Electrical system rewiring for idiots?

[DrImodium]

I'm trying my hand at rewiring my bike but could use some guidence. Does anyone have any links to help me learn how to read a wiring diagram and understand the basic concept of a motorcycle electrical system? Also, any links to other people who have rewired their bikes so I can see(visuly see) how they went about doing it.

As always, any help is appreciated.

edit: Bike is a 78 GS1000

 

[almarconi]

What bike and where are you located?

 

[Steve]

Silly questions, Al. :-k

Notice that he only has 37 posts to his credit. It's simply just a matter of slugging through all of them to find that, in his fifth post, he said he has a '78 1000 and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Then, in his very first post (where he actually posted pictures :clap , it appears to be a Skunk.


Now, Dr. Imodium, before you rack up a bunch more posts, please go into the User CP section (that's User Control Panel) and add your location. Then go to Edit Signature and create one. Doesn't have to be much, just " '78 1000" would do.

For all the rest of you 'new guys', please do the same thing so we don't have to play these silly games to see what you are talking about.
Not everybody has this much time on their hands, so if they don't see what you are talking about right there, in that post, you will be ignored.
If you are ignored, it will be a long, long time before you get your answer.

.

 

[Skateguy50]

I dont have as much time on my hands so wont look for you but does basscliff have the wiring diagram for your bike?

Hmm ok you asked about reading it so must have it... but basically having a color one is a HUGE help. if you plan to rewire it all like harness thats pretty intense and could make it harder later if you dont match the wire colors and such.

Some basics would be to start at the battery (disconnect it) and follow the wires cross referencing the diagram and bike. I would say follow up to the fuse panel, disconnect and clean all those contacts and then go one fuse at a time and follow the wires, disconnect and clean all the contacts and only replace wires IF you have to. When you do make sure you use the same gauge wire and if possible same or close color.

Take your time and only take one connection apart at a time, clean it replace connectors as needed and put back, then move on.

 

[spyug]

You can slog through all the posts here and on other sites or pick up a copy of "Motorcycle Electrical Systems-Troubleshooting and Repair" by Tracy Martin published by Motorbooks (www.motorbooks.com) available through most big bookstoors.

Its a very easy read and understandable primer for all things electrical relating to bikes. It won't give you wiring diagrams but will help you understand all the components and their function and how to read the wiring diagrams.

I believe it was around $25 or so.

Invaluable aid for new wrenches IMHO.

Hope that helps.

Cheers and good luck with it.
Spyug

 

[Redman]

I'm trying my hand at rewiring my bike but could use some guidence.
....
....

I would say the way to gain a better understanding of the scematic and the bike wiring is to:
1) Just looking at the schematic (not the bike): Start at the main fuse or batt+ (red), trace out from main fuse to ignition switch (red also), follow back to other fuses (org). Then trace out from each fuse one at a time (org/red, org/red, & org/wht). That would be just to gain some familiarty/understanding. Dont get to detailed at first. Just the main power and the wire from each fuse to each device, dont go beyound that, dont bother with wiring between the devices yet.
2) Then look at bike and identify which connector on the scheamatic is which connector on the bike.
Then, and only then: Trace out each circuit on the schematic and on the bike. Repeat 1 & 2 as often as needed to be familiar with just the power from fused to all the devices.
Then and only then, go back and get more detailed, follow wiring inbetween the devices. And then after that the grounding (blk/wht).

I know your main question is related to how to understand the schematic.

But:

What all are you intending to replace? Or are you intending on reusing existing connectors and just splice in new lengths of wires?

Probelm with old wiring is often the connectors, either tarnished, and/or overheated and melted or brittle/broken. Which is why most people will try to find a replacement wiring harness. Other people will try to make a new wire harness with new connectors (and there are a few suippliers for that that others may recommend).

Other thing to concider is that all the devices like the instrument cluster, the t/signal swtich, and most everthing has its own little harness from the device to a connector (that plugs into the main harness). Have to decide if going to replace some of those connectors (based on condition.

.

 

[sscott]

This might help, I've copied and pasted these links and keeping them as a library. This is from Mr Basscliff himself .

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/electrical_odd-n-ends.html#A05

You can also go the Owners threads and find one of Basscliff's super cool mega welcomes and use the links he provides.

 

[Nessism]

This is about a simplified as you will get... http://www.bikernet.com/garage/PageViewer.asp?PageID=138

 

[Steve]

OK, there have been a few suggestions, here is another.

The wiring on these bikes is rather simple. Depending on the year and model of the bike, there might have been a few other items added, but they are all basically all the same. Look at the schematic, find the battery. There are two wires that connect to the positive terminal. One very heavy wire goes to the starter. The other one goes to the MAIN fuse in the fuse box. From the other side of the MAIN fuse, a wire goes to the ignition switch, then comes back to the fuse box to power the other three fuses. Newer bikes ('80 and up) have a fifth fuse for an AUX circuit, but that only powers the terminal at the end of the fuse box.

