Will These Key Switches Fill A Stock Key Switch Hole?

[DasUberKraut]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400038820639?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Does anyone have experience with these key switches? Do you know if they will fill the stock key switch hole?
Or is it worth spending the $60 for a NOS switch? Thanks in advance. :beer

[tri again]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400038820639?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Does anyone have experience with these key switches? Do you know if they will fill the stock key switch hole?
Or is it worth spending the $60 for a NOS switch? Thanks in advance. :beer

I could use a few too.
Main question is check the wiring diagram and see what wires want to be where.
The seller of the switches should say that 2 wires connect together or which 2 connect when the switch is on
ya know,?
I wonder if it's a 1 or 2 position switch and what connects to what, would be nice to know.

[DasUberKraut]

It does say 2 position / 4 wires. I did measure the stock hole and it appears 1/8" bigger than the Lifan switch. I gotta think the wiring is correct if they claim it works for many similar Honda applications.

[blue27]

what trike are you putting it on?

[DasUberKraut]

84 125m. I currently have a toggle switch rigged up and it's getting old. Keeps grounding out and blowing my fuse.

[tri again]

what trike are you putting it on?

I'm not the op but the 250 sx and es key mount is huge.
Haven't really looked at the 125m very closely. That key is broken off but still works.

With the 250,I have one with all 4 wires hanging in free air
touching nothing OR each other and it kick starts and runs
and the indicator lights and headlights work after it starts.
No battery in the system.

I went blind cross referencing the wire diagrams but it seems
that 2 wires want to be connected in one key position, and the
other 2 in the other key position.

Pretty simple but not sure if it would be a plug and play.
What's a few more connectors and electrical tape anyway.

[DasUberKraut]

Stock hole on a 125m is 1 1/16" by my measurement.
Lifan switch is 15/16. It appears to have a stock wiring connection too.

[Dirtcrasher]

I thought they popped into place?

I thought there was a CRF that had a key we could buy??

[tulsamike3434]

i have one from a honda 125m trx

[DasUberKraut]

I broke down and bought one today. For $12.95 / Free Shipping I couldn't argue with it. I'm just gonna try to make a spacer to make it fit snug. I'm almost positive it will connect right up to the stock ATC harness. The plug looks pretty much exactly the same.

I do have a queston though. What is the best way to get at the harness? Is it best to take the headlight apart or just unbolt the handlebars and get at it that way? I want to be able to have enough room to retape the wires too. Right now I have the wires cut off with the plug intact. The two hot wires are connected to a toggle and the other two are just hanging. There is plenty of wire if I need to cut and splice. I cut them directly behind the old, damaged keyswitch. Someone shoved a screwdriver or something in it and mangled it all to hell. Idiots.

[dougspcs]

My experience with this stuff isn't good..you will say what the hell it's only $12.95.

1st they are time sucking whores getting them to fit, then it either breaks in your hand or shortly there after on the trail because it's garbage.

Ultimately it winds up on the other side of the shop on the floor since I missed the can because I was pissed off at myself for buying more crap instead of the right stuff!!!

It's total false economy every time..

Hope your luck is better than mine, but that's my learning curve..then again my machines are going to live to be 50 because I learned this!!

[DasUberKraut]

Point taken, Doug. The wife would have my testicals in a mason jar under the kitchen sink if I spent $60 right now for a stock replacement. I figured Lifan is a trusted brand. People seem to use their motors quite often from what I've heard. I think the hole is an 1/8" or 3/16" bigger than the switch. If I can't use the stock hole. My top bridge has two screws in it towards the top that hold absolutely nothing down. I have no idea what they are for...but I have a selection of switch plates for semi trucks. I can just use on of them screws and mount it to a switch plate of the top of the top bridge for temporary use. I can't have loose wires and loose toggle switch flopping around above the headlight anymore.

[Jon Boy]

i do believe all honda atc switches are the same, someone please correct me if i'm wrong. :beer

those two bolts are for the rubber dash cover, if it's what i'm thinking your talking about.

you talking the two philips head screws behind my windshield bracket right?
137544
dash cover. holes are under the plastic insert.
137545

[dougspcs]

Point taken, Doug. The wife would have my testicals in a mason jar under the kitchen sink if I spent $60 right now for a stock replacement.

