erhm, what's this?

[Guest]

While waiting for parts to arrive, I decided to pull some parts off the bike for de-rusting (soaking in evapo-rust) and came across this oddity.. I can't follow the trace back to source as these two wires go into a larger bundle and I can't find where it pops out.. and I can read wiring diagrams like I can read the Rosetta Stone...

This was located in the headlight housing rat's nest of wiring..

Just curious. Thanks!

http://www.eastcoastphotos.com/gs650g/picture0065.jpg

[Griffyn]

It is a diode. Lemme see, green with yellow from the looks of it. Is the wire on the other side of the diode also green with yellow?

G/Y is the wire from the oil pressure sender to the warning light in the cluster.

[Seaking]

Yes, same colour wire on either side.. I hadn't seen something like this on bikes before. Looks like a weird way of doing things.. ?

Thanks for the info!

[Griffyn]

Glad to help.

The schematic does not show a diode in there, so we have to assume that a previous owner put it in there to solve some sort of issue.
As long as your oil pressure light works properly it shouldn't cause any harm to leave it there, think of it as a one-way valve for electrons. That wire is a switched ground so it shouldn't be backfeeding any current, but it can be hard to tell what a PO has done to things without tracing every wire and connection.

[Seaking]

What led me to think this might actually be 'factory' is that the clear plastic shield over the whole thing appears to be professionally done, not bodged up. The heat crimping at the ends to seal the connectors and diode look a little too keen to be a DIY (well nothing I could as nicely, anyway). The connectors are probably the most corrossion free looking connectors on the whole bike..

I found out who the original owner of the bike was, and should be able to find him in the spring when riding season starts again.. Hopefully he'll remember if he did anything to it.. (his son sold me bike).

Thanks again!

[bwringer]

It's factory -- I've seen this on several other GS models.

However, I don't have the foggiest idea exactly what the diode is for. I mean, I know what a diode does, but I can't recall why this one is here.

[tom203]

My 650 doesn't have this; check kickstand for switch- maybe PO got creative and wanted warning light

[Roland5color]

It's definitely factory I have one on my 1100 and it does show up on my diagram. Not exactly sure how it works but I know it has to do with if you loose oil pressure it causes the side stand light to come on along with the oil light to make sure you see it or incase the oil warning light is burned out.

[Redman]

It's factory -- I've seen this on several other GS models.

However, I don't have the foggiest idea exactly what the diode is for. I mean, I know what a diode does, but I can't recall why this one is here.

I am surprised.
(I can answer something that Brian doesn't know.)
(Maybe Brian is joking.)
(The function and location of this diode has been discussed a few times over recent years.)

Diode is inbetween the sidestand light circuit and the oil pressure light circuit.
It is what makes it such that the oilpressure switch lights both the oil pressure light (red) and the sidestand light (yellow), but the sidestand light lights only the sidestand light.

If you disconnect that diode, then the oilpressure switch will light the oilpressure light only.

.

[Seaking]

It is what makes it such that the oilpressure switch lights both the oil pressure light (red) and the sidestand light (yellow), but the sidestand light lights only the sidestand light.

If you disconnect that diode, then the oilpressure switch will light the oilpressure light only.

Well THAT is good to know for later on.. My plan is to get the bike rolling in a as stock configuration as possible and then eliminate what I don't need from the electrical system.. While oil pressure is a must to know, the kick stand not as much..

Have SAID that, I would then assume that this bike does NOT have a kick stand kill switch? Realizing that it IS always a possibility to forget a kick stand, I'm confident in my startup and riding routine never to forget a kick stand..

Gear indicator lights, really? Do you need to know what gear you're in or was that just a 'feature' people thought it would be just fun to have? We have some Suzuki GN bikes at our training stable with those indicators on, never saw the value in that feature..?

Anyway, going off track a bit.. Thanks for the info, MUCH appreciated!

So much to do, still waiting for parts to arrive.. (le big SIGH)

Cheers

[tkent02]

Gear indicator lights, really? Do you need to know what gear you're in or was that just a 'feature' people thought it would be just fun to have? We have some Suzuki GN bikes at our training stable with those indicators on, never saw the value in that feature..?

It was just Gee Whiz marketing thing, no one else had it in 1976.

[Steve]

Have SAID that, I would then assume that this bike does NOT have a kick stand kill switch?

Your assumptions are correct, grasshopper.

None of the GS series had any kind of kill switch in the side stand. The switch there was just to turn on the warning light.

Gear indicator lights, really? Do you need to know what gear you're in or was that just a 'feature' people thought it would be just fun to have?

Yeah, it was pretty much a marketing thing, and I believe Suzuki was the only one to have it. My GoldWing doesn't even have it.

It's not quite as silly as it might seem at first. With an engine that has a rather broad torque curve, you can be in any of several gears and still get decent performance, the indicator just reminds you which one you are in, so you know how many times you need to push the shifter down for MAXIMUM performance.

.

[tkent02]

I guess for a deaf person it would be useful.

[Seaking]

I was shocked to hear that basically none of the Harleys have kick stand kill switch, which would explain why we have to holler at a lot of students on the advance course about their riding off with the kick stand down.. scary..

I met up with a gent one evening who pulled in at the local biker coffee shop and as soon as he put his kick stand down, an annoying bright red LED light shined up from his handlebar area.. Something he wired himself in so he would never ever ever forget his kickstand ever again.. ever.. He told us he kept forgetting it until one day it literally catapulted him off the bike om=n the first heavy left turn he made.. After several months recovery and a new Harley, he put that light in to never forget again, simply can't ride with that red LED in your eyes.. You'd think the first 'scare' would be all the reminder you would need!!

I never got in the habit of sitting on my bikes with the kick stand down... Once the butt is parked, the kick stand goes up.. always.. 30 yrs worth of routine.. but I'm getting older, still can't figure out how the Windex got in the fridge and the peanut butter ended up under the sink.. hmm.. maybe he's onto something.. hmmm

[Seaking]

It's not quite as silly as it might seem at first. With an engine that has a rather broad torque curve, you can be in any of several gears and still get decent performance, the indicator just reminds you which one you are in, so you know how many times you need to push the shifter down for MAXIMUM performance. .

It will probably make more sense to me once I get to ride this GS650G bike. Apart from a 1000 GSXR, I haven't riden a GS before..