[a4anurag]

One fine day while I was walking towards my car after work, I spotted a Hero Duet beside my car and something interesting caught my attention. It was the headlight switch (Low/High Beam toggle switch) had ‘PASS’ written on it. I was pretty surprised so just pressed the button to understand how it worked, it was spring loaded just like we have on our bikes. I didn’t stand much around there as onlookers would think I am fiddling with it.

With over 55,000 kms of riding my two bikes (Unicorn & Karizma R), I was habituated to the PASS switch present but when I migrated to the Activa, my senses made me search for the switch while riding. At times I was irritated at Honda for not providing such a feature that makes riding easy. With a thought now ringing in my mind, why can’t it be fit on the Activa too?! All I knew was, both the switches were similar and can be interchanged physically.

Main problem was the difference in wiring/connection between the Activa and Duet, as there would be two extra wires (One from battery to switch and another switch to headlight) in the Duet's case. With some basics in my head, I ping’ed both BHPian interc00led and Leoshashi on ways to get this fixed on my Activa 125.

BHPian interc00led, pinged me back saying first let’s get the switch from Hero Motors and then let’s start to go about the process for connections / DIY etc. I visited their stockist but couldn’t get hold of the part even after waiting for 15 days and multiple trips to the stockist. Irritated with no proper answer from the stockist, I raised a complaint on their website and also shot a mail to the local dealership plus customer care guys @ Hyderabad stating not able to procure the part.

Got a call within 45 minutes from the complaint being registered on their website asking me to visit their main parts dealership in Uppal where they have reserved the part for me and I can pick it up from there after paying the money. Interc00led and Me went there and promptly picked the part. Grinning ear-to-ear, we dispersed for our respective houses as both of us had some other commitments. Days passed by but we couldn’t get time to do this DIY. Today somehow both of us were free so we decided and met up at out FNG (G.M. Motors) where could peacefully do the DIY.

Part Name: Switch Unit Dimmer
Part Number: 35170AAY001S
Cost: ₹ 55

Here she is, Finally:

[a4anurag]

Here are the steps involved in a broader sense:

1. Check connections using multi-meter on how it is in the Duet Switch before proceeding.
2. Remove the central cowl;
3. Remove headlight cowl;
4. Disconnect the battery;
5. Disconnect and Remove instrumentation console;
6. Remove the OE headlight switch
7. Fit Duet’s switch and complete the wiring.

__________________________________________________ ____________________________

Step – 1: Using the multi meter we did understand how the wiring is designed in the Duet’s switch. With that we started scouting for the connector that could fit into the small sized pins in the switch. Somehow got hold of an instrumentation console connector (I presume) from a scrapped Ford Ikon which is 30% problem solved.

Donor coupler


Donor coupler - Another view


Connector to be used


Step – 2 & 3: Open the 4 screws from the instrumentation cluster to free the headlight plastic cowl. Dismantle the rear view mirrors on both sides as it will be an hindrance later on when removing the cowl from the holder. You'll need the 12 x 14 spanner that is present in the tool kit. Also open the Central cowl to gain access to battery. Once all screws have been removed, go in front of the scooter and hold the wheel with your legs and slowly pull the cowl towards you. Once the cowl is free from the handlebar, disconnect the two connectors holding it i.e., Headlight bulb & Pilot lamp.

Step – 4: Using a star screwdriver, first disconnect the negative (-ve) terminal then disconnect the positive (+ve) terminal.

Step – 5: Remove the three screws holding the instrumentation console after that disconnect the coupler to free it from the body.

Step – 6: Will all free now, using a flat screwdriver, remove the OE headlight switch. This was the step where 60% of the problem was solved. Upon removal of the OE coupler from the switch, we realized that it was a straight fit into the Duet’s switch so it was easy hereon because we needed only two wires to be prepared for finishing the connectors to get the PASS function work viz., One from ‘battery to switch’ and another wire from ‘Switch to headlight’.

From the coupler we found at the workshop, two wire connections were removed to prepare it for connections as give in the image below.

Difference in headlight switches of the Activa and Duet


Wiring prepared for PASS Switch functioning


Power Source Wire No. 1: One end crimped using a ring terminal connector to fit into the Positive (+ve) terminal of the battery and the other end was connected to the Duet’s switch.

Headlight bulb connection Wire 2: One end was soldered onto the high beam pins in the headlight bulb connector (Blue wires) and the other end was connected to the terminal we removed from that coupler which will fit into the Duet’s switch.

With these prepared, we fit the OE coupler into the top part of the headlight switch and checked for low and high beam functioning. Then it was the turn of these two wires to be connected respectively.

All done, we checked multiple times before finalizing and refitting everything. It all worked as intended so we got back to refitting the instrumentation console and cowls.

[a4anurag]

With the theoretical part done, putting in some pictures of the D.I.Y.

Switch as seen on Hero Duet


Switch comparison between the Activa's & Duet's


Central cowl to be removed to get access to battery


Central cowl opened (Ignore the Arrows in yellow as I am reusing pictures)


Rear view mirror dismantling


Screws to open headlight cowl


Disconnect the headlight & pilot lamp coupler


Everything out


OEM headlight dimmer switch (Activa's)


OE Coupler


OE Coupler - Closeup


Connector in terminal


OE coupler in Duet's switch that controls low beam and high beam


Another angle


Wire connecting Battery and Switch


PASS equipped Dimmer Switch fixed on my Activa 125

[a4anurag]

With the successful completion of the DIY, there are three more pending jobs that need to completed with regards to the DIY.