Well testicles are definitely worth more than $43.05 in my house..so I say Lifan switch it is!! Good luck..

[DasUberKraut]

Jon Boy... Those would be the screws I'm talking about.

I guess I didn't realize the insert came out of the dash cover. I just figured it clipped on the handlebars and that's it. Now I know.
At any rate, I will use one of those screws if need be to mount a switch plate temporarily until I can afford a stock switch if I can't make the Lifan switch fit and look pretty.

One thing I've noticed if someone is selling a used stock switch, they seem to think it's worth as much or more than a NOS replacement. I seem to find that with alot of parts actually. People always think they are worth double what a reasonable price would be. Insanity I tell you.

[DasUberKraut]

Lifan key switch partially installed. No modifications required to mount the switch to the dash plate. Still have to do the wiring. Hoping it just plugs into factory harness. Have to go back out and pull headlight to get at the harness. Figured while I was inside for a few minutes I would post some pics for you that may be interested.

Close-up of switch in dash plate.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/2011-12-17_13-13-30_37.jpg

Backside of switch. Tight squeeze but it just barely makes it.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/2011-12-17_13-14-31_470.jpg

Dash plate back on the Trike.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/2011-12-17_13-28-07_253.jpg

I think I may want to fill in the lettering with jb weld or something and paint it up. Then I can line it up with the stock ignition lables on the dash plate which could use fresh paint as well. Is there a better way to fill indented lettering on a chrome or stainless (guessing it's chrome) surface???

So this is where I'm at...

After messing with different wire positions by guessing, I got it to start fine but no lights would come on. I came inside and searched for about half an hour before I found something to go on by a similar switch on a site called Hooper Imports. Color codes are as follows respictively.

Hooper Imports product listing info for similar Lifan Switch -

Continuity for OFF is GREEN to BLACK / WHITE STRIPE
Continuity for ON is RED to BLACK

'84 Honda 125m Manual Wiring Diagram -

Continuity for OFF is GREEN to BLACK
Continuity for ON is RED to YELLOW / RED STRIPE

I wired it this way -

Switch GREEN to 125M GREEN
Switch BLACK / WHITE STRIPE to 125m BLACK

Switch RED to 125m RED
Switch BLACK to YELLOW / RED STRIPE

With this configuration...It starts with the key siwitch in the OFF position. Turns it off when switch to ON but the Neutral light now works and goes off when shifted. It almost seems like the headlight hi / lo is reversed. I can't tell for sure though. Any electrical gurus know which wires I may have crossed? I'm just happy to have made some progress.


Update again -

So I went back out late last night when the wife went to bed. Tried a few more configurations.

I basically switched the solid colors off each other in their respective continuity groups first with OFF, then with both at same time then with ON only. I lost lights on two of them again. And one switch in wiring seemed to do nothing.

I'm almost thinking the Lifan Continuity info is reversed? You wouldn't think wiring a simpre 4 wire / 2 position switch would be this hard. Throw in the Honda wiring schematic and it's a nightmare. LOL.

[DasUberKraut]

Is it possible I got the one switch that was wired backwards and not caught at QA by some drunk after lunch?

[Jon Boy]

hey that switch doesnt look bad at all on there, guess now to find out it's longevity. you could be right and the wires might be backwards in the switch, those things can happen. will dig into my manual in a bit and try and help figure it out. should be easier than mine since yours is an 84. mines an 85, but my manual goes up to 84. made figuring out my switch fun. :lol:

[DasUberKraut]

They could label stuff better in the manual.
What is "E"?

Thanks for all the help. :beer

[Jon Boy]

been reading up on things when i could and not sure where your getting the E from. closest thing i could find was a referance to an E-clip.
i hear what your saying, i feel fairly competent usually when it comes to wiring (even rewired my truck, everything correct), but my 125 threw me for a loop when i was figuring out my key switch after i got it back from the impound. got it straightened out now, it's just waiting for me to get the key and switch. :lol:

can't say i'm 100% sure, but i think the color codes might be differant between the 84 and 85. i know the diagram i have in my book (Clymer 70-84 atc70-125) shows a differant color code than what my 125 has. here's the diagram i have from my book. hopefully it's clear enough to make out. :beer
138042

[DasUberKraut]

That looks right to me. I didn't use that layout thought. I just went with the keyswitch diagram itself. That's where the "E" came from. I didn't think to trace it all the way back with the actual wiring diagram on the next page. How logical would that have been? LOL. Anyways. I almost think it's just one wire messed up that's reversing the polarity. I think that's the proper term to use in this instance.

