81 GS650E bypassed ignitor?

[gunbunny119]

Hello again,

I'm working on a friend's 81 GS650E and trying to clean up the wiring. This bike wasn't running when it got on my build table. Yesterday, I noticed that the igniter is missing and it looks like someone bypassed it by hardwiring the signal generator directly to the ignition coils and got the power straight from the fusebox.

Is this possible to bypass the igniter? If so, what are the possible cons of my continuing the same jury rig? I have a few emails out trying to get another igniter (I would much rather do it the right way), but this guy's trying to limit the money he spends on parts getting this old girl back on the road.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Gunbunny

[8trackmind]

Has the original been swapped with a Dyna ignition? They don't use an igniter. That would explain it. Also, if it is a Dyna, I would leave it in there.

[gunbunny119]

Has the original been swapped with a Dyna ignition? They don't use an igniter. That would explain it. Also, if it is a Dyna, I would leave it in there.

It doesn't look like a swap. I know the after market ignitions are much better, but this one is bone stock with the exception of some redneck engineering. it's actually an incredibly clean stock bike. I restore or customize 80s Jap bikes and I wouldn't mind finding a girl like this one for my own ambitions.

[Nessism]

I'm not very sharp about electronic ignitions, or any electrical for that matter, but I'd be shocked if the ignition system worked properly without the igniter. There has to be a good reason for it to be in there or Suzuki would have saved the money and not installed it in the first place.

[gunbunny119]

I'm not very sharp about electronic ignitions, or any electrical for that matter, but I'd be shocked if the ignition system worked properly without the igniter. There has to be a good reason for it to be in there or Suzuki would have saved the money and not installed it in the first place.

I'm thinking the same way. If they put it there, then it must have been for a reason. However, the orange lead from the signal generator was hard-wired to the fuse panel and the black/white leads from the sig generator were hard-wired to the ignition coils. Since the current owner of the bike said at one time it ran prior to him disassembling it, I assume the bypass must have kept it running. This guy is pretty uneducated on bikes and wouldn't dare have taken on an electrical project like this.

My conclusion is that since it was hardwired, it must have worked. Whether or not I would recommend it is another story. I already have an email out to a guy who is parting out a similar bike so i can get the factory part back.

Being new to the GS world, I thought maybe someone would know if it was a common mod. I know I've never heard of successfully bypassing ignition components.

Heck, for that matter I think I'll run my car battery lead directly into the #1 spark plug lead of my 01 durango and sell all that "extra stuff" on ebay.

[SPARKSS]

Hello again,

I'm working on a friend's 81 GS650E and trying to clean up the wiring. This bike wasn't running when it got on my build table. Yesterday, I noticed that the igniter is missing and it looks like someone bypassed it by hardwiring the signal generator directly to the ignition coils and got the power straight from the fusebox.

Is this possible to bypass the igniter? If so, what are the possible cons of my continuing the same jury rig? I have a few emails out trying to get another igniter (I would much rather do it the right way), but this guy's trying to limit the money he spends on parts getting this old girl back on the road.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Gunbunny

Hi there GB. Assuming what you're looking at is accurate, then I'd expect it to not have any way of working.......and likely may burn out the signal generator coils in the process of trying as they're usually a light guage winding intended to trigger the ignition module (ignitor) which then actually switches the coils. That's where my money would lie on a bet

[chef1366]

I would love to see a picture of this. :-D

[gunbunny119]

Hi there GB. Assuming what you're looking at is accurate, then I'd expect it to not have any way of working.......and likely may burn out the signal generator coils in the process of trying as they're usually a light guage winding intended to trigger the ignition module (ignitor) which then actually switches the coils. That's where my money would lie on a bet

Makes me wonder if the last guy that owned it (a guy I work with..not the brightest guy) tried to "fix" it when it stopped working and did this mod to no avail. That being the case, I hope that once I get the proper components installed I don't discover that this genius mod did any damage. Fingers crossed.

You know...that makes me want to step on my soapbox for a sec....

What in the name of God would make someone jury-rig a motorcycle??!! I am an auto mechanic and have been guilty of many "redneck engineering" sins. However, when a car breaks down or seizes it doesn't fall over. When a car catches on fire, the driver usually has a chance to pull over and get the heck out. To me, motorcycles are so much more delicate and complex (somewhat) and I can't even fathom approaching a motorcycle with a roll of duct tape and a spool of copper wire. Maybe that's just me.

