⁄2 in. Since the signal bodies are plastic, this was very quick and easy.
- I purchase four 12 mm × 1.75 mm × 40 mm bolts (this is the perfect length; any longer and the bolt won't fit inside the body of the turn signal). Using my drill press, I drilled a 3⁄16 in hole through the middle of each one. The electrical wire will run through this hole.
- I placed one lock washer on the bolt and inserted the assembly from the inside to the outside of the turn signal body (so that the head of the bolt is on the inside of the turn signal body).
- I fastened one nut on the outside of the turn signal body and tightened the assembly.
- I reassembled the turn signal, feeding the electrical wire through my special bolt.
- I fastened the turn signal to the motorcycle, with a flat washer, lock washer, and nut.
Materials used:
- Four Lucas replica turn signals
- Four 12 mm × 1.75 mm × 40 mm bolts
- Eight 12 mm × 1.75 mm nuts
- Eight 12 mm lock washers
- Four 12 mm flat washers
Now completed, the turn signals look very close to the originals.
Note: I've since had some trouble with the screws loosening that secure the bulb sockets to the body of the turn signal. The bulb is grounded through these screws, so it has caused some headaches. As a fix, I did the following:
- I used medium strength thread locking compound to secure the screws in place.
- I ran a separate ground wire from the metal socket (using a small nut and bolt) to a solid ground on the bike.
Note: I also had trouble with the contact point on the pigtail. The contact was mounted in some sort of hard rubber, and the spring behind it - combined with the heat from the bulb and the vibration from the motorcycle - slowly pushed the contact through the rubber and away from the bulb…until contact was broken or intermittent. This even buggered up the contact point on the light bulb. For a fix, I replaced all of the rubber-type discs with hard-fiber discs that came packaged with single contact pigtails (local auto parts store purchase). I only needed to purchase two pigtails because each pigtail came packages with two discs - enough for all four turn signals.
Follow-up
I have completed two of the above described “conversions” (eight turn signals total) and I don't intend to ever do another. Here's why…
- The conversion takes a long time to do (several hours once all the little things are accomplished).
- Once completed, I'm still left with poor quality plastic turn signals that are not designed to withstand the vibrations and abuse that motorcycle quality turn signals should be able to endure. No matter how careful a person is, the plastic bodies and lenses will crack and the entire mess will disintegrate (and heaven-forbid you accidentally bump a turn signal as you are walking around the bike in your garage). These turn signals are nice to look at, but are no good in any long term real-life use.
Strong recommendation: If you really want the original Lucas look, source some original Lucas turn signals and be done with it.
Turn signal replacements / replicas - Police Dietz turn signals
Updated: 2012 Feb 20
Barjan
I saw these at a truck stop near the 2007 Virginia Rally when Roger led a group of us on a great ride. Thanks to Tom Halchuk (also on the ride) for confirming the manufacturer when I returned to Tampa, Florida.
Barjan has chrome-plated zinc die-case 4 in diameter turn signals.
- Order 049-3436110 (single contact) or 049-3436210 (double contact) for the red and amber lenses.
Grote Industries
Grote Industries has chromed-plated zinc die-cast 4 in diameter turn signals in standard and thin formats.
Standard
- Order 56000 (single contact) or 53000 (double contact) for the red and amber lenses.
- Order 53032 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.
Thin
Peterson Manufacturing Company
Peterson Manufacturing Company has a limited selection of chrome-plated zinc die-cast 4 in diameter turn signals.
Truck-Lite / Signal-Stat Lighting Products
I extracted some of this information from John Chicoine off of the old Topica Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Yahoo!).
Signal-Stat Lighting Products has chrome-plated zinc die-cast 4 in diameter turn signals.
- Order 3861 (single contact) for the red and amber lenses.
- Order 3763 (double contact) for the single-sided red lens.
Truck-Lite is the manufacturer of Signal-Stat Lighting Products. Jack Young Company carries them, (617) 782-1250. Any NAPA auto parts store is a distributor for Signal-Stat Lighting Products. If they don't have the one you need on the shelf, they ought to be able to order it for you. If you don't have a NAPA close by, call the Truck-Lite customer service department and give the rep your zip code - they'll find the closest one for you; (800) 562-5012 or (716) 661-1162.
