A plea to people working on their bike electrics

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

One of these days I'm going to buy a motorbike that doesn't have even one occurrance of two wires being joined together by twisting the stripped ends and wrapping them in PVC tape.

I mean, you'd have thought when I bought a brand new bike a few years ago, it'd all be ok? But no, they'd cut a wire on that fitting the immobaliser then decided against it and twisted the ends back together (which lead to me getting the bike towed behind my brothers car for four miles and a day spent tracking the fault down).

The latest YB100 I just bought for my girlfriend put a new 'twist' on this particular bodge. The previous owner replaced the headlight bulb holder at some point which presumably came with no connectors on. They did the twist and PVC tape trick to bodge a short length of wire with the bullet connector cut off the old bulb holder onto the ends of them.

Please people. It is ok as a temporary 'get you home' thing but it is not a good way to join two electrical wires, especially on a motorcycle where it is exposed to the elements. If you are lucky it will eventually fail. If you are unlucky it will cause an intermittant fault or short circuit that will have you or a subsequent owner tearing their hair out.

Even if you buy those shitty crimps you get on filling station forecourts and a crimping tool it would be better than nothing. In fact. I've seen the tools with 50 free crimps for sale at car boot sales for like £1.99.

For preference, either solder and shrinktube them if it is a permanant join or use non insulated bullet connectors. www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk sell kits with a load of different crimps, silicone insulation 'socks' and the correct crimping die.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

I served my apprenticship with Joseph Lucas Electrical Ltd.
nothing wrong with twisting wires IMHO Mr. Green

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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

After the hours of daylight in fact was what he fictionaly said. He may have made crap lights but his grammar was perfect
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I once saw a t-shirt with the Lucas logo on it printed in black on a black t-shirt. I want one but I've never been able to find it.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

TheShaggyDA · Repost Police Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

Self amalgamating tape FTW! Smile

Tandys used to do solder tape that would melt using a match or lighter. Maplins don't do it, nor do RS components, it seems. Then again, 12v or battery/gas powered soldering irons are cheap enough to have in a bike tool kit.
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

Stiffler · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Sep 2006 Karma :

Definitely with you on this one Stinkwheel. With my last bike (NC30) 16 years of new rider bodging had left it with some rather interesting "modifications". One thing that left me scratching my head for a day or two was the loss of the starter motor.

The bike would start fine if bumped but there was no response at all from the starter button. The problem was later traced to a home-made connection (Twisted wires wrapped in about half a roll of electrical tape) in the starter relay circuit. On assessment it appeared the bodge had been perfectly adequate for a good few years but inevitably it eventually failed.

Tim
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Current Bikes - Kawasaki ZX-6R (636) | BMW G650GS

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

My great hate is scotchlocks. It seems the Goldwing fraternity have a great love for using them for their add on lights etc. Evil or Very Mad

The amount of rewiring 2nd hand wings I have done due to them is painful. They have to be the worst way of connecting electrical wires together ever.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

crazymotorbik... · Nearly there... Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Karma :

Hey,

Yer i know what u mean about twisted wires Evil or Very Mad

The number i've had fail on second hand bikes is ridiculous!

For me its always bind, solder, shrink wrap, and then pvc tape.

It maybe OTT but i've never had any bike re-wiring fail on me yet!

Shaun.

carsounds_dan · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Karma :

i fit car radios into cars ranging from 07 plate bentleys to OLD novas and crap.. so i see it all.
can i also add.
If supplying power to ANYTHING make sure that the power is fuse, and with a relivantly sized fuse.
If soldering use the best quality solder as possible (lead-free if you can get it).
Using insulated terminals is fine, just make sure that you use the correct type ratcheting crimpers (snap-ons are £50+VAT but u can get them for £20).
If using your own wire use multi-core wire, the finer the strands the best.
cheers
dan
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add me on msn for info on CAT 2 immobalisers, and cheap fitting in the crawley area

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

carsounds_dan · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Karma :

they do, but i live in a bad area, its usually nicked before you drive out the dealers....
i fit anything from very expensive high end stereo stuff (into bentleys, last week we had a customer spend £10k just for supply, let alone installation) to very cheap stuff (£30 eBay special worth more than the nova/clio/205 that its being fitted in)
cheers
dan
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add me on msn for info on CAT 2 immobalisers, and cheap fitting in the crawley area

tatters · Exxon Valdez Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Karma :

Going to have to sort my RD350 out at some point, the loom is in a state and among many things the front brake light switch does,nt bring the stop lamp on but the head lamp instead Rolling Eyes

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Jaloopa · Brolly Dolly Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Karma :

LeeWat · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Karma :

And another one, please dont use all black wiring if you re-wire an old GS1100G try to stick to the original colours, and please please try to find the appropriate switch gear, dont just stick UK model switches to a US import the sockets are different. I'm now bald thanks to the previous owner of my 1982 GS... cheers m8 Smile

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Simson S51 Enduro, Kawasaki AR80, Yamaha RD125LC, Yamaha XV535, Yamaha XJ600N, Suzuki GS1100G, Kawasaki KLR250, Yamaha BT1100 Bulldog (4/4/08 Deceased). Suzuki XF650 Breakwind.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Ariel Badger · Super Spammer Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Karma :

Like you get 07 plate Bentleys and Rollers in skank areas with rat boys on the loose. Mr. Green

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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

carsounds_dan · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Karma :

lead free solder flows better at lower temperatures.
so if you have a small gas soldering iron then the difference can be noticed.
the ratcheting crimpers i use are adjustable, so i have mine quite tight. if i do any connections that are going to be on show to the eliments i heat shrink the two parts seporately so that all the moisture doesnt flow down into the connections. i usually cover the connections in the non-insulated sleeves anyways.
i know its a long winded way to do it but for things like indicators that can be removed its worth it.
cheers
dan
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add me on msn for info on CAT 2 immobalisers, and cheap fitting in the crawley area

LeeWat · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Karma :

Im with Stinkwheel on the bad earth with the lights, my KLR had a really bad earth connection that when i put on the indicators the engine cut out, quite amusing the engine cutting in and out with the flash, i had to resort to hand signals untill i found the fault.
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Simson S51 Enduro, Kawasaki AR80, Yamaha RD125LC, Yamaha XV535, Yamaha XJ600N, Suzuki GS1100G, Kawasaki KLR250, Yamaha BT1100 Bulldog (4/4/08 Deceased). Suzuki XF650 Breakwind.

Fortuna · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Oct 2004 Karma :

Life in your hands on certain electrics.
do it properly or get someone to do it for you. I live in the SE if anyone ever needs any soldering done.

teech · Scooby Slapper Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Karma :

God, you all make me feel like a complete amateur!!

I haven't got a bloody clue what any of you are talking about Embarassed

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In everyday life good people do good things, bad people do bad things. It takes religion to make a good person do bad things.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Mrs Kickstart · Brolly Dolly Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Karma :

Hi

There is one member on here who visited our house late at night beacusae his electrics kept going on and off.

Using sellotape for the battery connectors cus you lost the screws really does not work Shocked

Regards
C
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bish777 · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Karma :

I, as a matter of course, removed the loom from the 1100, checked for and replaced any obvious signs of bodgery, using either crimps or soldering as appropriate.

Black silicone makes a good sealent for exposed bits.

Finally its completed with a good dose of spray on autoplast to keep the water out.
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GSXR1100J