u/ApprehensiveKey4122

I installed Analog Motor Goods analog pods on my 2018 Scrambler Cafe Racer. There is essentially zero documentation online for doing this on the Cafe Racer specifically. The main challenge is the front headlight fairing/cowl that blocks you from being able to reasonably access the required areas.

I spent approximately 7 hours doing this across one night (a gigantic portion of that time spent figuring out what worked and what didn’t through trial and error). This guide exists so you don’t have to figure it out from scratch.
Fair warning: This is one of the hardest DIY jobs I’ve ever done. If you have large hands, it may be physically impossible without removing the headlight fairing entirely. You will experience constant failure and slippage. You need to be zen about it. Budget a full evening minimum.

I dictated this guide stream-of-consciousness to Claude so if something doesn’t make sense just ask.

Tools You’ll Need
• Torx key set (for tank bolts — exact size TBD, bring a set)
• Hex key set
• 10mm ring wrench (thin profile — this is non-negotiable, a regular wrench will not fit)
• 8mm ring wrench (for new signal lock nuts - this was the size for my aftermarket signals. No idea about other brands, so I’d recommend having a set of mm ring wrenches
• Groove joint pliers
• Loctite Blue (242)
• Small zip ties
• A propping tool (a locking wrench, your phone sideways, anything to hold the tank up a couple inches)
• Patience. Unreasonable amounts of patience.

Step 1: Lift the Tank
The wiring connectors for the front turn signals are routed under the tank on the right side. You have to lift it to access them.
• Remove the seat
• Remove the two rear tank bolts (under the seat, approximately 8mm or 10mm — use the ring wrench)
• Remove the Torx bolts at the front of the tank
Critical: At the front of the tank there are rubber pads with threaded lock nuts bonded inside them that the Torx bolts thread into. These will fall out the moment things get loose. Keep a finger on them. If they drop, they may fall into an inaccessible recess in the bike’s internals and be very difficult or impossible to retrieve without major disassembly.
Also at the front of the tank there is a plastic clip panel. It uses grommets — rubber washers with a slit around the circumference that allow them to slot around a clip stud and hold it in place. These can fall out during tank removal. Note their position and try to keep them captured. If lost, replacement rubber grommets are available at any hardware store or cheaply on Amazon (get an assortment).
The tank on this bike does not fully come off easily — you can only lift it an inch or two in one direction at a time. Prop it up with whatever you have.

Step 2: Locate the Turn Signal Connectors
Under the tank on the right side you’ll find a bundle of wiring held together in a rectangular rubber honeycomb-style retainer. Look for small black connectors with flag-style labels. One says R (right front signal), one says L (left front signal). These are your connections for the new signals.
Important decision point: The OEM signal wires may be zip-tied extremely tightly into the main wiring bundle. I determined it was not worth the risk of cutting that zip tie and potentially nicking a throttle cable or other critical wire. Instead, I cut the OEM turn signal wires themselves on both sides of the harness and pulled them out. You will likely not be reinstalling OEM signals, so this is a reasonable call. Your choice — just be aware of the risk either way.

Step 3: Remove the OEM Turn Signals
Turn the bars to full lock away from the side you’re working on (working on right signal = bars full left, and vice versa). This creates the maximum possible clearance.
There is a hex bolt on the outside of the cowl holding each signal. There is a lock nut on the inside of the cowl that is essentially inaccessible unless you have the right tool.
The tool is a thin 10mm ring wrench. You need to squeeze it through the gap between the fork and the cowl/triple tree area. The wiring in this space has enough slack to push slightly out of the way. Get the ring wrench onto the lock nut and hold it while you unscrew the hex bolt from the outside with a hex key.
This will take time. You’ll get partial turns — sometimes just an eighth of a revolution before it slips. Keep going.
The left side is harder than the right due to cable routing and tighter geometry. The wrench angle is less forgiving. Expect more slippage and more time.

Step 4: Install the New Signals — Right Side
Test fit and electrically test your new signal before committing to installation. Connect it to the R connector under the tank to confirm it works.
For the right side:

1. Apply Loctite Blue to the lock nut
2. Thread the lock nut onto the bolt first
3. Route the bolt through the cowl hole from the outside
4. Thread the signal body onto the bolt from the outside
5. Route the cable loosely — don’t commit to final routing yet
6. Once hand-tight as far as possible, use groove joint pliers on the signal body (braced against the cowl) to hold it in place while you use the ring wrench on the lock nut from inside to tighten
7. The right side has slightly more working space. Still difficult, but manageable.

Step 5: Install the New Signals — Left Side
The left side is harder. Reverse the order:

1. Apply Loctite Blue to the threaded bolt
2. Thread the bolt into the signal body first
3. Tape the bolt lightly so it doesn’t move
4. Feed the assembly through the cowl hole
5. Now, using two index fingers from opposite hands, carefully work the lock nut onto the exposed bolt end from inside the cowl
6. Hand-tighten as far as possible — this will be slow and require extreme patience
7. Once far enough in that the ring wrench will fit at an angle, use groove joint pliers on the signal body to hold it, and wrench the lock nut tight
8. On the left side there is also a rubber cable retainer (similar function to a zip tie but reusable). Route your new signal cable through it the same way the OEM cable was routed, then push the connector through to the under-tank area.

Step 6: Final Routing and Reassembly
• Connect both signal connectors to the R and L plugs under the tank
• Add small loose zip ties to keep cables routed neatly — don’t overtighten, just enough to keep things from flopping around
• On the right side, a zip tie near the fork area to keep the cable routed along the existing bundle is helpful
• Test both signals before closing everything up
• Reassemble the tank in reverse order — be careful with the rubber pads and grommets at the front
• Reinstall seat

Final Notes
• Lock nut size for the Analog Motor Goods pods: 8mm
• The cowl/headlight fairing does NOT need to be removed if you have the correct tools and enough patience
• If your hands are large, this may genuinely not be possible without fairing removal
• Budget 4-8 hours for your first time. Seriously.
Good luck. You’ll need it.

Note: you may want to wait to route the wiring until after the turn signals are installed onto the front cowl (and just leave the wiring hanging off the front side of the bike until then, as it may make it substantially easier for you to screw it on by hand while holding the lock nuts inside the cowl with the wrench. Right vs left side may differ.