My 82 Katana is running with an issue maybe

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Roy, listed to Ed. Stop thinking about the modifications as “Rewiring” or “Electrical Work”, scary terms for most of us who’s fathers didn’t show him how to use a voltmeter. (Yes, me too. Dad taught me a lot before he passed, but not volts/ohms/watts). I was in your same shoes. Think of this work as improving what the factory made. These fellas got my bike and many others sorted better than stock. To attempt to keep the factory wiring “stock” around the GS’s charging system would be a mistake and an oversight. Don’t take my word for it. There’s enough documentation and testimonials here and elsewhere to prove it.

[roy826]

Roy, listed to Ed. Stop thinking about the modifications as “Rewiring” or “Electrical Work”, scary terms for most of us who’s fathers didn’t show him how to use a voltmeter. (Yes, me too. Dad taught me a lot before he passed, but not volts/ohms/watts). I was in your same shoes. Think of this work as improving what the factory made. These fellas got my bike and many others sorted better than stock. To attempt to keep the factory wiring “stock” around the GS’s charging system would be a mistake and an oversight. Don’t take my word for it. There’s enough documentation and testimonials here and elsewhere to prove it.

Oh I believe you but I am not sure I have the know how to make this any better or to make it even work. I am capable of many things when working on mechanical stuff with a motorcycle but wiring and plug in change outs and rerouting wiring is not one of my gifts. I have read about all this until my eyes have crossed the last 24 hours following links to old discussions and links to items needed.

This bike will rarely be ridden as is. I am just putting it back to a nice physical and running condition and of course that involves replacing a lot of stuff along the way because it'll be 40 years old come Feb 2022.

So is it safe to assume buying a new stator is the way to go if I tackle this R/R revised setup? Sure hate to rewire all that up and fab this R/R replacement on and the original stator kill it to.

[Nessism]

For a collectable bike where you won't be riding it much, I'd stay with the stock R/R. Worst case, it will take out your stator, but it won't happen quickly. One thing I'd do for sure though is rewire the system to cut out the stator loop. Basically, send the three stator wires straight into the R/R, bypassing the stock harness. This is easy and can be taken at face value.

[roy826]

The stator 3 wires go to the R/R as is now. From there the R/R has two other wires coming out of it one is red that plugs into the bikes harness and the other is a ground that is grounded to battery box back.

[Redman]

The stator 3 wires go to the R/R as is now. ...
...

I was going to say that the most of the "rewire" is to connect all three of stator leads directly to the R/R (rather than on leg thru a buch of connectors in woring harness), but now you say that has already been done.

. From there the R/R has two other wires coming out of it one is red that plugs into the bikes harness ...........

That is okay, in my opinion. But is often where might be loosing a volt or good fraction of a volt, where that connects into the wiring.

. ..... ....
the other is a ground that is grounded to battery box back.

That is okay, in my opinion, IF that point is well grounded. Problem is that the battery box is not itself well grounded (since is rubber mounted), and relys on a ground wire from the bike harness to ground it, and sometimes that wire is not a good ground (or maybe it was untill a R/R problem dumped a lot of current down it and melted it away where it does connect to frame above/rear of battery, I think). Anyway, so a typical recomentation is to run your own additional ground wire from that point on battery box (solenoid mounting bolt) to the frame or batteryNegitive.

Other comment: I think the fact that you describe this so well, shows that you will do okay with this.

[Nessism]

The stator 3 wires go to the R/R as is now. From there the R/R has two other wires coming out of it one is red that plugs into the bikes harness and the other is a ground that is grounded to battery box back.

One leg of the stator enters the main harness where it travels up to the hand control, where the headlamp switch used to be, then it turns around and goes to the R/R. This is the leg that needs to be eliminated. The long run develops resistance and in some cases, that resistances cooks the harness. Also, the R/R ground needs to be cleaned up. I'd work on these two things and see if your charging voltage comes up.

[roy826]

All good info and I will touch base on all of that with R/R ground connection and stator to R/R connections later on in the week. I still have it all apart on the bike lift. Everything on this bike is oem original in other words nothing has been altered in any way to date. Everything is of course old. As is it is not far off from where it needs to be on the numbers. Most likely has always been like this. I am only seeing it now by the numbers because I went looking for it all after putting a new battery in it and wanting to check things over as I go along. It has been sitting for over 13 years in one spot and not running.

[roy826]

Ok I freed up time this afternoon to look at this RR loop thing. 4 wires come from RR to stator 3 wires and one of the stator wires the green one goes to bike harness. So I know the red goes to red from RR to bike harness. Does the white with red tracer wire from RR now plug directly into the green wire slot on stator harness? Leaving green and white with red tracer from bike harness hanging unplugged up?

Attaching a picture. The ground from RR has been cleaned up and is now shiny to metal wire looked fine. Still attached to back of battery box at starter relay bolt location like it came. Ground to engine from battery looks good.

[Nessism]

I'm not sure about your bike, but on some GS's the battery box is rubber mounted and the ground path is through the metal sleeves that go through the grommets. Needless to say, this leaves a lot to be desired.

The white/green is the outbound leg from the stator, and the white/red is the return from the hand control. This is the leg you want to bypass.

[roy826]

Yes battery box is mounted in old rubber grommets with metal sleeves. So I leave those two wires disconnected?

[roy826]

Ran all 3 stator wires into the oem almost 40 year old RR. The stator is oem and 40 years old as well. I did reroute the crap oem ground to battery box which is rubber mounted lol. I relocated the RR ground to the rear battery tray mount after I took a dremel and burned the paint off the kats frame. Well the results have me convinced As of right now at one month from 40 years old my old ass a GS really doesn’t need a stator or a RR. It just needs a rider not a analyst!

Granted the tach is not working as me if it is it’s 1500 rpm high to begin with from what I’m posting. Its so inaccurate and up and down this whole quick test was made harder than it should be. I’ll fix the tach issue later.

cold no start battery is agm new 13.1
Key on 12.4 no start
start and running 12.7 at idle a low idle
2500 rpm I guess due to tach 13.54
5k more like 4K rpm it hit 14.05

after all that I killed it waited a few minutes and checked the battery bike it on and it was 13.16, I’m moving on charging is not my main issue here and no need to zero focus on this 40 year old system expecting it to perform like my 2020s s as me 2021s in my garage. Ain’t happening! Did the Gs respond to a good terminal connection cleaning and new battery but is going to over charge, no, is what it is s tired old system in a 40 year old bike. Want new buy new! I’m pretty certain it’ll never leave me high and dry in any ride I take it on.

[roy826]

Running like a new one! First ride in I’ve lost how many years counting.

Still waiting on a mirror from Suzuki. I have all the oem decals and it goes to paint soon. Meantime I’m just piddling around locally where I live around the big lake with no license plate, no mirrors and no traffic today. She’s a beaut! Old ass tires took me 3 hours to change using a No-Mar and I even pinched the front tube once. Had an extra. Went with the forums advice on tires. Not my first choice but beggars can’t be choosy. Shinko 230s. They ride good and took very little weight. My carb rebuild work has even impressed me. Not mention the sync I put on them. All the valves set prior to a start. Front brakes are crap. I think it’s the pads they seem oiled but I see no residue from anything. Ordering new ones Monday.

Picture from this afternoon, fitting it first ride was on Christmas Day.

She’s charging!

[alke46]

Nice looking bike.