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aftermarket wiring harness

  • Thread starter Thread starter jellywrestler
  • Start date Start date
We're rewiring my 1150, but making a custom harness. I wonder whether you might do it cheaper and better if you ran the wiring yourself.
 
I know a little about small volume harnesses. They are laid up by hand using low skilled labour and seem to attract a lot of problems with the quality if the connections.
At that price I would clean up the old and get working on the plugs and crimps.
 
I don't have any first hand experience with aftermarket harnesses but I do know that $300 is a large chunk of change. You can buy a similar harness for a KZ900 made by PMC in Japan for about a 1/3 that. I also know that making your own harness forces the use of wire that isn't the original color code. I have a friend who has a turbo Z1 which was rewired with all WHITE wire. This was done by the PO. If there is an electrical issue, imagine chasing it in that spagetti? If you do rewire, search wide and far for all the different wire colors you can lay your hands on and draw a wiring diagram as you cobble the new one together. It can be done (I have done it) but it also requires buying a lot of connectors as they will need to be done on both sides of each connection. Seems you could use a donor harness and cut off all the connectors leaving on an inch or two of wire to splice to your own wire BUT the connectors are often the problem in the harness.

Probably best solution is to strip your working harness and clean all wires. Re-wrap with non-adhesive tape as used by the OEM and then clean all connectors as best you can. Lots of threads on that subject on this forum.
 
geol said:
I also know that making your own harness forces the use of wire that isn't the original color code.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's true at all. You may not be able to go down to your local hardware store and get the right colored wiring, but I'd bet someone out there sells the right color/size.
 
Kaiser Sosei said:
I don't think that's true at all. You may not be able to go down to your local hardware store and get the right colored wiring, but I'd bet someone out there sells the right color/size.
Click to expand...

Prove me wrong Kaiser before making that statement. Find an orange/green and orange/white wire spool. There are companies that will make you a 1000 ft spool of wire in the color combo of your choice but I would estimate at least half the colors used on any motorcycle won't be found in a wire company search. Part of the problem is that the wire used on a bike is generally 18 or 20 gauge and most combo color wire is a bit heavier gauge for higher amp loads as on many 4 wheel vehicles.
 
Unless the entire harness is burnt there is no need for replacement. Most of the problem areas are within a few inches of the connections and can be repaired. Using a larger gauge of wire will never hurt as long as the connections are crimped properly, if you have to splice on an extension. I have never seen a problem further than hard insulation and that is never far from the bad connection unless there is a major short that burns a wire and damages others, still repairable unless catastrophic, that is very rare and easily seen.
 
i have no nharness at all, it's a kit frame bike built up so either make one from scratch which even for me being an electrician is a headache, or get an aftermarket one and go and earn some bucks on the tools of my trade instead of all that extra time...
 
For my street rod project I plan on wiring everything myself. I'm going to be using all one color wiring - white. It's what is used on most aircraft builds and it will compliment me color scheme. I've done single color wiring in the past and I really like the look of the finished product.

The key is absolute perfect recording of everything you plan and everything you actually do. Drawings and notes are essential. as are those nifty little wire markers and a ohm meter. Test every connection. Stop and think about your next step and proceed slowly. It's really fun work as learn and become more comfortable with your progress.

I suggest you incorporate more than the usual number of fuses or use aircraft circuit breakers that can be tested and reset if a fault is encountered. It's a way of confirming your progress.
 

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Yep - wire markers are a useful thing. Aviation CBs are handy, too.
I trust you have aviation crimps to go with that? And the tool, of course?
What would look good would be an altimeter and a couple of turn and bank indicators. :cool:
 
Kaiser Sosei said:
You may not be able to go down to your local hardware store and get the right colored wiring, but I'd bet someone out there sells the right color/size.
Click to expand...

geol said:
Prove me wrong Kaiser before making that statement. Find an orange/green and orange/white wire spool. There are companies that will make you a 1000 ft spool of wire in the color combo of your choice but I would estimate at least half the colors used on any motorcycle won't be found in a wire company search. Part of the problem is that the wire used on a bike is generally 18 or 20 gauge and most combo color wire is a bit heavier gauge for higher amp loads as on many 4 wheel vehicles.
Click to expand...
Not sure if Kaiser has a link handy, but I do. :-\\\

Click HERE to see the offerings from Rhode Island Wiring Service.
Scroll down to the bottom of the left column, click on "Supplies".
In the list that shows on on the right side, scroll down to the bottom, click on "Wire Colors, and Wire by the Foot".
Scroll down past the cloth-covered wire section to the Plastic Wire.
Feast your eyes on the 91
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color combinations of 18-gauge wire.
Scroll down just a bit more, you will see that there are even MORE combinations for 16- and 14-gauge wire.

Prices are quite reasonable, minimum order for any color is a mere 10 feet.

It would be a downright shame to have all that new wire and use old connectors.

Click HERE to visit Vintage Connections.
Scroll down the left column to either the Prices or Order buttons to see all the connectors.
Of course, you will need a proper tool to crimp them all, so click on the Tools button.

Happy crimping. :encouragement:

.
 
Can someone post a good connector site. I have all the wire I need just looking for good connectors.
 
Steve said:
Click HERE to visit Vintage Connections.
Scroll down the left column to either the Prices or Order buttons to see all the connectors.
Of course, you will need a proper tool to crimp them all, so click on the Tools button.

Happy crimping. :encouragement:

.
Click to expand...
Steve just posted a link.
 
geol said:
Prove me wrong Kaiser before making that statement. Find an orange/green and orange/white wire spool. There are companies that will make you a 1000 ft spool of wire in the color combo of your choice but I would estimate at least half the colors used on any motorcycle won't be found in a wire company search. Part of the problem is that the wire used on a bike is generally 18 or 20 gauge and most combo color wire is a bit heavier gauge for higher amp loads as on many 4 wheel vehicles.
Click to expand...


These guys?

I found Orange/white, but they don't show orange/green as a color they normally carry. They did have a couple other orange with tracer colors. They do special orders so you might be able to get it from them. There's also Autosparks in the UK. Both sell by the meter.


Well, that's what I get for not finishing reading before posting. Looks like steve has you covered.
 
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