Where to Buy Replacement Battery Cables

[ColoradoGS850L]

Hey all,

I recently went to start my bike (1980 GS850L) and when I clicked the starter button, I lost all power (lights went out etc.) I then poked around and when I turned my handlebars all the way over my lights came back. I again clicked the starter button, but I again lost all power. I tried to jump the starter solenoid, but I got no sparks or anything. I researched on here and it seemed the next step is to replace my battery cables (the battery is holding a charge). Does anyone know where the best place to buy some replacement cables would be? I plan on replacing the cables and then the solenoid if the cables don't help. Let me know.

Thanks in advance!

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I don't know where you got the term "battery cables". There are a few wires from Harness and RR to Battery+ and from Battery+ to Starter Solenoid, and Battery - to frame ground, and maybe some other points that are a marginally heavier gauge than those on the rest of the bike, I guess one could call them cables.

Anyway, if things got funky when you turned the bars full lock, I'd be looking at the wiring harness loom where it runs by the steering head. It's a common place for rub-through of the loom and for shorts to happen. Disconnect the Battery before you go poking around.

[ColoradoGS850L]

I guess I meant the wires going to and from the battery to the starter solenoid. Someone in an old thread referred to them as cables. I'll take a look around the steering head too, that makes sense. Thanks!

[Grimly]

If you find a short to ground at the steering stem, once you've repaired the wire, wrap the section of harness that abuts the steering head with Spirap.
Other cheapy versions are available, and they'll do perfectly fine, but the original is still the best.

https://www.te.com/usa-en/plp/spirap/Znj4.html

[pdqford]

I believe you have a poor (corroded?) connection which will support a moderate current load, but breaks down when you increase the current draw when you hit the starter button.

I wouldn’t start replacing parts until my voltmeter showed where the voltage drop was occurring. You might just need to clean the connection and not replace anything.

Do you have a meter and a wiring diagram?

[ColoradoGS850L]

I have a multimeter, which I haven't used. The electronic side of things is definitely a weak point for me. I'll look into using it. I can find a wiring diagram on here or Basscliff's website. I'm going to disconnect the battery and take a look tomorrow. Since my lights etc. were restored after moving the handle bars full lock, I'm thinking there's a short somewhere around the steering head.

[cowboyup3371]

Start looking at the wiring up in the handlebar switches, bucket, and the like before you worry about the wiring around the battery. Like others have said, sounds like you have a wire or two touching metal that shouldn’t.

[phydeauxmutt]

I researched on here and it seemed the next step is to replace my battery cables ...

Not sure where you might have seen that. Your next step might include "cleaning and tightening" the cables, but probably not replacing them.

My suggestion would be to pull the gas tank and check all the electrical connections under there. Turning the bars puts stress on the connections and can even move the wires against the frame enough to wear through the insulation, causing a bare spot. Since you are not blowing fuses, I would suspect bad connections rather than bare spots.

[ColoradoGS850L]

Well I finally got after it for a while today. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything yet. I did get a little experience with my multimeter and am getting a good reading from the battery, starter solenoid, and fusebox (all about 12.46V). I took a look at my connections and they didn't have any visible issues. I wasn't sure how to test anything past my fusebox with my multimeter. I have one with two probes and I tried testing at the connections, but I wasn't sure if I was doing it right. I'd like to test around my ignition switch and starter button, but I'm going to research a little more before I go back to it. Thanks for the help everyone!

[bwringer]

To answer the question:

You can still buy battery cables for many models from Suzuki, surprisingly enough. Worth checking the fiches. Battery cables for garden tractors are also easy enough to find and could serve well.


However, I usually make my own; I invested in the proper really huge crimper and a selection of quality terminals (with 1/4" lug holes, close enough to 6mm), red and black glue-lined heat shrink to tidy up the ends, and red and black 6AWG wire. ("Welding wire" is the good stuff; nice and flexible, and you can get it with a very tough chemical and heat-resistant coating.)

The original cables are a metric gauge that appears to be slightly larger than 8 gauge AWG and a fair bit smaller than 6AWG. Since for some damfool reason metric wire is nearly impossible to source in the glorious and globally oblivious US of damn A, I generally use 6AWG for making motorcycle battery cables.

