Hidden Controls

Brent Herridge

Brent Herridge

Active Member
I'm a new member, and have reaped the benefits of reviewing several years of forum threads. I saw Kaptain America install Custom Cycle Controls bars and controls on his bike several years ago.

Kap - any updates ? Still like it ? How is the pull effort on the hydro clutch ?

Anyone else have hidden controls and/or hydro clutch ? I saw the auto-clutch threads and it seems like that would be too weird......but I definitely want a lighter clutch pull.

I'm trying to accomplish several things at once - custom bars, no wires, and it looks like that may force me to do the re-wiring that seems so popular (necessary).

Thanks.
 
KaptinAmerika

KaptinAmerika

Guru
Hey Brent, nothing has changed for me.
I love my controls as much now as the day I got them.
I love my EFM clutch. Others don't/didn't.
I never touch my clutch lever. I just shift. When I was using my clutch though the pull was always middle of the road.
Not as easy as we have managed to get some clutches for our customers but no where near as hard as some out there.
Rewiring is not necessary on a Big Dog and I will always be against it.
Big Dog was on the right track they just did some bad things that they shouldn't have.
Who knows why but we do know what the solutions are now and it is not rewiring.
Big Dog used high end aerospace grade wiring on their bikes. Why would you want to get rid of that and replace it with something inferior?
My controls are wired through JST connectors just like the original controls. I just don't have the secondary control harnesses because Custom Controls provided enough wire to run under the tank.
 
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Brent Herridge

Brent Herridge

Active Member
Thanks for the prompt reply !!

The Custom Controls look amazing. It will likely be the Next Big Thing I do. I have air-ride suspension, so I think the extra buttons will be great for that. I'm leery of the left side twist grip for high beams though. It just seems really weird for the left grip to move. And what about a right-hand kill switch ? With the auto-clucth I can see why you wouldn't need it - just reach down and use the key. But half the time it won't hit neutral, so I am forced to kill it with the thumb switch.

What did you do for your speedo/guages ? I love the factory layout, but the speedo/odo only work a small part of the time anyway.
 
pauldeepsea

pauldeepsea

Guru
Brent Herridge said:
Thanks for the prompt reply !!

The Custom Controls look amazing. It will likely be the Next Big Thing I do. I have air-ride suspension, so I think the extra buttons will be great for that. I'm leery of the left side twist grip for high beams though. It just seems really weird for the left grip to move. And what about a right-hand kill switch ? With the auto-clucth I can see why you wouldn't need it - just reach down and use the key. But half the time it won't hit neutral, so I am forced to kill it with the thumb switch.

What did you do for your speedo/guages ? I love the factory layout, but the speedo/odo only work a small part of the time anyway.
Click to expand...
Personally I would recommend going with a Dakota digital speedo. I like the classic look of the original speedo but the Dakota works awesome.
 
KaptinAmerika

KaptinAmerika

Guru
Brent Herridge said:
Thanks for the prompt reply !!

The Custom Controls look amazing. It will likely be the Next Big Thing I do. I have air-ride suspension, so I think the extra buttons will be great for that. I'm leery of the left side twist grip for high beams though. It just seems really weird for the left grip to move. And what about a right-hand kill switch ? With the auto-clucth I can see why you wouldn't need it - just reach down and use the key. But half the time it won't hit neutral, so I am forced to kill it with the thumb switch.

What did you do for your speedo/guages ? I love the factory layout, but the speedo/odo only work a small part of the time anyway.
Click to expand...
I was using the left hand rotating grip switch for both my air ride raise and lower and my high/lo beam.
Unfortunately with the Electronik EHC, I switched immediately when we became a dealer, does not have the built in function so I installed a miniature two way momentary inside the frame rail under seat so it is hidden but easily accessed while riding. Otherwise all my switches are the same and I have a right hand off button. What I did with my left grip, I ride with high beam on all the time, is make the high beam when the grip is rotated backwards that way I am never accidentally changing to low beam when white knuckling the grip. To date it has worked great with no issues. Like most new, and IMO better things, it may take a moment to get used to it but once you do you wonder how you got along without before.....lol.

The Dakota Digital, as pauldeepsea recommends, is a great piece of equipment. I had one on my K9 for several years but ultimately went back to the analog as I just like the look better. If you like the analog though you have to stay with the 2.5" Analog gauges. You can buy them all over but the ones we carry here are AutoMeter's new line, not that new anymore, form their ProCycle division. We bring them in purge them with Nitrogen, to prevent fogging from moisture, install an airtight strain relief and wire it for direct Plug N Play to all the BDs 04 and up. The bikes with Medallion Speedos need a new bezel assembly as the one for the medallion will not work.
 
Jwooky

Jwooky

Well-Known Member
KaptinAmerika said:
The Custom Climax Controls come with the grips and switches installed already.
Due to the internal throttle and master brake and clutch cylinders they are proprietary to the controls.
Click to expand...
Wow. Those are super trick and clean. Love to have a set of those.

Pricey though.
 
Brent Herridge

Brent Herridge

Active Member
Thanks for the advice. Factory air-ride was attached to the Hi/Lo beam switch, so I understand keeping that. But Hi/Lo has only 2 positions, where air-ride has Inflate/Deflate/Do Nothing, so I guess I'll have to see how the left grip switch works. Agreed that a dedicated air-ride switch near the seat would be fine though.

On the gauge, I'll have to stick to analog. I can't handle digital read-outs. It is weird that the speedo/odo flake most of the time, yet the tach only goes on the fritz rarely. It happens also, but not very often. So I can switch just the inner speedo/odo and rest of it stays the same ? The Autometer speedo looks nice. You really don't need a speedo, but living with no tripmeter is inconvenient, and I just realized that tachs don't include odometers. :-(

Would you just replace the speedo alone, or go for totally new gauges ? I want to get custom bars made, so now is the time to decide. Any recommendations on analog replacements that include Neutral setting, blinker indicators, etc would be greatly appreciated. I could live without those, but they are nice to have. Which bezel style is this ?

Thanks again.

speedo_small.JPG
 
KaptinAmerika

KaptinAmerika

Guru
Because the OEM EHC is ground signal based once you hit the signal once the micro-controller will complete that function and then do nothing until that ground signal is sent again so with the hidden controls once you twist the grip to the high or lo position the EHC will change the light and then just sit and wait for another ground signal. Of course all that goes out the window with the Electronik EHC which necessitated the change to a momentary switch.
 
Kenny G

Kenny G

Member
Brent Herridge said:
I'm a new member, and have reaped the benefits of reviewing several years of forum threads. I saw Kaptain America install Custom Cycle Controls bars and controls on his bike several years ago.

Kap - any updates ? Still like it ? How is the pull effort on the hydro clutch ?

Anyone else have hidden controls and/or hydro clutch ? I saw the auto-clutch threads and it seems like that would be too weird......but I definitely want a lighter clutch pull.

I'm trying to accomplish several things at once - custom bars, no wires, and it looks like that may force me to do the re-wiring that seems so popular (necessary).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I also installed the EFM clutch, I also haven't used my lever since it was installed, I think it's great. it took about a day to get used to it, after that I never looked back. My only problem with it is when I ride my other bike (2003 American Ironhorse Legend) I forget to use my clutch sometimes, oops!
 
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