Installing an Automatic Gate Opening System on Your Motorcycle or Scooter (by Capitan Farloc)

How many times have you pulled up to your gate on your scooter or motorbike, only to fumble around for the remote? In this guide, we show you how to install a built-in gate opener system on your two-wheeler, so you can open your electric gate without ever taking your hands off the handlebars. A simple DIY trick that adds real everyday convenience!

Opening an automatic gate while on a motorcycle can be a challenge

Anyone who loves motorcycling and has a garage or private/communal driveway served by an automatic gate knows exactly what it means to arrive home and open the gate—especially if the access path is downhill.
You have to let go of the handlebars while keeping your foot on the brake pedal to prevent the bike from rolling down the slope, take off your gloves, open zipped pockets, and finally press a tiny button. In winter, doing all this with fingers stiff from the cold adds to the difficulty.

How to Solve the Problem Using an Old Remote 

How can this issue be resolved?
I imagine there are various solutions, but I found a simple and cost-effective DIY option. If you're interested, keep reading as I explain the step-by-step process I followed.
First, you'll need a remote control that operates your gate. I had an old one where one of the two buttons had come off (not an issue since both buttons served the same function).
It's essential, to keep things straightforward, that the remote is powered by a 12V mini battery, like the one shown in the photo. If not, you can still use it, and at the end of the article, I'll explain how.

Which Components of the Remote Control Need Attention

After opening the protective casing of the remote control, I removed the internal circuit board and identified the three components highlighted in the photo with red circles. These are the parts we’ll need to work on, specifically:

1. The positive terminal connector of the battery.
2. The negative terminal connector of the battery.
3. The gate opening button.

Using a Soldering Iron and Some Wire to Modify the Remote

Next, I flipped the circuit board to access the solder joints, and using a low-power electronics soldering iron with a fine tip, I carried out the following modifications:

1. Soldered a red wire to the positive terminal connector of the battery.
2. Soldered a black wire to the negative terminal connector of the battery.
3. Connected a piece of wire between the two terminals of the gate-opening button to short-circuit the button itself.

With these modifications, the remote can now be powered through the external red and black wires to produce the gate-opening signal.
After completing these steps, I closed the remote control casing, ensuring NOT to place the battery inside, and routed the wires out through the hole in the keyring loop.

Accessing the Inside of the Motorcycle Headlight

At this stage, I went down to the garage and followed the instructions provided in the user and maintenance manual for my motorcycle to replace the front headlight bulbs, dismantling everything necessary to reach the bulbs.
In my case, as there’s a fairing, I had to remove the upper panel of the dashboard to access the compartment where the headlights are located.

The Current-Tapping Clamp

Then, I used a “current-tapping clamp,” which is the red object shown in the photo. I’m not sure if it has more “technical” names, but if you ask for it by that name at an auto parts store, they’ll know exactly what you mean. The price is around one euro each, and one will be sufficient for our purpose. Its function is evident from its name—to tap current from a positive wire and transfer it to another wire.

Connecting to the Positive Wire of the High Beam Lamp

The current-tapping clamp, once opened, has two slots for inserting wires—one “through” and the other closed at one end.
After identifying the wire supplying current to the high beam lamp of my motorcycle (the brown one in the photo), I placed it in the “through” slot. In the other slot, I inserted the red wire I had previously attached to my remote control.
When the clamp is closed, a metal blade pierces the soft plastic insulation of the wires, making contact with the copper strands underneath without cutting them, thereby creating an electrical connection between the two wires.

Connecting the Ground Wire

I secured the black wire from the remote control under the washer of one of the screws connected to the frame. However, it would be safer to purchase a proper copper ring terminal connector for this connection. At the time, I didn’t have one available and, as we all know, I was too eager to see this contraption in action to wait.

Securing the Remote to the Frame

To secure the remote and prevent it from moving around the dashboard, I used a hook-and-loop strap. Once everything was put back together, the job was complete.

What to Do if the Remote Is Not Powered by 12 Volts

Unfortunately, more recent remotes may not be powered by a 12V battery but instead by one or two 3V button cell lithium batteries or alkaline batteries. This means it is not possible to directly connect the remote to the 12V wire from the current-tapping clamp.
As I mentioned earlier, however, there is a solution—a circuit that can "step down" the available voltage to the desired level. The full name of this circuit is a "DC-DC Step Down Converter," although it is often sold under the simpler name "Step-Down." These can be purchased online for just a few euros.
The operation of this circuit is extremely simple. It has two wires for input current (IN+ and IN-), two wires to draw the output current at the desired voltage (OUT+ and OUT-), and a "Trimmer" (a small box with an adjustable screw) that allows you to vary the output voltage to reach the desired level.
Before connecting the remote, you will need to calibrate the circuit by using a small screwdriver to adjust the trimmer screw and measuring the voltage at the output connectors until you achieve the same voltage as your remote's power supply.

Conclusion

Now, when I approach my home gate, all I need to do is flash the high beams (using the dedicated button), and the gate magically opens—no need to search for the remote or take my hands off the handlebars.
At this point, some of you might wonder... will the remote also be powered during the night, when the high beams are constantly on? Yes, exactly—but given the transmitter's low power and minimal current consumption, I’d say this doesn’t pose any problem at all.

I hope you like the idea and, above all, that this article has been helpful to you.
Warm regards to everyone.

Luciano (Capitan Farloc)