Inherited Grandpa's old Bike. Cafe Time!

The wiring from the handlebars to the lights is pretty confusing. IIRC, the brown/color wires go through the tail light fuse, up to the handlebar controls, then another blue/color goes back to the taillight. Same with the black/red and black/yellow wires for the headlight. They basically run front to back to run from the control to the fuse, then back to the light.
 
Since it happened with both the right and left side switches, I'm starting to think that maybe I dont have a 74 and maybe I actually have a 73. How can I tell?
 
they didn't make a 550 til 74. 73 would have still been a 500 four
 
hurco550 said:
they didn't make a 550 til 74. 73 would have still been a 500 four
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Ok well, I bought the left and right switch from different places. I bought them for a 74 cb550, obviously, and they both are having two wires that arent matching up. Any thoughts on that?
 
gordo2472003 said:
Close enough?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321717731583?euid=4b8857ddc8d943da91b15bff345249e0&cp=1&exe=13453&ext=34391&sojTags=exe=exe,ext=ext
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Re pop, they dont always get the wires correct. You only need to use a meter or continuity tester to figure it all out and label them.
 
Also, and I don't know how much difference it makes, but there are a few minor things that they did different on the 74 cb550's vs. the rest of the years of the SOHC 550's. One being the master cylinder is different. (I cant think of the others off the top of my head)
 
Ok, still on electrical. Turns out my starter works after all!!! but back to the switches. The two black wires from the bike on the right hand switch do not seem to mind which of the two wires from the new switch they are connected to. Everything seems to function the same way regardless. and As far as the left side switch goes I still cant get my signal lights working. The wiring diagram shows a ground coming from the front lights but the new lights I purchased dont have a ground. As the bike sits now, when I try to indicate left, both rear signals come on but do not flash and the front RIGHT signal stays constant. When i try to indicate right, the rear signals come on but are constant and the left front signal comes on as constant as well.
 
The frame is ground. the two green wires in the headlamp that connect to the turn signals are grounded to the frame also, black from the multi switch or any black is 12v "hot" all the rest are color coded.

http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/Diagrams/CB750k2.jpg

CB750k2.jpg
 
Im thinking that maybe my left side switch isnt properly grounded to the bars. Could that be causing all my issues because my horn isnt working either. If so ill have to check tomorrow.
 
Yep. Ground is the usual suspect in most automotive electrical failures. 4 tires or two... I always wondered if dragging a chunk of chain or cable from the frame would create a constant earth!

Whenever an aircraft is fueled or even some in military always use a ground strap or latch a chain to earth to bleed static but that's all together a different deal, I was actually designing a plastic gas can that has a copper wire in the blow mold from cap to an exposed metal plate the size of a nickle on the bottom to take static from the fill nozzle to earth or in many cases the end gate on a pickup truck... The cost adder in production prevents it from being competitive so unless I can get a federal mandate like LED lights I won't be going into production any time soon.
 
Are you running stock directional or aftermarket? The stock front directionals on the 360 had a hot and a switched ground IIRC, as well as a ground to the mounting stud to enable them to run as always on running lights.

Newer turn signals will have two wires, a switched hot I believe and a ground. Your directionals should all have a constant ground (yes all 4 have separate grounds) and switched hots which link them together per side. On the 360, right/left are light blue/orange (probably the same on yours). So make sure you have the L and R sides linked together properly. From there it's a matter of connecting your flasher to the switch (grey?) and flasher to hot wire.

It helps to look at the stock wiring for the directionals, as they use female connectors that allow for multiple males to be hooked up. At the front, for each respective side, you should have your main wire that runs front to back with a female end that receives 1 wire from switch (turns the lights on) and 1 to the light itself.
 
adventurco said:
Are you running stock directional or aftermarket? The stock front directionals on the 360 had a hot and a switched ground IIRC, as well as a ground to the mounting stud to enable them to run as always on running lights.

Newer turn signals will have two wires, a switched hot I believe and a ground. Your directionals should all have a constant ground (yes all 4 have separate grounds) and switched hots which link them together per side. On the 360, right/left are light blue/orange (probably the same on yours). So make sure you have the L and R sides linked together properly. From there it's a matter of connecting your flasher to the switch (grey?) and flasher to hot wire.

It helps to look at the stock wiring for the directionals, as they use female connectors that allow for multiple males to be hooked up. At the front, for each respective side, you should have your main wire that runs front to back with a female end that receives 1 wire from switch (turns the lights on) and 1 to the light itself.
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I dont have a 360, I have a 550 however I looked at the stock lights and I do see that they had a separate ground and my newer aftermarket lights simply have the two wires. Should I attempt to ground them?
 
550? huh... Oh Dang again... Well see all the lights have a green wire: the switch has the black that turns all the other colors hot when activated by pushing switching turning things, you don't need to ground the lights, just figure out what the switches wires do and wire the thing like the picture :-[

http://oldmanhonda.com/MC/WiringDiagrams/CB550.jpg

CB550.jpg
 
Doesn't much matter what bike you have, directionals are just about always wired up the same on these older Japanese bikes. From what I've found anyways. My GS550 has a similar setup, just different color wires :D
 
Should I have mentioned that the new lights are LED? I am doing some more research and see that upgrading to LEDs sometimes requires buying a new relay aaaand im trying to find an easy way out of this nightmare. I hate electrical crap. Stresses me out quick.
 
gordo2472003 said:
Should I have mentioned that the new lights are LED? I am doing some more research and see that upgrading to LEDs sometimes requires buying a new relay aaaand im trying to find an easy way out of this nightmare. I hate electrical crap. Stresses me out quick.
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You will need an LED flasher if you want them to flash at a normal speed. With a normal 12v flasher they will flash at twice the speed. They're pretty cheap usually under $10. If you don't mind the fast flashing then don't worry about it.
 
adventurco said:
You will need an LED flasher if you want them to flash at a normal speed. With a normal 12v flasher they will flash at twice the speed. They're pretty cheap usually under $10. If you don't mind the fast flashing then don't worry about it.
Click to expand...

Ok well then I guess that means the flasher relay isnt the problem. :/
 
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