As for price, the last time I checked (2006 Mar 17) you could expect to pay just under USD $35.00 per turn signal.
Turn signals as running lights
Updated: 2011 Mar 24
A technique using one single-element bulb in each turn signal
Please see the follow-up information at the bottom of this section.
My 1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador didn't come with running lights (the Ambassador didn't come with turn signals originally, either). I'm not a fan of creating new motorcycle laws and I don't think running lights should be made a new motorcycling requirement, but I personally want more visibility both up front and in the rear. I wanted to use my turn signals as combination turn signals and running lights. But, the civilian style turn signals that Moto Guzzi fit to the Eldorado (and offered as a kit for the Ambassador) are only wired for single filament bulbs. Here are the various options I considered:
Replace the pigtails
My first idea was to simply replace the single-wire pigtails with two-wire pigtails. This would allow me to run dual-filament bulbs (1157) instead of single-filament bulbs (1156). I ran into trouble, however, because the two-wire pigtails require a different socket to accept the dual-filament bulbs.
Replace the sockets
My second idea was to replace the single-filament bulb sockets (complete with the pigtails) with dual-filament bulb sockets. However, it is difficult to find sockets that fit easily within the limited space of the turn signals without significant modification to the sockets themselves. Or so I thought…Jason Blasdell found some great sockets that work very well in the Lucas style turn signals used on the older Moto Guzzi (and many other British and Italian) motorcycles. I think he found an excellent solution and I'm pleased to present it here in his own words:
I have found a new solution for the “Turn Signals As Running Lights” mod. I found some two-conductor sockets that will fit into the turn signal housings. You mentioned it as “option 2” on your website. The sockets I came across are very shallow due to a clever spring setup where each conductor gets it's own tiny spring (you can see this on photo 7), as opposed to having one big spring taking up a lot of room inside the socket. The complete conversion is only about USD $4.00 per turn signal, which just accounts for the cost of the socket. I like that it will make the wiring modification terribly easy, since all you will have to do is run one extra wire to each turn signal, and all original functions will continue to work as normal without needing any extra flashers or relays. I will still be adding relays to my bike, though, since I don't like using switches to handle any voltage loads for lighting. I am lucky enough to have two of the left-hand CEV switch boxes (I am installing one on the right instead of the usual one-function switch box), and I don't want to burn one of them up.
Here are some photos that I took while converting my first turn signal to a two-conductor socket. I haven't put voltage on the extra wire yet, but I do have one wire hooked up to the original turn signal lead, and it works fine. One down, three to go. I will wait until my relay mounts arrive before I wire power for the running lights.
Here is the socket, removed from the housing. You can use a jeweler's screwdriver to pry the tabs up. It's easier said than done. Be careful. It would be very easy to stab yourself in the hand while bending the tabs. Here, all of the tabs have been pried up except one.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
You will probably have to straighten the bracket out a little after removing the socket.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
These sockets were available at O’Reilly Auto Parts and Pep Boys, and are probably at many other stores. It cost about $4. The brand name for this particular socket is Conduct Tite, part number 85802.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
Here it is out of the package.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
The side tabs of the socket act like springs to hold it in place.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
Here is the new socket inserted into the old bracket with the socket tabs sticking out. Use a pair of pliers to bend the tabs towards the outside of the socket, while holding it tightly against the bracket.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
You could use some solder to hold it still if it seems a bit loose. Mine didn't need any.Turn signal power. New wires both fit through the stem.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
The bracket fits back into the housing the same as before. You shouldn't need to worry about a ground wire. Apparently, the chrome plating on the housing is all it uses. Mine worked fine as is.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
With the lens back on, there is still plenty of room inside for the new two-conductor socket and bulb. This is an amber lens painted red. Connect one wire to your turn signal power lead, and the other to a switched voltage source, and your turn signals are now running lights.Photo courtesy of Jason Blasdell.
