Wiring Harnesses

[DarkOnyx]

What's up everyone?

This Summer, I am SERIOUSLY thinking of redoing my bike's entire electrical system. I am going to take it down and dismantle it and learn more about how my 1982 GS850 works, right down to the guts.

Someone at the office today told me that wiring harnesses for bikes exist, that will enable me to just plug and play major systems on the bike and they simplify connections by the fact that they are color coded. My problem is that I am trying like heck to find one and am batting 0. As I am told, the part is discontinued.

Am I screwed? I certainly don't know enough about the bike to rewire the electrical system from scratch. Does anybody know if there is a wiring harness available that's compatible with my bike? When it finally gets warm outside, I am going to do some MAJOR wrenching on my wheels.

I'd do it now but I have no garage, and it was -10 degrees a few days ago.

Thanks a lot everyone.

[twr1776]

Is your harness all cut up or burned up? E-bay is about the only place to find one and even then you cannot be 100% sure it is a good one. Have you tried to clean up all your contacts & connections and/or tested the wires? If yours is not completely bad you could test it and only replace the wires that are bad. Auto parts stores usually will have a decent selection of wiring in different colors.

[Guest]

I have rewired parts of my bike. I have some used harnesses and try to keep the colors and guages the same.
Don't twist and tape. Use solder or good connectors.
Do you have a wiring diagram?

[Clone]

One of the biggest issues I think is wrong with the original harness is everything, EVERY FRICKIN' THING grounds through a single 16 or 18guage wire from the front of the bike to the rear. It is ridiculus.

[Guest]

look here for some ideas

I have found the search feature to be very helpful in finding information about what others have done.

This link contains info about cleaning up your original harness.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=127908

Good luck!

[DarkOnyx]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I have a wiring diagram that I downloaded at one point somewhere but I think it was for an 81 GS850 instead of an 82. I am not sure that the instructions were the same. I am sure it's in the manual somewhere, but they read like Greek to me last time I looked at them. I wish that they were easier to follow.

I have three major problems with my GS' electrical system.

1)Something is wrong with the charging. I'll take a look at that when I can get outside for more than five minutes without a threat of a frosty death. I suspect that the regulator/rectifier is bad. The unit itself is corroded and there's a wire that looks really beat up.

2) The headlights do not come on when I turn on the ignition. I don't know what's wrong with that. I had parked the bike for the night while I went to boxing practice and when I came back, the headlights wouldn't turn on. I changed the bulb to a brand new one and the headlights still wouldn't come on with the ignition. My father rigged a secondary switch to turn it on manaully.

3) There was a shorted battery ground wire. It must have gotten hot because it is the source of the aforementioned beat up rectifier wire. In fact at one point it visibly produced smoke from the melting rubber. Not good. Then my bike shut off.

Because of this I think it needs to be reworked from the ground up. I got it from a local classifieds ad for $1000 with 46,000 miles on it for my first starter bike. It's had nit picky little problems since which periodically irritate the crap out of me. I've been stranded several times.

But anyways I am getting carried away. It sounds like a wiring harness isn't the way to go from what I hear. I've got to get the gas tank off so I have a fuller view of the electronics but I suspect there are more than a few frayed wires in there that might need replacing.

Thanks for your responses.

[Guest]

Get a multimeter and have a go at the stator papers.

http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_garage.htm

[almarconi]

If you can read a wiring diagram, it should not be that difficult to fabricate a harness. The electrical system on these bikes is pretty straightforward. You would need a fuse block, connectors and an assortment of wire. I'd solder and shrink wrap the connections.

[doctorgonzo]

One year ago the 81 1000G harness was still available, doubt there is much difference. $150 from Babbits. They may be out of stock now though.

[rustybronco]

I have three major problems with my GS' electrical system.

1)Something is wrong with the charging. I'll take a look at that when I can get outside for more than five minutes without a threat of a frosty death. I suspect that the regulator/rectifier is bad. The unit itself is corroded and there's a wire that looks really beat up.

2) The headlights do not come on when I turn on the ignition....My father rigged a secondary switch to turn it on manaully.

3) There was a shorted battery ground wire. It must have gotten hot because it is the source of the aforementioned beat up rectifier wire. In fact at one point it visibly produced smoke from the melting rubber. Not good. Then my bike shut off.

Because of this I think it needs to be reworked from the ground up.

You check the charging system out, clean all the connections, grounds ect. and we WILL get it sorted out for you. no need to replace the harness.

[Fishman]

Odds are, most of your harness is fine. You just need to identify the parts that aren't. You need a multimeter (harbor freight $4 jobbie is fine), and a manual with a wiring diagram. My bike had lots of electrical problems, but I've worked through them all as of now using just those two tools, along with cutting out the bullet connectors and soldering wires together. I've installed a Honda r/r as sold by Duanage on this site, and dealt with innumerable problems. The bike runs really well now.

The best advice I could give to you is to take your time. I suspect that, like me, you aren't an electrician. Every time you remove/replace a connector or fix a ground, do a complete check to see what might have been fixed, and what might have quit working. I can't tell you how many of my fixes resulted in other problems, but there were many, and I eventually got everything right.

[DarkOnyx]

Thanks fellas. I will do just that.

This Spring when I can get outside and work on my bike (no garage, aaaaah!!!) I'll most definitely strip it down, look over the wiring, clean the connectors and get this old machine to rock like the day it came off the line.

Thanks for the perspective. I was frustrated and even considered selling it! You are correct, I am clearly not an electrician. The GS was on ebay for a while... only it didn't fetch the price I wanted.

Thanks again.

[Spyder]

You won't disconnect a turn signal to fix and or replace it, what possesive evil spirit would make you want to replace the whole wiring harness?!?!?!?

[DarkOnyx]

That would be because I am one of those guys who is either all out, or all in.

Either I am going to try to make minor, non-invasive mods on the bike, or I am going to tear the darn thing apart inch by inch and redo the whole thing so I can understand it. Right now, it could go either way. I am right in the center.

It's going to be one or the other. Either it needs a minor tweaking, a whole overhaul, or I take a 50lb sledgehammer to it. That's how I work.

My bike is to perform a function. It is to work. It is to work how I want it to work, all the time, every time. When I turn the ignition, I expect it to start. Every time. When I am on the road, I expect the gears to shift smoothly. Every time. I understand minor repairs, but when it leaves me stranded alongside the road 5 and 6 times, my sense of humor diminishes greatly.

It is to function. If it cannot function I will make minor repairs. If I cannot make minor repairs, I'll make major repairs. If I cannot make major repairs, I'll fix it with a sledgehammer and a bad attitude.

That's why. Not to sound arrogant, but this is how I function.

[rustybronco]

My bike is to perform a function...
If it cannot function I will make minor repairs. If I cannot make minor repairs, I'll make major repairs. If I cannot make major repairs, I'll fix it with a sledgehammer and a bad attitude...

Not to sound arrogant, but this is how I function.

Sounds like a plan to me.
It'll function, no worries there.

Where are you located? maybe someone around you can help with the bike or the sledge hammer.