Eliminating the safety relay. Kickstart only

[Prisondawg]

First. I have a 1981 engine but in using the wiring and electrical components from a 78 special. I am getting a smaller battery to eliminate the battery box. I am eliminating the electric start so I'm not worried about grinding the starter. But I would like to eliminate as many extra wires and relays as possible.

I'm a bit worried about the day time headlights aspect of this.

What do I need to do to make my bike function the the best it possibly can without the relay. Can I elimate the reserve lighting device ? Or the light checker.

I have read in other threads that I'll need to connect the two red/white wires that used to run through the safety relay.

I know there are similar threads out there , but none of them seemed to be clear cut about this. So that's the goal of this thread. Clear cut instructions on how to eliminate the safety relay for a kick only bike while maintaining the best functionality. Thank you

 

[5twins]

You don't need to jumper the R/W wires together. That sends power to the starter solenoid and starter but since you won't be using them, there's no need to do that. If you have the '78 handlebar controls, specifically the right side with the headlight on-off switch, then I don' think you'll need to do anything with the headlight portion of the safety relay either. I think you can just unplug the whole unit and remove it. You should be able to operate the headlight with the handlebar on-off switch. It won't be auto-on anymore, you'll have to turn it on and off yourself.

Yes, you can eliminate the RLU. Follow the instructions here .....

http://www.excess650.co.uk/tips & tricks.htm

Yes, you can eliminate the light checker, but I think the Special had the more complex one with more wires. It checked the tail light too and power for that light passes through it. So, after unplugging and removing the light checker, a jumper wire will be needed to get tail light power again. That means jumping the L/Y that comes from the main switch to the L that runs to the tail light.

 

[Prisondawg]

You don't need to jumper the R/W wires together. That sends power to the starter solenoid and starter but since you won't be using them, there's no need to do that. If you have the '78 handlebar controls, specifically the right side with the headlight on-off switch, then I don' think you'll need to do anything with the headlight portion of the safety relay either. I think you can just unplug the whole unit and remove it. You should be able to operate the headlight with the handlebar on-off switch. It won't be auto-on anymore, you'll have to turn it on and off yourself.

Yes, you can eliminate the RLU. Follow the instructions here .....

http://www.excess650.co.uk/tips & tricks.htm

Yes, you can eliminate the light checker, but I think the Special had the more complex one with more wires. It checked the tail light too and power for that light passes through it. So, after unplugging and removing the light checker, a jumper wire will be needed to get tail light power again. That means jumping the L/Y that comes from the main switch to the L that runs to the tail light.

Ok so to remove the reserve lighting device it says to disconnect and then connect the blue/yellow yo the blue/black. Does that mean that the rest of the wires are useless?

 

[5twins]

Pretty much so, yes. Basically, through the RLU, they re-direct headlight power coming in on the L/B to either the high or low beam should one element burn out. Sending that power out on the L/Y sends it directly to the high/low switch.

 

[Prisondawg]

Thanks for the advice. Could I elimate some fuses and just use a main fuse ? Most of my lights with the exception of the headlight are LED. Would it be a bad idea to eliminate the light fuses ? My current blade style fuse box takes up a lot of room.

 

[5twins]

I would say yes, it's OK. After all, up until 1978 and the introduction of the Special model, all XS650s only had one main 20A fuse. I've had my '78 Standard for about a dozen years now and never had a problem with that single fuse, never blown one. But, when I got the bike, I went through all the wiring and connections, cleaning and fixing any issues. And there were some, several rubbed bare wires (from vibration most likely), problems just waiting to happen. So, make sure all your wiring and connection are good and you should have no problems.

 

[Prisondawg]

Ok, so the solid blue wires comes from my headlight and joins with a blue black and a blue yellow . If I run the blue wire directly to that junction I can get power to my tail light with the light switch at the handlebar. However. I am not getting brake lights or turn signals.

 

[Prisondawg]

Ok, so the solid blue wires comes from my headlight and joins with a blue black and a blue yellow . If I run the blue wire directly to that junction I can get power to my tail light with the light switch at the handlebar. However. I am not getting brake lights or turn signals.

I have fixed the issue. When eliminating wires I detached a brown wire from the rest of the brown wires. Once I got it attached, I got all my lights back!

...I still can't get my rear turn signals to work properly since I took off my front turn signals....

 

[5twins]

If you still have the original turn signal flasher, that's probably the issue. It was designed to work with a certain wattage, 4 signals of the original wattage rating. If one burns out, or you remove some like you have, it doesn't work any more. You can replace it with an automotive 2 prong unit. You'll lose the self canceling feature but at least the signals will function. I don't recall the exact unit guys have been using but if you do a search on the site here for turn signal flasher, I'm sure it will come up.

 

[Prisondawg]

If you still have the original turn signal flasher, that's probably the issue. It was designed to work with a certain wattage, 4 signals of the original wattage rating. If one burns out, or you remove some like you have, it doesn't work any more. You can replace it with an automotive 2 prong unit. You'll lose the self canceling feature but at least the signals will function. I don't recall the exact unit guys have been using but if you do a search on the site here for turn signal flasher, I'm sure it will come up.

I have an adjustable flasher relay. They flash at the right speed. The problem is they both flash left and right at the same time. It has been like that since I took my front ones off.

 

[gggGary]

Check for ground at the signal housings I'd bet that's the issue. Factory has a ground wire to each housing. Or mixed up wires, dark green, brown, and black easily crossed.
Nope, never happened to me, uh-uh!

 

[Prisondawg]

Check for ground at the signal housings I'd bet that's the issue. Factory has a ground wire to each housing. Or mixed up wires, dark green, brown, and black easily crossed.
Nope, never happened to me, uh-uh!

I was expirmenting, and I uplugged the turn signal k indicators in the cluster and it made my turn signals function properly. Turn out there was a hole in some Insulation and a wire was shorting out .now they work, but I have no display for it anymore.

But I just put a new speedo in anyway. So it's ok!

 

[Ozboy]

Hey Prisondawg
I got one of those multi function circuit testers many years ago and one of the handiest test units i have used. It allows you at the push of a button to supply 12v or earth switching. It displays full battery voltage so handy for tracking down volt drops and can be used one handed and a nice long power lead.
I rarely use my multi meter now as this little unitis brilliant.

 

[xjwmx]

Thanks for the advice. Could I elimate some fuses and just use a main fuse ? Most of my lights with the exception of the headlight are LED. Would it be a bad idea to eliminate the light fuses ? My current blade style fuse box takes up a lot of room.

Just be aware that any problem that would blow a separate fuse will now instantly kill the motor and everything else...

 

[xjwmx]

Totally inappropriate for you to shut your engine off in the middle of the interstate because you blew your horn...

 

[Prisondawg]

Totally inappropriate for you to shut your engine off in the middle of the interstate because you blew your horn...

I actually disconnected the horn. Seems like the safer choice from what you're telling me .

 

[xjwmx]

Better get rid of everything electrical...
Actually I had a car horn that blew its fuse. Measuring across its terminals showed it turned into a dead short somehow.

 

[650Skull]

All Standard models from 70-79 and in Europe till 82 had a single fuse............All specials from 79-83 had 4 fuses..............

4 fuses will give a better chance of not being stranded if one blows.......as long as it isn't the main fuse...........or the R/W wire to the coil fuse...................or the headlight at night fuse................