920rh 'Special'

Swagger said:
Well.....I hadn't taken forward offset into account so it may work out.

I found the veritable fly in the ointment.......
The neutral and hi beam dash lights stay faintly lit and after lifting the tank off I found several cobby jumpers around plug and splices all over. So.......I pulled a few connectors apart and the corrosion is epic. On top of that a couple connectors are crumbling. Yay..

So now I need to rewire. I haven't done a.scratch rewire in several years...like ten.
I been looking at the 'Painless Wiring' 7 circuit sealed auxiliary rig. Anyone have any good alternatives?
Click to expand...

I am about to do a harness for the trike and I am in the same boat with you.Do I fix the screwed up harness, or just toss it, and go with something new?The old harness is so mangled that it's near pointless.I redid a HD harness some years ago that kept having connector issues.I tore the harness apart,uncrimped all the connectors,and replaced ever connector with GM weather pack connectors.The owner said he never had problems again.HD dealer wouldn't even replace the connectors,just a squirt of contact cleaner and a squirt of dielectric grease.Pathetic on a bike that cost nealy $20,000US.
 
I briefly considered a used harness and there are a few around that look ok, but looking ok on ebay and truly being serviceable are a totally different situation and unfortunately in my opinion crappy wiring, junk connectors and convoluted harness design are something the 70's,80's and even early 90's Yamahas all suffered from. in this case specifically, it's like they left off 90% if the disco ball bullshit that they strapped on the 'Virago' ie: spacekadet instruments and copious "convenience" electronics. They left all the self requiring diode isolate loop floating ground garbage.
Case in point:
Starter CUT OFF relay......WTF over? So it's got one to crank the starter over and for all I can decipher, another relay to make sure the power is off when the first relay disconnects? Umm....hullo? Did they just have extras laying around?
"Hey Morimoto San.....whadaya wanna do with all these extra relays"
"Well Watanabe San, let's heap them all over this 'Not-A Virago' that nobody is gonna buy anyway. Save us the landfill fees that way...."
"BRILLIANT!!"

....fuckers......

There's a goofball "Diode Block" that hangs off the harness like a growth, can't figure out what that's for either. Pisses me off frankly, I was a research engineer in a medical electronics design lab for 8 years. We designed and prototypes life saving and life sustaining equipment. If you know anyone with an imbedded pain control unit with a self exciting power supply, there's a good chance it's MY FUCKING DESIGN. I should be able to do this.....
What does this goddamned diode block do? Fuck if I know.....I *think* it's there to isolate some potential ground loops that can occur under certain load situations....I think. It really makes no sense. Why not simple ground everything to the engine or better...a dedicated ground buss. As noted elsewhere....another shortcoming....shitty grounds.

GAH!!!!!
Pardon me a moment, I must go smash something with my new 8lb mini-sledge........
(whew...I feel much better now)
 
You crack me up, Lee. I got pissed just reading that. Best of luck mate!
 
Lee,
Regarding the diode block, it can be eliminated - I did it on my bike. I traced each circuit, one at a time, and figured out what each diode was meant to do and why - and what I needed for a running engine. Some are wired to pass current as soon as the engine is running, others not. Simple PNP or NPN circuits I think was the idea.
If you don't have the factory wiring diagram, I recommend you get one. I can try to scan and email the one I have if you think it would help you.
I think the one circuit you mentioned, kills the power to the headlight when you're cranking the engine (headlight circuit is open) but as soon as it senses current output from the alternator, it closes the circuit so the headlight powers up - all because of a marginal starter and battery and motorcycle headlamps have to be on at all times here in Ontario, Canada. My rewiring juices the light as soon as the key is on, but I'm either going to put a detent between high and low beam or a hidden off switch. And there was an equally odd circuit that stopped the electric starter from getting power when the engine was running (gee, didn't notice the engine was running). In my case, I removed the starter switch from the handlebars and put it in a hidden but easily accessible spot. Can't mistake it for the horn button now.
I had all the sensing systems (clutch lever, side stand, neutral, oil pressure, for all I know there was a fart sensor in there someplace) figured out and eliminated in addition to the diodes. If if I can find the notes I made while I was on this odyssey, I'll email them to you.
I don't know what your certification requirements are where you live, but I was told I didn't need all that bypass and cutout crap.
Not only are the diodes pricey when you can find them, most of mine were corroded and I think some of them are a safety hazard as they could cut the engine out at any given time if they suddenly failed. Imagine being cranked over in a turn in traffic and a shitty, corroded old diode decides not to....
And I had the best rewiring job ever on my bike when I bought it - a bunch of the wires were twisted together (no solder) and wrapped and insulated with pink bandages from a first aid kit...
Email me or post on this thread, what you need.
Regards,
Pat Cowan,
Vintage Motorcycle Fiberglass
 
Hi Pat,
I've got the FSM for this bike and it's got a couple different wiring diagrams highlighting various areas. As far as 'inspections' go...we don't have much to speak of. As long as all the required lights and a horn works they don't bother with us much. I think it's just a matter of rewiring this thing to suit my needs.