Thanks for listening....I feel better.

[SPARKSS]

You know...that makes me want to step on my soapbox for a sec....

What in the name of God would make someone jury-rig a motorcycle??!! I am an auto mechanic and have been guilty of many "redneck engineering" sins. However, when a car breaks down or seizes it doesn't fall over.

Just chuckling here Gun, looking at my own experience mirrored in your words.
Those people who'll rig up something on their bike that's absolutely marginal haven't found themselves 80 miles out in the middle of nowhere; not even a village around, overcast, cold and pouring rain (or hail) so hard that you're wondering why you were born 'n put on the seat......and are still running due to your own handywork

And if bikes aren't unforgiving enough - I knew a guy who was a heck of a tinkerer.....built, fixed and drove most anything - bought an airplane because it had a blown engine...."I'll just take the wings off, tow 'er to my shop and fix THAT....then get permission 'n fly 'er off the road right here!"........Another interesting good hearted fella I trained with told me about growing up on the prairies, cowboying etc.....him 'n brother bought an old J3 piper cub 'n practiced trying to fly it by hopping fences.....till they crashed 'er.

And if all that isn't unforgiving enough.....how about people fiddling marginal repairs......then leaving port for an over-the-horizon ocean voyage on a small boat....I've known a bunch of them

[gunbunny119]

Just chuckling here Gun, looking at my own experience mirrored in your words.
Those people who'll rig up something on their bike that's absolutely marginal haven't found themselves 80 miles out in the middle of nowhere; not even a village around, overcast, cold and pouring rain (or hail) so hard that you're wondering why you were born 'n put on the seat......and are still running due to your own handywork

And if bikes aren't unforgiving enough - I knew a guy who was a heck of a tinkerer.....built, fixed and drove most anything - bought an airplane because it had a blown engine...."I'll just take the wings off, tow 'er to my shop and fix THAT....then get permission 'n fly 'er off the road right here!"........Another interesting good hearted fella I trained with told me about growing up on the prairies, cowboying etc.....him 'n brother bought an old J3 piper cub 'n practiced trying to fly it by hopping fences.....till they crashed 'er.

And if all that isn't unforgiving enough.....how about people fiddling marginal repairs......then leaving port for an over-the-horizon ocean voyage on a small boat....I've known a bunch of them

Tell you what though, you haven't seen jury-rigs until you see a third-world country. I saw some of the funniest jury rigs on one of my tours in Iraq. I saw an "Iraqi fuel pump", which is a 1 gallon fuel can on the roof of a car with a line going under the hood. The passenger (or sometimes the driver) would hold the can just right (occasionally tipping it forward) so the vehicle will run but not flood. At first I didn't know why a bunch of guys were holding a gas can on their roof until it was explained to me.

Gotta hand it to 'em....That's some ingenuity.

[SPARKSS]

Geepers Gun.....Lots of good points to them using a "fuel cell" like that, besides no fuel pump to worry about failing - encourages driver attention to smooth AND economical operation (doubt he's tipping 20 gals!).....discourages cellphone, ipod, gps, dvd operation.....discourages driver 'n passenger drinking (while in operation at least....now prior might be a different story).......ejects the fuel source in the case of a head-on collision (unless overly restrained).....and speaks highly for all the horsest we have here like mv inspections, insurance 'n litigation eh!

[gunbunny119]

Geepers Gun.....Lots of good points to them using a "fuel cell" like that, besides no fuel pump to worry about failing - encourages driver attention to smooth AND economical operation (doubt he's tipping 20 gals!).....discourages cellphone, ipod, gps, dvd operation.....discourages driver 'n passenger drinking (while in operation at least....now prior might be a different story).......ejects the fuel source in the case of a head-on collision (unless overly restrained).....and speaks highly for all the horsest we have here like mv inspections, insurance 'n litigation eh!

LOL!!!!!

You're killing me, spark

[8trackmind]

What in the name of God would make someone jury-rig a motorcycle??!!

Because It's there! :-D Besides, many bikes were jury-rigged from the factory...Who am I to judge. :-D