Ebay ignition switches: Yes, you can use 08-12 switch with 88-07...

[BoKu]

Yes, you can use an 08-12 ignition switch with an 88-07 bike. But it does take a bit of adapting. You also lose the "P" position that lights the tail light, but that's no huge loss.

Basically, you use a tiny screwdriver or other pointed tool to flatten out the tiny tabs that secure the brass blades in the plastic housings of both the new and old ignition switches. Then you extract the blades and their wires one by one from the connectors, re-extend the tabs on the blades for the new switch, and plug the wires for the 08-12 switch into the corresponding positions on the plastic connector housing from the 88-07 switch.

When you are done, you have a brown wire left over. Cut the brass blade off of that wire, strip it, and crimp on a female bullet connector that matches the male bullet connector on the bike's wiring harness. Install the new switch, plug the connectors into the bike's harness, and you're done.

Here's a quickie diagram of what you do:

[Triple Jim]

You still need the 100 ohm resistor in the grey wire.

[BoKu]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

You still need the 100 ohm resistor in the grey wire.

Yes, the 08-12 ignition switch does include the resistor, so except for changing the wires into the old connector, the later switch is plug-n-play.

[Triple Jim]

We've seen a lot of eBay switch buyers here who don't know why the engine won't start, so at least some aftermarket switches don't have the resistor. Are you saying that all the '08-'12 switches do have it?

[BoKu]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

We've seen a lot of eBay switch buyers here who don't know why the engine won't start, so at least some aftermarket switches don't have the resistor. Are you saying that all the '08-'12 switches do have it?

No, I can't promise that every single '08-'12 switch has the resistor. That's probably too much to expect. That's probably a good thing to check regardless of the generation.

But the two eBay switches I bought did have the resistor, and both have tested out fine.