There be parts online!!!

Davetac1 said:

With only 2200 miles over a three year period on your current machine,I can understand that "ED"!! Dave!!!

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Ok, now let's be clear, these last few years aren't normal. I usually do 5000-6000 miles a year on the bike, occasionally more if there's time (and cooperative weather) for a bike trip. I have had occasion (or the need) to dive in deeper than just bolting on farkles. I replaced the rear brake caliper on the VTX1800, and I got really ambitious and put a bigger front sprocket on the Magna. On the VTX1300 I jetted the carb -- three times actually before I got it running right.

My problem is I usually run into things that I need to go look up how to sort out that somebody who does it regularly would know exactly how to handle. And I just don't have the patience for dealing with the unknown -- which is probably why I don't do anything like that for a living! Lately I'd really rather be riding than wrenching -- when I get to do either, that is.

Mounting the Skene Design lights

bob said:

Those Skene lights look like the thing to have on a bike with all LED lighting. I suspect the 2 little screws just under the engine guards is where the OEM optional driving lights would mount so that is where I would put a bracket to hold any Skene lights up front.

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I sent an email to Jerry Skene with photos of the CTX1300 and asked for his advice on this. Here's what he said:

"I think the best place to mount the Photon Blaster LED is on the lower fender screw (item #8 in this parts fiche):

Fiche at CyclePartsNation

This would put the lights far away from the headlight, which is what you want.

The bracket I would recommend to this is the T12-S, which has a 30mm long 6mm screw and a 12 mm spacer. The screw on the bike is likely a shoulder screw that can be tightened up only to a certain point, to provide some flexibility for the bumper mount. It will be difficult to find a longer shoulder screw, but if you use the T12-S screw with loctite and tighten it up until it is just snug, it should work just fine.

The P3's can be mounted on the license plate bracket using the included brackets.

You may not be able to use the bike's tail light wire to power the P3, as it may be the same wire as the brake. This is commonly done on bike with LED tail/brake lights. Use the license plate light or another switched power source to power the P3 controller."

I notice in the thread on the Japan Honda accessories that the factory driving lights are shown mounted just where I was thinking so the lamps sit up just in front of the engine guard blocks.

From the looks of the Fiche you linked to that bolt #8 looks like one without a shoulder but part #7, the collar, would be the spacer that provides the flexibility for the fender part. I imagine a longer collar may be possible but may not be needed if mounting there. I usually don't like the idea of mounting on the forks since there is a lot of shock punishment put on anything there. Personal preference.

As to power for any added lighting, including LED, I would never tap into factory wires other than to only trigger a relay to turn them on (as in for brake or turn signals). I would always install an isolated fused power panel (switched) to power them as I've mentioned on this board previously. There are a lot of riders who do their own add-ons or vendors who do this who follow the old school practice of simply grabbing power from the closest wire they can find for what they want to run, but this introduces potential for failures in the factory systems (often that don't show up until much later as happened to me) that would not otherwise exist. I experienced that first hand with my GW, and current more modern bikes are more complex than that was. Learned a lot about bike wiring with that one.

Honda is finally making it easier to get at the engine with this bike. Not only that the lower engine is exposed but also taking off the shroud on either side of the radiator to get in that area (gray/black shroud below the colored fairing). It is mounted with some grommet snap fittings and some snap clips so that part will pull off. Much like I remember doing on my old GW for the side covers. Also, the side fairings, or middle cowl as the parts diagram calls them, from the mirrors down, are mounted with grommet pins and can pull off. NO SCREWS! YEA!
(note to self: if purchase this bike buy extra grommets to replace those that wear out)

Still need to remove some screws to take off the top shelter to get at the air cleaner.
Still, getting at parts on and around the engine is really easy on this bike
Something I like since I do much of my own maintenance and also want to be able to get in there to mount add-on stuff

Davetac1 said:

Ed!! Did you,or did you NOT,say that you've owned your TBird for 3 years now but only had 2200 miles on it???? lol lol Or did I misunderstand you.lol WELLLLLLLLLLLLL????? lol lol So!! If that's the case,why would you have to work on it cause it AIN'T been driven far enough to require any maintenance.lol lol lol I was only quoting you Ed,with maybe,just alittle teasing thrown in for good measure.lol,lol lol But I meant no disrespect to you sir. Dave!!!

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I most certainly did NOT say that.










Because I've only had it for 2 years.