'71/'72 front turn signals, where do they mount?

ayrhen

I have both a '71 and a '72. Neither bike had front signals when I bought them. I've seen pictures of these bikes with signals mounted to the headlight shell and also mounted above the fork ears.

Here is a site member's bike with signals mounted above fork ears:

www.650rider.com/index...m=96&pos=2

Here is a website regarding restoring a '71 and there are pictures on the site of the bike with turn signals mounted both to the headlight shell and also mounted above the fork ears:

www.1971xs1b.com/The%2...ration.htm

What gives? Where are the front signals "supposed" to be mounted?

Yamahopper

found this online:
www.1971xs1b.com/image...sales2.jpg

KYLEPRESTON

Should mount to headlight bucket. the ground have a large ring at it's end if so that ring goes on the indide of the mount to ground it to the bucket.

good luck

ayrhen

Kyle and Yamahopper: your comments illustrate my point. The image Yamahopper points to shows the signals mounted above the headlight ears....but Kyle indicates they should be mounted to the headlight bucket. I've seen pictures showing both. This is why I'm confused. Is there some reason why some of the bikes would have been manufactured with signals mounted to the bucket and midway through production they were switched to be mounted above the ears (or vice versa)?

tacoswild

Above the headlight ears on my 71. The only things known to be changed on mine are the mufflers and the seat so i'm pretty sure they're original. The original rear signals on a 71 are red like the brake light, kind of strange. Not sure about the 72 on that point.

tacoswild

Just got off the bike and what do you know there are oval shaped holes through the ears where the bucket mounts that look they'd be a perfect fit for the signals but mine are just covered with chrome plates. My signals are on chrome brackets that mount on top of the fork tubes just above the ears. But one last twist, there's a little clip on the back of the headlight ears that the signal wires clip into to route them cleanly. Why would they be there if the signal wires were meant to go through the headlight? Hmm... the mystery thickens Cool

Looks to me like mounting the signals on the brackets puts them a lot farther out so they're more visible to other vehicles, might have been the reason for the change.

ayrhen

Tacoswild: I noticed those little tabs on the fork ears and wondered what they are for. And I also have the chrome covers over the holes in the headlamp shell. I figured this is where the turn signals mount....but still wondered why some are mounted there...others aren't. I wonder if models made for the States had them mounted in one location and models made for other areas had them mounted in the other.

Still wondering why some were mounted to the headlamp and others mounted above the headlamp ears. Just like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, "The world may never know".

tacoswild

Well, turn signals are for sale on ebay regularly but in a couple years of watching I've never seen the chrome brackets with them so the headlight mount might be the only way to go.

tacoswild · Last edited by tacoswild on September 18, 2008, 11:17 pm; edited 1 time in total

okay I take it back, sometimes they DO have the brackets: cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotor...enameZWDVW

pumps

I believe in the US DOT requires that the signals be 9" apart.On my 77 the mount to the headlight bucket. On my 79 Kaw they mounted to the handle bars so I suppose on XSs they could be both. I've just never noticed but I'll start looking!

ayrhen

yeah, I actually caught that auction tacos.....but thanks for making sure everyone else did too!!! Mad

I'll keep watching, but I foresee these selling for more than I care to pay. I may be mounting them to the headlamp housing after all.

tacoswild

haha shoot, sorry man. Well, here's hoping...

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