At this point I have a 'kit' of GM weatherpack connectors coming and I'll have loads left over for doing the next few bikes as well, so that's good. I'm looking for a decent wire 'kit' as well now, rather than buying individual rolls. I've seen 14 color 16g 'kits' around for $100 or so with 50' of each, it's a swingin' deal compared to ind. purchase. Just gotta locate one now that I'm needing one....

I'd love access to your notes, thanks!
 
Wiring is just an aggravation....it's pretty much their only real fuck-up in my opinion.
I've never owned a delicate Yamaha, every one has exhibited anvil-like reliability......short the effing wiring. Aw well...bad with the good.
 
For some reason I am not getting upadates, so posting again to get me some. Can't wait to see more. I thought the wiring on my GL was bad, that sounds like friggin hell. I think just ripping it all out and starting over like you plan would be easier.
 
The strange thing is the 4 TR1's [ and 1 x XV920 ] I have / had - all have looms in excellent condition. Maybe this was a UK / EU market thing? The looms are certainly different.

Mileages range from 18K to 48K.
 
Yeah this is an exceptional amount of corrosion and breakdown. I do note in several places what look like may have been replacement connectors or something but the contacts are different type of metal and I think that caused a bi-metal reaction and thusly the nasty connections.

I hate to admit it but I'm almost looking forward to wiring this thing up, the plan as it stands now:
1) Good ground(s) and good fat power to the starter

2) Minimal wiring to satisfy all the systems, no goofy 'extras'

3) Digital flasher circuit:
Solid state LED friendly flasher and *probably* nothing but bright bar end flashers that I'll make and outfit with a fist full of 5mm superbright LEDs.

3b) Sequential LED tail light/brake light combo:
There are several timer options (likely a PIC or Basic Stamp) that will allow the LEDs to function as tail and brake light, but also as a supplementary turn signal. Imagine the tail light at full blinding blast with a traveling blank spot leading the eye to the side where the bar end turnsignal is hopefully winking away. I should be able to use the controller to do turnsignals and the tail/brake/turn function all in sequence which would be cool.

4) Stronger Charging: I've noted some chatter on the net about these bike having a typically Japanese weak charging circuit though this one seems to charge like gangbusters. I've had my eye on a Rick's Motorsport Electronics stator as the 'HotShot'http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/hotShotSeries.php series makes more poop than OE and even if mine is really good I may still upgrade it since I'm doing every-effing-thing else! Tony from http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com is dropping by a brandy-new REG/REC unit for this as well. I've use his stuff on several bikes and they are STOUT.

All this *should* yield as solid a charging/electrical system as I'm likely to get.
I just didn't expect to spend $600 on this crap. Oh well...it's only money right?
 
Between the holidays, keeping the place from bursting into flames and parts orders coming in like crazy lately I haven't had much time to work on my own stuff. 'Sakura' is officially languishing until my time/motivation/wallet allow more progress.
The 920 is what I steal time for right now and I did just that for a couple hours Christmas day, more for my own sanity than anything else.


bars+levers+signals+mirrors.jpg

New untweeked bars, 'tittie grips' (I like'm), budget crap bar end mirrors and turn signals as a stop-gap until it gets torn down for a full build-up next winter. I also skinned the OE levers as one was a little dinged up.

tail.jpg

Much better looking than the OE grabrail/rack/box disaster. More budget lights and a hacked up XS650 fender.

tail3.jpg
So the seat base swings down pretty far when you lift the seat(not that there's really anything under there. I ended up having to rubber mount the little stubby fender so that the seat can push it down just a wee bit. Works like a charm.

tail2.jpg

The end of the fender only moves down 1/2" at most.
 
That fender's a great little detail, Lee. Fits perfectly.
 
Thanks Chris, means a lot coming from you sir. I originally had just a bracket for the tail light and plate mount but it needed 'something', hence....mostly ineffectual sorta fender! Still.....beats the shit out of the crap that was hung back there!
 
Thanks! One this is 'finalized' for the coming season (I maybe using different turn signals...these really are pretty shitty budget) I'll punch a last hole in the fender to route the wires out of sight.
 
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