Gregory Bender

Brake light switch alternative 1 (front)

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

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I extracted this information from Bill Dudley on the old Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Groups.io). In Bill's own words:

I recently got pissed off at the cable switch, and decide to do what I've also done to other bikes (a Honda CB400F, for example, when it's hydraulic front brake switch packed up).

I rigged up a way to mount a microswitch such that it is activated by the front brake lever. Just the slightest movement of the front brake lever will move the microswitch lever enough to light the brake, so it's now easy to flash the rear brake light at tailgaters (not that it does all that much good).

Since my Ambassador doesn't have the stock choke lever, I have the similar, but different one sold by MG Cycle, part LAM8405. This choke lever required that I make a spacer to raise it up about 14 inch, and also to rotate it's anti-rotation tit about 15°. So I made a sheet metal L bracket that fits between the choke lever and my 14 inch spacer, and the microswitch is bolted to that. Then I needed a little flag that would actuate the microswitch and also fit between the brake lever and the perch.

I'm not supplying drawings with measurements since you probably won't have the same microswitch I have, or make your spacer the same way, etc., but at least this gives you the general idea.

The brake switch installed. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

The brake switch installed. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dudley.

The installed switch showing the spacer under the choke lever. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

The installed switch showing the spacer under the choke lever. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dudley.

The underside of the bracket, showing microswitch mounting and the flag. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

The underside of the bracket, showing microswitch mounting and the flag. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dudley.

A slightly blurry shot of the microswitch and it's flag, again, with the choke lever spacer on the right. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

A slightly blurry shot of the microswitch and it's flag, again, with the choke lever spacer on the right. An alternative front brake light switch for drum brake Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dudley.

I extracted this information from Vince Tuttobene on the old Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Groups.io). In Vince's own words:

I have posted some pics of the micro switch I mounted and connected to my front brake as the inline switch was killing braking performance. The switch hasn't missed a beat over the last year and gave me about 30% better braking as the 4 leading shoe will not rock anymore when one cable tensions more than the other. It connected to the existing wires that connected to the inline switch and I used stainless steel bent and cut into shape and mounted it under the choke lever.

Adapting a micro switch to the four leading shoe front brake as used on some Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.
Adapting a micro switch to the four leading shoe front brake as used on some Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Vince Tuttobene.

Adapting a micro switch to the four leading shoe front brake as used on some Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.
Adapting a micro switch to the four leading shoe front brake as used on some Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police motorcycles.

Photo courtesy of Vince Tuttobene.