At this point, it makes it much easier to just follow one fuse at a time.
The first fuse powers LIGHTS. Headlight, tail light and instrument panel. Also does the circuits for the warning lights (oil pressure, neutral, etc.)
The second fuse powers SIGNALS. Turn signals, horn, brake lights.
The third fuse powers IGNITION. Also used to power the solenoid to engage the starter.

Beyond those basics, it's just following that branch of the diagram, but knowing which fuse powers what at least gives you a starting point.

.

 

[850 Combat]

I Then look at bike and identify which connector on the scheamatic is which connector on the bike.
Then, and only then: Trace out each circuit on the schematic and on the bike. Repeat 1 & 2 as often as needed to be familiar with just the power from fused to all the devices.
Then and only then, go back and get more detailed, follow wiring inbetween the devices. And then after that the grounding (blk/wht).

Everybody knows with a wiring harness its best to cut first and ask questions later.

Actually, I'm looking forward to figuring out why my latest 1000G has a burnt wire to the fuel gauge sending unit, and why it smokes turn signal fuses.

Good times...

 

[Nessism]

Everybody knows with a wiring harness its best to cut first and ask questions later.

Actually, I'm looking forward to figuring out why my latest 1000G has a burnt wire to the fuel gauge sending unit, and why it smokes turn signal fuses.

Good times...

The harness in my 1000S was HACKED to bits by the PO so I wound up converting a 1000GL harness to replace it. Suzuki harnesses are all pretty much the same at the core, including the wire colors, so once you've done one harness the others are very similar other than the plug type and wire lengths.

The conversion process took some time of course, but once you get over the dread of stripping out the harness, it's actually pretty easy - I can remove the entire harness out of the bike in about 20 minuets now. Not the learning curve I wanted to get on, but definitely not hard once you get into it.

 

[DrImodium]

I have the wiring diagram for my bike already along with all the links that have been posted saved in my bookmarks. My question was intended to be broad and not specific to Suzuki GS models or Suzukis in general. Im just curious to see how others have completely rewired their bikes so I can get some ideas as to how I want to go about rewiring mine. As far as existing connectors, they will all be cut and replaced with new ones (not sure if im using bullet connectors or what for those as of right now) and all of the wires will be color coded marine grade wire.

Hope that clears some things up

 

[Nessism]

If you really want to do it up right go with MIL spec grade teflon coated wire. The insulation is much thinner which makes routing the wire around the bike easier, plus the insulation doesn't degrade as fast as common PVC coated wire.

 

[doctorgonzo]

I've done a little looking, but anybody have a bookmark for somewhere with a wide varity of color combos to rebuild with the stock wire colors?

 

[shedman1300]

A guy from perthstreetbikes.com is doing up a gs1000 wiring harness from scratch. The layout board is a good idea. Wish i did that before fixing mine.

 

[posplayr]

A guy from perthstreetbikes.com is doing up a gs1000 wiring harness from scratch. The layout board is a good idea. Wish i did that before fixing mine. At first was not sure how much trouble building a peg booard was but with an old harness probably not too much.

I was going to suggest that before as that is typically how harnesses are built. Looks like an engineer or electrical tech doing it.

 

[tejasmud]

LOL

Dining room table, heat gun, wire strippers, label machine, soldering iron, just missing all the connectors.

Sort of like this, nook, but with an existing harness.

Which turned out like this.

 

[Theo]

LOL

Dining room table, heat gun, wire strippers, label machine, soldering iron, just missing all the connectors.

Sort of like this, nook, but with an existing harness.

Which turned out like this.

Looks real good. Where did you get the vinyl covering for the wires?
-Theo

 

[tejasmud]

Looks real good. Where did you get the vinyl covering for the wires?
-Theo

McMaster Carr. http://www.mcmaster.com/#heat-shrink-tubing/=4w5r8z

5/8" before shrink. 2to1 on the large tubing. It might have been easier with 3/4". If that is what you are refering too.

All new connectors came from either

Vintage Connectors,

http://www.vintageconnections.com/

Eastern Beaver,

http://www.easternbeaver.com/

or Oregon Motorcycle Parts.

http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/

In opinion, if going to this extent on the harness, replace the main ground/earths, on my harness it was the Black with white tracer wires, with 14 gauge wiring on the main. The Red wire to the ignition, fuse box, and R/R were replaced with 14 gauge as well. The stator yellow wires on my harness were removed, there were two sets of connectors for some wierd reason, but I just decided to run the stator leads straight to the R/R. Additional grounding for back-up off the R/R as well.

This is on a 85 700E, other harnesses might be different.

In light, the Suzuki harness is pretty simple once unwraped. Looks daunting on the bike, but once off where it can be examined, pretty simple.

This is what the rear tail light and turn signals looked like after. I decided to go with all locking connectors. Requires changing the mate connectors as well.

I was short of the labeling of the connectors/wires, but after you do this, you will just know what wires go where.

 

[willie]

If you really want to do it up right go with MIL spec grade teflon coated wire. The insulation is much thinner which makes routing the wire around the bike easier, plus the insulation doesn't degrade as fast as common PVC coated wire.

Great idea Ed. Do you have a particular source you could turn me on to? Rewiring my Buffalo is on my To Do List.
Thanks,
Willie