Electrics - whats going on here?

[kavb]

Accepted that I will have to rewire the bike after finding a bundle of wires in the (non-original) headlight unit and none of the original connections in sight.

But once again hampered by the fact that I need to put right the butcherings of the local mechanic of the PO so I don't have the original to go by. So perhaps someone can help and tell me whats missing here (haven't worked it out from the photos on this forum or from Haynes/rider's handbook).

Pictures below show what exist Regulator (Motorrad Electik newish should be ok) CDI (bike runs fins should be ok) but starter relay and fuse box mounting non standard?

Photo being a thousand words and all that, if any one has one (showing relays and fuse box) with a bit of an explanation, that would be great.

Thanks.

Billy

 

[weeteeker]

Hi,

Has your frame of your G/S been chromed? If not what kind of finish does it have, who did it, for how much and would you recommend it/them? (Apologies for not assisting with your electrical queries but the frame caught my eye).

Weeteeker

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Congratulations on what can only be described as the best bit of Gibberish I have heard in a long time.

 

[Rob Farmer]

Billy,

You have an aftermarket relay mounting block fitted along with an additional fuse block to allow the circuits to be isolated. Looks to be nicely done so I'd keep it. The motorad electric regulator is a high output unit, they give a slightly higher terminal voltage at the battery which is good for police bikes or anything having equipment that needs powering up.

The red device is an upgraded diode board.

 

[Kenny]

TBH looks fine to me as well

 

[kavb]

Rob and Kenny, thanks for the replies. I think it needs a rewire as the handlebar/ignition electrics are non-standard (vintage Jap I think), so its all been cut/spliced/jointed and bundled up into the headlight casing. The re-wire is going to done by a UK mechanic out here so I'll see what he says (I have ordered the wiring loom/ignition/handlebar switches). What I want to avoid is the mechanic having to cut off electrical plugs on the new wiring loom to fit non standard fuse box/relay mounts.

AberdeenAngus - having re-read my post, you are quite right, it wasn't particuarly well written.

Weeteeker - the bike is in Dubai and chromed by a local mechanic/company as part of its original refurb. Its actually nicely done, just that I hate chrome (and there is a lot of it). Gradually I will replace with black which I much prefer. Do I recommend it? Think its a personal preference, on my bike its been on three years or so and certainly seems to have stood the test of this time (no evident rust pin pricks showing through), but the environment is a bit more benign here than the UK (no road salt to deal with). A nice powder coated black would be my preference, chrome looks better on Harleys IMHO.

Thanks

Billy

 

[SJRoome]

Hi

What you have looks high quality and very well done to me. There is not much point trying to get back to standard as the standard electrical fittings are only average.

Rather than fitting a new loom I would simply buy standard handlebar switchgear and splice it in.



Steve

 

[brassmonkey001]

I think it needs a rewire as the handlebar/ignition electrics are non-standard (vintage Jap I think), so its all been cut/spliced/jointed and bundled up into the headlight casing. The re-wire is going to done by a UK mechanic out here so I'll see what he says (I have ordered the wiring loom/ignition/handlebar switches). What I want to avoid is the mechanic having to cut off electrical plugs on the new wiring loom to fit non standard fuse box/relay mounts.

Does it work? There seems little point in returning it to standard when someone has tried to improve/upgrade it IMO.

 

[kavb]

Yes, the electrics work - except charging which I think is a different problem, may be rotor.

After buying what brought me to the decision to rewire and replace other bits was as follows:

1. When I took a look at the headlight discovered it as a non halogen plastic unit (milky bulb) with a bundle of spliced electrics inside. The lens you could also push left, right, up, down with your finger. So concluded replace.

2. Then looked at the clocks, which I don't actually mind, but the rev counter doesn't work at all and the speedo vibrates inaccurately all the way to 40kph - and beyond which it doesn't move any further. So again thought replace (expensive at £160).

3. The handlebar controls I suppose I could have left but the choke switch only moves the carb lever about 1/2 its movement. That being said, doesn't matter here too much because I haven't needed choke to start the bike.

4. On the otherside the throttle doesn't return when you let go (i.e. you have to push it closed) so again I thought replace but this also means new mastercylinder, etc. Repair rather than replace could have been an option here.

5. Then I thought how does this all come together, back in the headlight unit? Not sure if there is the room and you would just end up with a bodge.

So it snowballs. At the end of the day I would just like it right (and reliable). If I didn't rewire I would have a bunch of non-descript cables that may in the first instance need considerable investigative work to trace (to fit new parts to) and then couldn't be related back to the OEM wiring diagram in the event of any future faults. The local electrical wires added to power the rear light/indicator were also very brittle when I stripped to add new ends, so quality of any spliced wiring is suspect.

Perhaps I should have looked more carefully prior to purchase, but with half the things I do in life if I had known all the facts beforehand I would never have started (and what opportunities missed). Even in the eight weeks or so of ownership I have learnt a hell of a lot (e.g. can now strip carbs without fear) and a large amount of that is due to reading on this forum. Riding the bike back from Dubai may never happen but at least if the opportunity arises I should have an (interesting) bike to do it on and an outside chance of fixing it in the event of a breakdown.

So FWIW that was my logic and whilst it all adds up to a tidy sum; in addition to the above it keeps me out of the pub and away from loose women while my wife is in the UK sitting out the hot weather (soon to return and look at the credit card bills).

Billy