Newbie to the xs world and bikes

Wiring from a complete novice point of view can be daunting. Trying to understand and relate a loom to a diagram is even worse...............

Factory splice
SG 1 text 1.jpg


To late now but unwrapping the harness wasn't necessary. Even now it has been done learning to continuity test and test the whole loom is the bet way to know if the wiring isn't shorting or broken or any connectors, (bullet or couplings), and switches are free corrosion or broken wires.

In all honesty i was stumped and my brain would seize up when i was first trying to learn about the wiring. I would have to stop, sometimes for a few days before coming back to it...Had a hell of a job relating the physical loom on the bike to the diagrams.


Made this small tutorial up for continuity testing the loom.........
https://www.xs650.com/threads/continuity-testing-made-easy.49917/

After doing this to my loom and replacing couplings where it was needed and cleaned up all bullet connectors when i turned on the ignition i had full power everywhere, very little loss of voltage through and switches because they were clean, as good as new.

Example of before
P1000974 1 text.jpg


and after
P1000980 1 Text crop.jpg
 
You are supposed to have only 1 20 amp fuse. Three are 10 amp, headlights, ignition and one with two brown wires for everything else.
 
Ok so I took a break for awhile and came back to the bike. Was super frustrated and needed a break. So as mentioned before I can start the bike by jumping the starter solenoid. After reading a lot of posts I stumbled upon something interesting. I have my buddys 1979 standard in my garage waiting for him to start with his project. I noticed that I was missing something. I think it’s my starter relay. This is where it is suppose to be right? On the “driver side near the battery under the dose cover. That’s where my buddys is located. Can I use the one from the 79 on my bike? But I don’t see the female harness plug anywhere on mine where it should plug into?
 

Attachments

  • 56A3BD1C-8967-4EC0-869B-E460634BC4C1.jpeg
    56A3BD1C-8967-4EC0-869B-E460634BC4C1.jpeg
    252 KB · Views: 103
  • 1AFE508E-E4AE-460B-B06F-2AAB32A4E449.jpeg
    1AFE508E-E4AE-460B-B06F-2AAB32A4E449.jpeg
    320.2 KB · Views: 102
Just for terminology sake, there's no drivers side, it's left or right being determined by your position while astride the bike. I face forward t'wards the headlight so left would be the shifter side and right would be the kick start side. If you ride facing backwards then it would be the opposite of that mentioned.
Carry on........
 
Ok so I took a break for awhile and came back to the bike. Was super frustrated and needed a break. So as mentioned before I can start the bike by jumping the starter solenoid. After reading a lot of posts I stumbled upon something interesting. I have my buddys 1979 standard in my garage waiting for him to start with his project. I noticed that I was missing something. I think it’s my starter relay. This is where it is suppose to be right? On the “driver side near the battery under the dose cover. That’s where my buddys is located. Can I use the one from the 79 on my bike? But I don’t see the female harness plug anywhere on mine where it should plug into?

That is a charging regulator
 
On the wiring
I have seen it to many times since the early 70 ies that newbies goes out taking a to big step
Overextend themselves ends up in problems , time and money shortage
Evnetually selling the bike in boxes.
If you post up pictures and tell us what happens .We will be able to start you up
But again that is not certain if you fex pull all wiring out
Many here are experienced experts and underestimate how it is for a Newbie.
Patience and cooperation.
There can be gremlins further on but there are always problem with an old vehicle
It has also the advantage that more facts on the bike comes after some miles
 
As mentioned, the item pictured on your buddy's bike is the voltage regulator for the charging system. There is also a separate rectifier mounted under the battery box. Your '80 model isn't missing anything, it's just different. Your model uses a combined regulator/rectifier unit and it's mounted on the back of the frame down tube behind the motor. These parts have nothing to do with your starter, they're part of a completely different circuit, the charging circuit.
 
Ok so I took a break for awhile and came back to the bike. Was super frustrated and needed a break. So as mentioned before I can start the bike by jumping the starter solenoid. After reading a lot of posts I stumbled upon something interesting. I have my buddys 1979 standard in my garage waiting for him to start with his project. I noticed that I was missing something. I think it’s my starter relay. This is where it is suppose to be right? On the “driver side near the battery under the dose cover. That’s where my buddys is located. Can I use the one from the 79 on my bike? But I don’t see the female harness plug anywhere on mine where it should plug into?


Get a manual and read about all the answers to the posts from other people...................The only way to learn and teach your self.

Your starter relay is also different to your mates bike.

Your bike has an electronic ignition.......his has points
Your bike has a combined Solid state regulator/rectifier.............his has a separate regulator and rectifier
Your bike has a different Brush set up on your Stator because of your ignition both brushes are powered...........His is different, one brush is a ground.


Get a manual.
 
so I finally got it to work. It was definitely a ground issue. I really appreciate all your help and advice and troubleshooting. I dug though alot on the internet and I decided to grind the whole triple tree to the motor. And sure enough once I charged my battery hit the button and it worked. Again appreciate all the advice. I’m sure I will have more but this portion is figured out.
 
Your start button should have grounded through the handlebars over to the left switch assembly, which grounds into the main harness in the headlight bucket. Did your horn work before, because that also uses that same ground.
 
Get a manual and read about all the answers to the posts from other people...................The only way to learn and teach your self.

Your starter relay is also different to your mates bike.

Your bike has an electronic ignition.......his has points
Your bike has a combined Solid state regulator/rectifier.............his has a separate regulator and rectifier
Your bike has a different Brush set up on your Stator because of your ignition both brushes are powered...........His is different, one brush is a ground.


Get a manual.
If 'Not get a manual" then spend a little time in the "Tech" section at the top of the Garage page. I cannot tell you how many bits of knowledge and hard earned tricks you can find there. It is broken down to Engine, Electrics, Brakes etc and really an encyclopedia of knowledge.
 
Back
Top