Great Bike !

[hondated]

Hopefully you will find this interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbSALBbj8K4

So it poses the question in my mind , could you attach a motorbike battery to your bike and run indicators and lights off of it ?
Ok it'll be weighty but probably cheaper than a decent dynamo set up.

[gaz]

To answer your question a pedal cycle may be fitted with indicators subject to the same RVLR requirements as a moped. I believe any "motorcycle lamps" would need to be in addition to the relevant position lamps for a pedal cycle.

The question it poses in my mind is could you wire in one of these.

[rjb]

The question it poses in my mind is could you wire in one of these.

I want one .

[tim-b]

Hi
Indicators seem to an optional extra on most cars, why would I want them on a bike?
Regards
tim-b

[tatanab]

could you attach a motorbike battery to your bike and run indicators and lights off of it ?

I did that back in the 1970s, before decent sealed lead acid batteries came along. I brazed a small framework onto the rear carrier to take a smallish motorcycle battery to run a set of dynamo lights. In those days the powerful bulbs were not yet available, but I was able to uprate the 0.1A rear bulb to a 0.2A as used in the front for a dynohub. Lights only because all my machines come with self cancelling indicators called hand signals - my motorcycle used them too. By about 1982 I had changed to a sealed lead acid battery and so was able to use the same setup on my club riding bike with the battery in a side pocket of the saddlebag.

[Roadster]

all my machines come with self cancelling indicators called hand signals - my motorcycle used them too.

Turn signals using blinking lights are called "indicators", but turn signals using semaphore are called "trafficators".

[hondated]

Thanks varied and interesting responses.
tatanab was it a worthwhile exercise.
I just find this young fellas bike so interesting and his attitude refreshing in building the bike that suits his needs.

[tatanab]

tatanab was it a worthwhile exercise.

It worked fine at the time when I wanted reliable commuting lights. Changing to a sealed lead acid meant that I could stow it in the saddle bag, but to charge a sealed lead acid nicely requires a better charger than your normal motor dealer type chargers. These days I would regard it as too expensive. Better to use modern lights with rechargeable AA batteries. As for indicators - I think a problem with fitting them to a pedal cycle is in putting them far enough apart. All the schemes I've seen over the years have them about 6 inches apart, so nobody can really tell "is that the left or the right that is feebly flashing?".

[fastpedaller]

tatanab was it a worthwhile exercise.

It worked fine at the time when I wanted reliable commuting lights. Changing to a sealed lead acid meant that I could stow it in the saddle bag, but to charge a sealed lead acid nicely requires a better charger than your normal motor dealer type chargers. These days I would regard it as too expensive. Better to use modern lights with rechargeable AA batteries. As for indicators - I think a problem with fitting them to a pedal cycle is in putting them far enough apart. All the schemes I've seen over the years have them about 6 inches apart, so nobody can really tell "is that the left or the right that is feebly flashing?".

Just need arrow-shaped lights then!

[hondated]

FP is it just me or can I remember that very thing on bikes back in 50/60s. I am sure I wasn't dreaming !

[rmurphy195]

FP is it just me or can I remember that very thing on bikes back in 50/60s. I am sure I wasn't dreaming !

You could buy indicator sets for bikes in the late 50's/early 60's - I bought one 9as a 12 year old) but it didn'tm work very well. Took it along to the manufacturers (I think they were in the centre of Birmingham, just of Newhalll St - St Pauls' square maybe) and they swopped it for a set that did work, but I didn't use it for long. Passing fad, like the twist-grip 3-speed changer!

[foxyrider]

FP is it just me or can I remember that very thing on bikes back in 50/60s. I am sure I wasn't dreaming !

I had a hand-me-down bike when I was about 8, think it was a Triumph, from an older cousin, in the early seventies (20" wheels, mudguards etc) that had both a brake light and indicators fitted. Can't remember either actually working.

I remember selling both indicators and stop lights for bikes in the mid 90's - didn't exactly sail out the door!

[MikeF]

The problem with hand (direction) signals is you can't always use them when you might want to, eg when moving slowly, when stopped, on hills etc

[hondated]

Thanks for confirming they did exist even though they weren't that efficient.