1981 XS650 Special wiring issue?

[LukeN]

I am having a little difficulty.. i purchased this special almost 10 years ago now and just started trying to get it to run here in the past couple of weeks. so far i have gone through and rebuilt the carbs had them sync'd, replaced handle bars, headlight, airbox with XS pods from mikes. i put it together and here is my issues. when you turn the key you get the nuetral light and tailight, but no headlight at first. but if you touch two connections on the right below the seat with a screw driver the headlight will come on, and you can start the bike. i guess im trying to figure out where i should start looking to see where the fault might be. and i apologize but if you cant tell this is the first time trying to fix a motorcycle on my own. i would really like to understand how to do all the stuff and rely less on garages.

 

[maynard911]

If the bike still has the stock wiring the headlight will not come on until the engine is running.

 

[LukeN]

ok, i am using the kickstart only as the push start isnt working, but for some reason when i would try and kick it, it wouldnt start and then after i would touch what looks like the starter switch assembly the headlight would come on and it will start with one kick

 

[itsatoy]

If you replaced your handlebars and they are painted then you need to grind off the paint under the grounding plates where the starter and signal controls tighten to the bars. Then your starter should work. The safety relay has two parts one that keeps the light off until the alternator starts charging and the other to turn off the starter button also when it starts charging. Not quite sure whats going on but make sure you have taken care of the grounding.

 

[Brian902]

There should be a ground strap on the bottom of one of the handlebar mounting bolts that go through the top triple tree. This and the ground through the switches make a completed circuit. Make sure the grounding strap is there and plugged in.

 

[LukeN]

Thank you itsatoy and brian, it is painted black they are daytona bars i bought from the factory painted, i will grind it down so the metal is showing, and brian i did not see a strap when i was putting the bike together, maybe it got lost before i bought it. it was all taken apart and in a heap when i got it. luckily i only had to cut 2 cord of fire wood for a guy to get it i only have $300 tied into it right now so i think im doing alright for the most part.

also another quick question for you guys... the blinkers do not work very well. actually the right doesnt work at all and the left comes on but doesnt flash, i went into the headight assembly and checked all the connections and they look perfect although i didnt take the shrink wrapping off. do you think it could be the relay?

 

[LukeN]

Attached is a photo of the bike all put together, it is really dark but its the only one i have right now, i will get more on here as i get further along with it. eventually i want to turn it into a brat. any ideas on that are welcome as well seen as i dont exactly know what im doing, I am catching on little by little as i go though

 

[Brian902]

Poor ground to the handle bars, probably still the issue. You will need to clean off an area under each switch and at least one of the two handlebar mounts. Rubber in the top triple tree isolates vibrations from the hands but also isolates the circuits. Then make sure a ground goes from the handlebar mount to a ground in the headlight area. Should be an open ground in the headlight. (black)

 

[LukeN]

OK thanks brian, that definitely helps, i have seen the ground wires in the headlight housing i will just have to form a connection between the two, i couldnt for the life of me figure out why those things were not working properly

 

[itsatoy]

I think the ground should continue from the left hand control into the harness and ground on the flasher mounting bolts in the headlight.

The flashers I think are really just one system that gets switched from side to side in the control. There is a green side and a brown side. If one side is flashing the flasher should be good so you might want to check to see if the bulbs are the right kind to provide the resistance it needs. At least I think thats how they worked. I'm no expert by a long shot but I recently rewired my '81.

 

[LukeN]

thank you, ill check that out, i have recently checked the connections in the switch and they seem to be good, so i will have to check and make sure the ground is good now. mid summer and i was hoping to have this atleast rideable at this point, but atleast i have 2 others to ride this summer