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Wiring harness

  • Thread starter Thread starter BadMonk
  • Start date Start date
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BadMonk

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Not sure if this is in the correct sub-forum or not. My rebuild is a 1981 GS850GLX. In 1983, it was put away dirty in a small outdoor shed where it sat with no maintenance until last year when I got it for free. I've been riding since 1968. I've owned and fixed many bikes but this is only my third rebuild in my 61 years on the planet. I've learned nothing at all if I haven't learned that electrics drives me nuts. Chasing wires isn't a fun day. So...with this rebuild, I'm not even starting down that road. My plan is to just buy a wiring harness from the get-go rather than play with old brittle wires can easily break if bent enough. The thing is that I'm having trouble finding a source for a new harness. I swear I had several sources a few months ago when I did a search so I didn't bookmark them...ugh. Does anyone know of a source for a wiring harness? Is there such a thing? Thanks
 
Have you tested your wires to see if they really are brittle? The wires in my '80 850, my son's '80 1000G, my wife's '82 850L and my other son's '82 650L are all still rather supple and I have never considered having to replace them. I realize there are differences in storage conditions and can not guarantee how these bikes have spent most of their lives. They have only been with me for the last 5-10 years.

Probably more important than having new wires is having the proper connectors and the tool to put them on. Both of those are available from Vintage Connections at reasonable prices.

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I understand where you're coming from but, like I said, I'm not going down that road. Been there and done that more than once. My mind set is the cost of a wire harness is worth it for me if I don't have to spend time and energy (both are in short supply) chasing wires which usually screw with me at the most inopportune time. I have connectors source and all the (good) tools needed. What I don't have is a reliable harness or source for a harness. I know of Sparck Moto but they're more of a custom maker, not OEM.
 
GS1100E harness is still available - I'd be tempted to adapt that one and change plugs on the few non compatible connections - Ive done that on my frankenstein bike -

1100E engine /750E frame/1150 instruments /Honda switchgear and the usual SH775 R/R mod
 
Thanks bsharpish. You're right. OEMs are still available for the 82 and 83 1100E. That's definitely a consideration.

I double checked eBay and see a guy in Finland selling a new 1981 GS850G wiring harness. (Don't know how I missed it before) It's not the GL part number. Not sure what the differences are - electrically - between the G and GL but it can't be that drastic.

I think you may be onto something bsharpish.
 
BadMonk said:
Not sure what the differences are - electrically - between the G and GL but it can't be that drastic.
Click to expand...
Hang on to that glimmer of hope. :-k

The stuff right around the battery in the middle of the bike will be similar, but that's about it.
The gauges are different.
The connections to the handlebar switches are different.
The tail/brake light is different.
The rear turn signals are different.

Other than that, it will be a piece of cake. :encouragement:

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Steve said:
Hang on to that glimmer of hope. :-k

The stuff right around the battery in the middle of the bike will be similar, but that's about it.
The gauges are different.
The connections to the handlebar switches are different.
The tail/brake light is different.
The rear turn signals are different.

Other than that, it will be a piece of cake. :encouragement:

.
Click to expand...

It is all just copper wire;what is the big deal?:)
 
That's a lot of differences...LOL. Thanks very much, Steve. All the differences I found in my research had me believing the 'structural'differences wouldn't flow into electrics all that much. Well, assuming can be dangerous.

So it seems to me that you probably know these bikes inside and out. For the $64,000 question: Are there many differences between the 850GLX and the 1100E?
 
Even more different than the 850G to be sure

as others have suggested I'd take a long hard look at your existing loom first - Ive had some that were rotten with heavily oxidized wires (like bright green), others with very cracked insulation and some (My 78 GS1000) which were like new.

I understand your thoughts as I replaced the loom on mine despite having to change the connections for instruments , switchgear etc ..... My reasoning - if the foundations of the electrical systems (harness, RR,Stator, CDI) are solid the rest is just fine tuning
 
bsharpish said:
I understand your thoughts as I replaced the loom on mine despite having to change the connections for instruments , switchgear etc ..... My reasoning - if the foundations of the electrical systems (harness, RR,Stator, CDI) are solid the rest is just fine tuning
Click to expand...

Assuming the harness wires as not all corroded (green and stiff)under the insulation, then generally the wire is still very serviceable. If the wires are serviceable, then you look to the condition of the connectors. Generally they can be replaced or just cleaned, but most important is to clean and treat the contacts with deoxit/dielectric grease.

That said the most important contacts are for the charging system between the R/R and the battery, stator and grounds. Most of this from the factory is inferior and needs to be changed as per the recommendations.

If the harness has been hacked, then you need to be able to restore and confirm what ever modifications those are. That is certainly easier that converting a harness from a different bike or building one from scratch. I would guess 95% of harnesses can be salvaged. Find the best used one you can(if they are not available new), and recondition it as described. If you have to, remove all the tape and rewrap it.

There are people that do a complete rewired harnesses, and that is fine, but it is way too much work for minimal gain if you just follow the basics outlined above.
 
I'd add mine was both hacked, partially melted due to RR issues and green/brittle - bike still ran great though !!!!
 