Form a proper crimp with the correct quality tool; solder is generally contraindicated for use in wiring on moving vibrating vehicles, unless you have no other option. That's what NASA says, anyway, and so I'll take their word for it. Solder can wick its way up the wire and make it brittle.

This is one good source for cable and supplies, or you can even have them build cables for you pretty cheap if you provide the measurements:

https://www.batterycablesusa.com/6-gauge-awg-extreme-battery-cable-with-ends

As to the question under the question... "what the heck is wrong with my bike?" there's some great general advice above and I'll add a bit.

Hidden corrosion inside battery cables, terminals, behind fuseboxes, and other wiring is EXTREMELY common, especially after 40 years or so of use, neglect, and sketchy repairs. Trust NOTHING. Creepy green death corrosion can strike ANYWHERE.

Secondly, it's also EXTREMELY common for a connection to test fine with a meter reading voltage, but to fail under a working load. You can get a great voltage reading with one tiny strand of wire still intact, but the connection won't pass enough current to work under load.


There are several little splices using wee brass clips buried inside GS wiring harnesses, and these are a fairly common failure point, especially in portions of the harness that flex. If you're getting an intermittent, you'll need to carefully unwrap the bundle and track it down; on the plus side, these are often quite apparent once you have everything in view. I've tracked down several of these on old and modern bikes.

Sometimes you encounter wires that look OK but are broken inside; this is harder, but they can be found with patience and logic. It's just plumbing for electrons.

[Jhurt]

Bringer is spot on…6awg welding cable. Very flexible and durable, just need to add on your terminal ends

[ColoradoGS850L]

Okay, I was able to poke around some more today (been busy with work etc.) I detached the headlight, so I had more room to test the ignition switch, and I found that I was getting good readings to the ignition switch with the key in any position except for "ON." Is this normal? I assume I should get a good reading with the switch set to "ON."

[pdqford]

Well, I’m guessing that the “ON” position is when current is flowing through the ignition switch.

It would help me if you would describe where your meter probes are connected, ignition switch position, and what your actual readings are.
(I can’t tell if you are reading open circuit voltage, voltage drops, or current flow, but that’s just me.)

[ColoradoGS850L]

My meter probes were connected to the red and orange wire connections at the back of the ignition switch. I had readings of 0 when the ignition switch was positioned at "ON." When the ignition switch was set anywhere other than "ON" I got readings of 12.3 or so (same as my reading at the battery terminals). I can take a look again tomorrow and give exact readings, but they were all similar (12.3-12.4V) aside from a reading of 0 with the ignition switch positioned to "ON."

Well, I’m guessing that the “ON” position is when current is flowing through the ignition switch.

It would help me if you would describe where your meter probes are connected, ignition switch position, and what your actual readings are.
(I can’t tell if you are reading open circuit voltage, voltage drops, or current flow, but that’s just me.)

[pdqford]

Okay, so with your meter set to DC voltage and the probes on the red and orange wires at the ignition switch, with the ignition switch in any position but “ON”, you are probably reading open circuit voltage (battery voltage). With the ignition switch in the “ON” position, or when current is flowing through the switch you are reading the voltage drop through the ignition switch. In that case, zero volts dropped through the ignition switch is good!

Of course, if you have a poor connection some place in the bike’s wiring and current isn’t flowing through the ignition switch, you meter will also read zero volts dropped through the ignition switch.

I’d start out with ignition switch in the “ON” position, and the meter probes on the battery POSTS ( not the battery cable clamps) and read the battery voltage.

Then press the start button and read the battery voltage to see if there is enough voltage to turn the starter, or does the battery fall on its face when under load.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot post of the starter solenoid and repeat.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot side of the fuse block and repeat.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot side of the ignition switch (red wire) and repeat.

Etc. Just follow current flow based on your wiring diagram, until the voltage disappears. The problem will be between where the voltage disappeared, and where it was last good.

Maybe some one will come along here and have a better way of finding the poor connection.