This is where I got my continuity from for the keyswitch. This is very similar to the one I bought off ebay. The picture on ebay didn't match what was in the box. I suspect it to be the same with this one. The wire colors match and it's a 4 wire / 2 position switch made by Lifan.
http://www.hooperimports.com/product.aspx?pf_id=IgnSwtch01

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/Switch.jpg

[Jon Boy]

i have to say the E must stand for Neg. funny how those kind of typos slip through.
i've been running it through my head and want to say you have it right the first time. IDK, you could've gotten a bad one. i did get curious and kept doing ok today when messing with mine (used the switch off my snowthrower/4wire 2position). :wondering:

[DasUberKraut]

My only other thought is that it's got to be cross wired for proper continuity? I think I'm gonna google it here in a minute after I finish my post. Otherwise I just have to blindly start trying random wires again and hope I hit it. If anything, get the switch to work properly again so I have some degree of theft protection. Then just wire the lights to a separate switch until I can afford a stock switch and key. I'm half tempted to order another for the whole $13 it is just to see if I got the one trailpro in the batch.

[DasUberKraut]

Haven't had a chance to tinker in the garage for a few days. Hopefully Monday.

[DasUberKraut]

UPDATE!!!

So I was out in the garage for a few minutes and decided to try a different wiring configuration. First one I tried I had success!!! What dumb luck.
Anyways... For anyone that is thinking of buying one of these Lifan aftermarket switches, here is the correct way to wire it to to a Honda (with similar wire colors).

Lifan GREEN to Honda RED
Lifan BLACK to Honda BLACK
Lifan RED to Honda GREEN
Lifan BLACK / WHITE STRIPE to Honda YELLOW / RED STRIPE.

Part of me thinks I was right and got an assbackwards switch though. I'm thinking the Red's should match up and the Greens. That's what was confusing me so much I'm guessing.

Thanks to everyone that chipped in.

[DasUberKraut]

So I bought another Lifan switch from the same seller on ebay. Used the same link as last time from my watch list. Got a different switch this time. LOL.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/2ndSwitch-Front.jpg

The lettering is different. It has a hex nut to mount it. (I don't like this, mine has an o-ring I had to tighten down with channel locks. This looks too easy to take out and hot wire). The body is round, not square. Not sure if it will mount securely into the dash plate. or not. Probably won't mess with it until the weekend.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/2ndSwitch-Side.jpg

[Jon Boy]

cool you got it figured out, so basicly the wiring on that first switch is backwards then? i must have missed it when you posted that. :lol:

this second one for the wife's 125 then? might try to "sandwich" a couple washers in there. one on top and bottom of the dash. threading might not have the stack height for 2 though.
also you might want to keep an eye out for a couple suspension forks for you both. at the very least she'll be happier and more comfortable. :lol: :beer

[DasUberKraut]

I think the switch will fit but it's gonna be close. I may pick up some washers just in case though. I'm only 5 minutes from the hardware store so I usually just wing it and if I need something I make 2 or 3 trips to finish the project. :beer I forgot to mention... as you can see in the pic for the new switch..they left the blue film from tooling on the face plate and the adhesive is still there. Also one tiny piece ripped off up by the F's in OFF...it's stuck inside a bit. Acetone will take care of the adhesive right quick though.


I just won a set of 86 185s 200s forks from ebay. They are only an hour away just south west of the Twin Cities. Those are mine though. I'm looking for a set for her. I gotta find out if I can use the 82 185s hub I have from a part out or if the125m stuff will fit. Of all the pics I've seen they all look the same until you get into the Big Red style of shocks with the disc brakes. The 125m headlight brackets and bucket also look like they will fit too. I just have to order a set of bearings. If I'm taking it apart I might as well treat it to some fresh grease and bearings ya know?

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w33/Duggalo/86200sForks.jpg