Issue 1: Need to add an inline fuse from battery to switch circuit for safety purpose.

Issue 2: Re-route the connections from ignition switch so that the PASS switch is not active when ignition is OFF. No harm if this is not done as no one will fiddle around with the scooter but it is a step to preserve that silly 3Ah battery.

Issue 3: Blue tell-tale indicator in the instrumentation console only lights up when the switch is at 'High Beam' position. When I toggle the PASS function, the blue indicator doesn't light up.

So that is it folks from me as of now. Hope this DIY is useful to all who intend to do this modification on their scooters.

Last but not the least, sincere thanks to BHPian interc00led for accompanying me and taking time to do this DIY. Thanks buddy.

Thanks for reading guys. Do pour in your suggestions/feedback/criticism.

[CGB]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

With the successful completion of the DIY, there are three more pending jobs that need to completed with regards to the DIY.

Issue 1: Need to add an inline fuse from battery to switch circuit for safety purpose.

Issue 2: Re-route the connections from ignition switch so that the PASS switch is not active when ignition is OFF. No harm if this is not done as no one will fiddle around with the scooter but it is a step to preserve that silly 3Ah battery.

Issue 3: Blue tell-tale indicator in the instrumentation console only lights up when the switch is at 'High Beam' position. When I toggle the PASS function, the blue indicator doesn't light up.

So that is it folks from me as of now. Hope this DIY is useful to all who intend to do this modification on their scooters.

Last but not the least, sincere thanks to BHPian interc00led for accompanying me and taking time to do this DIY. Thanks buddy.

Thanks for reading guys. Do pour in your suggestions/feedback/criticism.

Just a doubt. Why cant we use the same harness that comes with the switch and incorporating it with the centre console wiring? Not sure about the pin architecture, But sounds feasible. Last but not least, certain small additions in our vehicles like this are very useful and the amount of happiness they bring once you do is immense. Keep doing the good work.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by CGB

Just a doubt. Why cant we use the same harness that comes with the switch and incorporating it with the centre console wiring? Not sure about the pin architecture

It was there initially in my mind and same was communicated during my discussion but the harness costs 1300 bucks plus availability was difficult as the stockist told approximately 1 month with no assurance to get the part even though I complained.

Hence we resorted to this method.

[Omkar]

Great job!

Apart from delay in getting the switch, you made everything else seem pretty easy. This being such a small feature, is quite useful with the scooters these days as it gets quite irritating flipping the switch every time you have to pass!

Going from the DIY, correct me if I am wrong, I think this is a possible solution for most of the scooters. The pass switch is also available on the Maestro and TVS Jupiter. Most other manufacturers don't use the pass switch. This includes the Suzuki, Mahindra and Yamaha. Though all these have the headlight dimmer switch which is very similar to each other. Hence, just to broaden the prospective, this is quite a useful DIY for most of these scooters.

There might be some modular changes, though this DIY would definitely prove to be a guideline.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Issue 3: Blue tell-tale indicator in the instrumentation console only lights up when the switch is at 'High Beam' position. When I toggle the PASS function, the blue indicator doesn't light up.

I'm sure you would refer to the Duet circuits to find a solution and post it up soon.

All in all, very informative and explanatory because of the pictures.

[Mr.Boss]

Good one buddy. Congratulations.
I was looking for a similar solutions in 2 of my scooters (Yamaha Ray & Scooty Pep)
For TVS products, similar switch with 'Pass'function is available from Jupiter. And for Ray, I'm yet to confirm if the same switch could be used.

PS: Remembering those old days when I fitted the self start switch from Super Splendor in my Old Splendor for 'Pass' function

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Omkar

This being such a small feature, is quite useful with the scooters these days as it gets quite irritating flipping the switch every time you have to pass!

Going from the DIY, correct me if I am wrong, I think this is a possible solution for most of the scooters. The pass switch is also available on the Maestro and TVS Jupiter.

Thank you Sir for the appreciation.

I have seen this PASS Swicth on Jupiter Mestro EDGE also. This DIY is possible directly for all scooters that have the same switch design. Maestro EDGE gets a slightly bigger switch compared to the other ones.

Duet had the same shape as the one on Activa so I went with that.

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

Good one buddy. Congratulations.
I was looking for a similar solutions in 2 of my scooters (Yamaha Ray & Scooty Pep).

Thank you.

If the switches are similar looking then it will be easier to remove the old one and refit the new one.

[SRK]

Great work a4anurag. This is something that should be made standard.

I had been thinking of getting it done on my Activa 125 since I saw the switch on my cousin's TVS Jupiter but couldn't proceed with it.

Your DIY project has inspired me to get it done soon

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by SRK

I had been thinking of getting it done on my Activa 125 since I saw the switch on my cousin's TVS Jupiter but couldn't proceed with it

Excellent. Please do it and post an update here Sir.

These are such small things that add value to overall experience. I miss that feature a lot from the time I started riding the Activa. Hence fixed it on mine too.