Ignition key positions

M

matchlessman

New member
Location
Eastern Ontario, Canada
Further to my post about wiring diagrams I think my problems go deeper. I can't find any information about what each ignition key position should do on my SF1. There's nothing in the owner's manual. I have ND instruments.

This what I get when I push the ignition key all the way in (position "0"): oil, neutral warning lights, the horn works, the "flash" warning light works along with the high beam when I press the flash button (Lucas switches), brake light switch works, turn signals work.

In position "1 I get all of the foregoing plus the starter switch works, the "beam" and "flash" warning lights now light up, without the flash or high beam function being engaged at the switch, as well as the tail light.

In position "2" I get all the foregoing from Position "0" and position "1" plus the headlight now comes on.

It strikes me this all a bit odd, even for an Italian motorcycle that's 53 years old. What should I have at each position?

I'd really like to get this sorted out so I can take the bike to get its safety certificate. Then I can ride it before winter gets here.

Ken
Eastern Ontario
 
I don’t pretend to know what the answer is, but keep an open mind!
From your two threads, it sounds a bit like a previous owner had a problem and tried fixing it by shifting wires around at random. I’d suggest tracing as much as you can to ensure it is as per a diagram (any diagram, but stick with just one), and test switches as you go, particularly the ignition switch which may have been the original fault.
Good luck, it’s usually much harder to find the fault than fix it.
 
From memory, my SF1 Bosch-Lucas system was pretty simple - push in for ignition 'on' - ie, everything works (same as turning the key on any other moto). Turn while pushed in one click clockwise (pos 1?) lights on and everything else as per push in. Turn another click clockwise (pos 2) and parking lights come on - so I guess you remove the key in pos 2, but I never use park lights.

Someone has clearly done some very dodgy electrical work on your ignition switch!! I personally do not like having every electrical circuit running through the ignition switch, whether Bosch or ND, especially once they are getting into the 5th decade and beyond!
 
It's a long time ago, so it's possible that one click clockwise (pos 1) is park lights and pos 2 is headlights on. Someone else may be able to help.
 
Park position, all the way turned to the right, usually has the dash lights, taillight, and a small headlight bulb on, but no ignition function at all. Just check you have the right keyed switch for the bike.BTW, the key should only come out turned fully left, OFF or fully right PARK. It should stay in turned to ON in the middle. I tried to get a new Ducati switch for my Pantah years ago, but from memory the std 4-wire switches were unavailable; you could only get switches with more or fewer wires that were configured differently internally. I ran my Pantah for a few years with off stuff turned on with the park turned on.
 
Are they a square or triangular key? The disc lock I got from Marty was a Square key, and even going through old catalogues at the biggest Auto key place in Sydney, I couldn't find spare key blanks that fit it.
 
They are literally the shape of a 3 inch nail! With a small indent at one end to click them into place. Zero thiefproofing if the thief know the lock!
 
As above. I had a 750 SFC that had been used as a race bike then put back on road. Wiring a bit of a mess. I got a Jap bike ignition switch to use as a tester and figured out the wiring. Eventually got the right Laverda switch and easy enough to put the right wires back in the right place.
 
Hey Vince. If you haven't previously come across the stupid Bosch keys of the era, they're a bit of a joke.

Here's a picture of the keys. As I recall, the "proper" key had a streamlined plastic knob, while the spare simply had a flat metal handle like a normal key. The grooves don't form part of any lock encoding. They're simply to engage with a spring detent so the key doesn't bounce out when you hit a bump. The little lug at the back is to engage with the rotary switch for the bike's lights.

Bosch key.JPGBosch key metal.JPG

BMWs had the same type of key. I'm not sure what they were thinking in the factory when they chose that ignition switch for their range supposedly high quality bikes. They evidently weren't thinking about security. The keys for all bikes were identical, so any key would operate any bike. A Laverda key would work in a BMW and vice versa. There were probably other bike manufacturers who used the same key switch - MZ maybe?

My brother bought a brand new BMW R60/5 back in the day. I recall being amused by the stupid ignition "lock" on what was a relatively expensive up-market bike. My shitty old Yamaha 250 that I had at the time at least had a proper key lock.

It was no big deal if you lost the key. As Quentin mentioned, you could just shove a 3" nail in the hole and it would switch the ignition on.
If you wanted full function so you could switch the lights on (while you were waiting 6 weeks for your replacement switch to come from Europe on a steam ship), no problem. File the detent grooves in your nail, bend the top over and cut it to length to form a handle, hammer the handle part flat and file in the shape of the little lug to engage the rotary switch. 10 minutes with basic hand tools and you have a workable replacement key.
 
A mate had a DT125 back in the day, and he showed me its huge SECURITY feature, the multi-plug connection that the key wires went through just had to be unplugged, no twisting individual wires together, just unplugged, and the bike would kick start.
 
Ah yes. I remember those Yamahas. Again, my brother had one (DT360). They had a self-powered ignition something like a lawn mower. When the ignition key was turned to the OFF position, it earthed out the coil primary winding to stop the engine. Un-plug the key switch and that earth connection disappeared.
 
They also had the key code number on the lock, so you could just go and buy a key. There weren´t that many different keys and I remember Quentin´s DT2 key worked on a 650 despite the different numbers.
 
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