BadMonk said:
For the $64,000 question: Are there many differences between the 850GLX and the 1100E?
Click to expand...
Re-read my post #7. :-\\\

If you want some details:
- The rear turn signals on the L have long lead wires that go to connectors on the main harness that are near the battery box. On the G and E bikes (that have covered tail sections), the signal leads are much shorter and connect to the harness near the tail light.
- Same thing for the tail light. L model has leads long enough to reach to near the battery box, G and E has short leads that plug in to different connectors right there.
- Different connectors. The L lights use individual bullet connectors. The G and E tail lights use a 3-pin connector, the signals still use bullets.
- The headlight bucket on the L is smaller, so some of the multi-pin connectors are found under the tank. The headlight connector then extends into the bucket. On the G and E harnesses, the connectors are in the headlight bucket, the headlight connector has leads about 6" long to reach the back of the bulb.
- The gauges themselves are different, they use different connectors.

Several other differences, these are just the ones that will make you wonder if it was any easier to get a new harness that you WILL still have to adapt.

By the way, what year 1100E? The '80/'81 harness is different than the '82/'83 harness, which will make things even more interesting.

.
 
Thanks. That's what I assumed but wasn't sure.

I've had the 850 down to the crank and now reassembling it. The harness looks its age, esp at the connector ends. I'll probably have to get out my magnifying glass and run thru each wire. Maybe its workable and enough is salvageable.

How are OEM coils on these bikes generally speaking? My last rebuild was a ZN1100 Kawi and the coils - even brand new from the factory - were nothing to write home about.
 
Steve said:
Re-read my post #7. :-\\\


By the way, what year 1100E? The '80/'81 harness is different than the '82/'83 harness, which will make things even more interesting.

.
Click to expand...

Alright, if I had $64,000 then I'd give it to you. Unfortunately for you, I don't...LOL.

Well now the only 1100E harnesses that I found available are the 82/83s. Couldn't find an 81. The glimmer of hope is getting dimmer...:cool:

Sparck Moto will put together a harness ... for $300 (cough, cough). I read good things about them but ... gee. There are a couple others out there but I'll probably end up sitting at my table with my wife's jeweler's glass sorting thru the wires to see what's there and what-not.

Thanks for all the help guys. I really appreciate it!
 
At the very least, click HERE to get one of the best wiring diagrams for an 850. It has the easiest-to-read color schemes. Yes, it is for an '80 850G, but all the colors are the same. Might be a few detail differences, like the aforementioned 3-pin connector at the tail light, but I'm sure you will be able to figure it out.

Just in case you have not yet been give the keys to the "library", click HERE.

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Just opened the wiring diagram and ... OOOHHH COLORS ... NICE!! It even has a little magnifier thingy. Excellent for old eyes. Thanks!

Oh yeah, I got a set of library keys. Lots of good reference material. I can't imagine the amount of time, energy and work to put all that together. I'm grateful. If it weren't for things like that I'd probably have given up a while ago. But no...now I keep plugging along. (My last work of art - haha - was a Kawi ZN1100. The electrics went due south and it was a real journey. That's why I was looking for the easy way out with a new harness. I wanted to roll that bike off a cliff but it didn't start so I couldn't even make it to the cliff.)
 
BadMonk said:
Just opened the wiring diagram and ... OOOHHH COLORS ... NICE!! It even has a little magnifier thingy.
Click to expand...
That is probably my favorite wiring diagram for a GS. Other models or years will have some differences, but all the colors are pretty much the same.

As an example, the 1100 harness you are considering will have a bunch of extra wires going to the instrument panel. There is what amounts to a computer there that controls the warning lights. Those wires only exist on the 1100 and its little brother 750, but no other model that I know of .
- Starting in '82 on bikes 650 and larger, there is a warning light for the side stand. Those wires are not shown on this diagram, but they are relatively easy to identify.
- Bikes smaller than 850 do not have auto-cancel turn signals, so the few wires that are shown on this diagram will not be found on those bikes.
- I think it was in '81 that some of the larger bikes started coming with dual-intensity bulbs in the front turn signals for use as marker or running lights. Those are not shown in this diagram.

Many other differences in equipment, but the colors for particular functions are all the same, so you can be assured that any time you see a yellow wire with a green stripe, it goes from the starter button to the solenoid.

.
 
That diagram in color will be handy to have. Although I didn't want to do it, I'm going to give the original harness a try. It's not been hacked and corrosion, from what I can tell at this point, isn't too bad. I'll be in a better position about what to do after a good cleaning.

I ordered an updated (Honda) R/R from Duane B. on the forum. The other core contacts like the battery and stator are surprisingly decent. (Same with the fasteners on this bike. They all came out easily. None were stripped, rounded, drilled, etc. unlike other vintage bikes that I worked on.) At this point in time, it's probably the least intensive option. And if it doesn't work out for whatever reason, I can then try adapting another harness...whether it's another 850GL harness, 1100E harness or something.

My last bike started this way then went to a complete rewire journey...ugh. Now, the 850 wiring is a dream compared to the '84 Kawi ZN1100 where the engineers went bonkers when formulating that system. So, I'll re-read #11 above and give it a shot. Thanks guys.
 
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