Vulcan Drifter Riders

DISCUSSIONS => Drifter 1500 only => Topic started by: darkdrifter on April 26, 2013, 21:52:57 PM

Title: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: darkdrifter on April 26, 2013, 21:52:57 PM
concerning the clutch switch on the LH lever,
would anyone happen to know if the circuit becomes open, or closed, when you pull the clutch lever?

thanks in advance for any help.
Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: Pilgrim on April 27, 2013, 14:02:53 PM
It is a single pole double throw (SPDT) switch- when the handle is released the wires black to black/red are made.
When handle is pulled in the wires black to black/yellow are made.
black is the common.

If the connector comes loose, the bike won't start. Found that out yesterday after installing risers.

Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: darkdrifter on May 02, 2013, 14:59:04 PM
thats the info I need.
many many thanks, pilgrim!

I am actually debating picking up a set for my 2010 Indian.  It came factory with the hydraulic clutch, but the master cylinders for the clutch and the brake are rectangular shaped, wheres as the drifters\vulcans are round.  the round looks way better.
It has 1 inch bars, so that would not be a problem.
the clutch side should be a easy swap.  but the front brake would be a problem since I have dual calipers on the front.  So I'm assuming the piston size will be differant. 
Does anyone have any experiance using the factory drifter brake  master cylinder and converting to dual calipers on the front?
Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: Troll on May 02, 2013, 15:19:50 PM
    The Nomad has dual calipers, but it's not just a matter of that. Lever ratio and total swept area of the cylinder must be kept in mind. When I went to a newer model M/cyl on my FLT, it went from a 1/2" bore to 3/4" bore, and the lever travel DECREASED by about 50%, but the lever pressure increased, but not by the same amount. The effective pressure at the calipers increased, and the brake performance improved. I put 11/16" bore cylinder on my SuperGlide, to go with the dual caliper setup I put on that, and the performance improvement was quite startling. Lever travel was slightly more than the FLT (same calipers/discs), but the feel and feedback was improved. The Sglide weighs about 300 lbs less, and I was able to get it to stop from 60 mph in 100', quite consistently, there was no brake fade even after many stops. Bottom line: putting a different M/cyl on might improve braking, or it might cause a nightmare..experimentation is the only way to find out. As far as the clutch is concerned, I'm thinking that it might not be as simple as you think, for the same reasons as the brake, clutch piston travel and lever ratio will be important here, too. Then there is the problem of the banjo fitting......
Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: darkdrifter on May 02, 2013, 20:10:41 PM
thanks for the reply, troll!
I see you own a harley also.  its nice to see another motorcycle rider that is above the "american vs metric" snob bs.  I've never owned a harley, but owned a 01 indian and now my 2010 darkhorse, and theres no comparison in the craftmenship of a drifter vs modern Indians, overall.  the gilroy era, kings mountain era, and now even the spirit lake (polaris) era indians are all sporting lots of over-seas parts. 
I wish all the parts on my 2010 indian where american made, the parts that aren't, I wish where from japan.  my experiance with japanese quality stuff vs, all the other asian manufacture, is a night and day differance.   

I just did a bing image search on the nomads and I'm  only seeing them with rectangle shaped master cylinders.
my girls 800 drifter resides most the time in my garage next to my Indian, so I figure I'll first do what you suggest and just put the drifter brake mc and see what happens and go from there.  the banjo fittings are the same. 
I would guess my more complicated obstacle would be if I needed more flow capacity since I'm going from single to dual, then my bore would need to be increased?
if it needs to be the opposite, I could plumb in a restrictor.
I didn't even think about the lever travel. 

and now you've got me nervous about the clutch side, lol!
since her 800 doesn't have hydraulic clutch, I'd have to pick one up used on the cheap and give it a whirl.

it might be alot of work just because I like the looks of "round" vs "rectangle". 
but hey......I've never been accused of being a rational or intelligent thinker  :o

Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: John Hopkins on May 12, 2013, 13:46:31 PM
Quote from: darkdrifter on May 02, 2013, 20:10:41 PM
I wish all the parts on my 2010 indian where american made, the parts that aren't, I wish where from japan.  my experiance with japanese quality stuff vs, all the other asian manufacture, is a night and day differance.   

I would guess my more complicated obstacle would be if I needed more flow capacity since I'm going from single to dual, then my bore would need to be increased?
if it needs to be the opposite, I could plumb in a restrictor.
I didn't even think about the lever travel. 

and now you've got me nervous about the clutch side, lol!
since her 800 doesn't have hydraulic clutch, I'd have to pick one up used on the cheap and give it a whirl.


Japan is outsourcing a lot of it's parts from China now, the same as the rest of the world..so just because it has a Japanese manufacturers name on it doesn't mean it is made in Japan..It has to say 'Made in Japan' and even then there are a lot of forgeries..

Try what is available first and if it doesn't work to your satisfaction you can get two different sized bores of hose with any fittings made to measure from Venhill engineering in England that way you don't have to worry about restrictors or the hose being too small.

John.
Title: Re: drifter 1500 clutch switch question
Post by: darkdrifter on June 17, 2013, 21:48:24 PM
good info!
thank you sir!