Electronic modification
Some internet research revealed that there are several commercial products readily available to convert existing turn signals into combination turn signals and running lights (e.g., Kriss, SOS Priority Lights, Run-N-Lites). For a number of reasons (cost, inability to work on both the front and rear turn signals, etc.), I decided against these ready-made solutions.
My homemade solution
For a lot less money and a few easily obtainable parts, I created my own DIY solution.
- Supplies you'll need
- Two relays. I use Greenwich Electronics SPDT 12VDC Relay Part No. AR4-012-C11 or Bosch 0 332 207 307 relays. I recommend you purchase these directly from Dan Prunuske. They are a bargain, so order several. Dan does this more as a service than a job, so do not take advantage of him.
- Two flashers. I use Trico (Tridon / Stant) model number EL12. I originally had trouble with these, but cured my problems by adding diodes. Standard thermal flashers work too, but the electronic flashers are flash more regularly and operate more quickly when you thumb the turn signal button. Worth the extra cost, in my opinion.
- Two diodes. I use Radio Shack Part Number 276-1661 (6A, 50PIV Rectifier Diodes) or something similar from radio shack. They are cheap and work well. No problems at all. The key thing to keep in mind when selecting diodes is you want them to handle the bulb wattage you'll be using. I use a 23 watt bulb in each turn signal. Which means I've got 46 watts that each diode will need to handle. Depending on how well my charging system is operating (somewhere between 12 and 14 volts is typical), this wattage translates to somewhere between 3 and 4 amps. So, choosing a diode with a 6 amp rating is a safe bet. Don't get bent out of shape if you can't find the exact part number at radio shack…just choose a diode that will handle the bulbs you'll be using in each direction.
- Assorted electrical wire and connectors.
- How it works
- Power from the tail light circuit operates the turn signals as running lights whenever the tail light circuit has power.
- When the turn signal switch is activated, the relay diverts the power running directly to the turn signals through the flasher unit. Thus, the turn signals blink.
- Turn off the turn signal switch and the relay diverts power away from the flasher.
Download wiring instructions
The following wiring diagrams should provide you with the basic information you'll need to wire your turn signals as combination turn signals and running lights.
| Download Name and Link | File Size | Number of Pages in File |
|---|---|---|
| 16 KB | 1 page | |
| 18 KB | 1 page |
To view PDF files, you will need to download and install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
NOTE: If you have trouble viewing PDF files inside your browser, try saving them to your computer (right-click the link, then choose the save option). Then, open each file directly in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Things to consider
- Turn signals will only operate if the tail light circuit is hot. This is not a problem on new bikes where the tail light circuit is on with the ignition. But, on older bikes or non-U.S. models, the turn signals may not operate without the tail light switch being turned on.
- Using amber colored running lights is legal on the front of any vehicle. However, it is not legal to operate amber colored running lights on the rear. So, you have three choices:
- Take your chances with law enforcement.
- Only turn the front turn signals into combination turn signals / running lights.
- Change the color of the rear turn signals lenses to red by (a) finding and purchasing new lenses or (b) painting your existing lenses with a product such as Testors Transparent Red paint.
Here are the before and after results with two coats of the translucent red paint. With only one coat, the resulting light was an obvious mix of amber and red. With two coats, however, they look very nice. Not quite as much light is transmitted with the painted red lens when compared to the unpainted amber lens, but the difference is not major and is in line with differences between standard red and amber lenses. Overall, I am very pleased with the results.
Follow-up
After installing and living with my homemade electronic solution, I now have a very strong preference for modifying the sockets to accept dual filament bulbs. Not only does the modification require less work upfront, but it is also much easier to maintain and doesn't require a location to hide all the electrical wizardry.
A technique using two single-element bulbs in each turn signal
Thanks to Doug Peters for providing the wiring diagram.
Originally intended for use with the lights on Wixom saddlebags, this technique uses resistors and diodes to produce dimmer running lights and brighter brake and turn signal lights. Here is a video showing the results.
