1800 Electrical; Changing Headlamp, Wire a Relay for headlamp, and more

[Chicago-Spike]

1800 » Lighting/Electrical/Wiring
How to wire a Kuryakyn lightbar (part# 4001)


For reference here are Kurys (poor) instructions: http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.kuryakyn.com/documents/installation/4001-22GL-0204.pdf (http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.kuryakyn.com/documents/installation/4001-22GL-0204.pdf) . Lets do this one part at a time, first the blinkers... Your bar has 3 different colored wires coming from it, red, white and black. There is a set of these for the right side and a set of these for the left side.
On the left side you will wire:
Red wire from Kury bar to orange wire with white stripe on the bike.
White wire from Kury bar to orange wire on the bike.
Black wire from Kury bar to green wire on the bike.
On the right side you will wire:
Red wire from Kury bar to light blue wire with white stripe on the bike.
White wire from Kury bar to light blue wire on the bike.
Black wire from Kury bar to green wire on the bike.
Now with the turn signals on the bar wired well wire the foglights... These lights get their ground through the mount to the bike so well only need to put power to the BLACK wires on these to make them work. For EXCELLENT info on wiring fogs you can go here:
http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/foglites.html
(http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/foglites.html)Here is a diagram from Chet that shows EXACTLY how you need to wire these lights:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/fogcobra.gif
The only difference is that the red wire going to the lights will be the black wire coming from the lights now. Using the Kury wire harness (which IMHO is a ripoff since you can make your own for much less, but to each their own!) this is what well do.
Kury harness directions are here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.kuryakyn.com/documents/installation/2328-21HD-0503.pdf (http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.kuryakyn.com/documents/installation/2328-21HD-0503.pdf)
From the plug on the Kury harness:
White wire (with ring terminal) on Kury harness to the bikes battery + (positive) terminal.
Black wire (with ring terminal) on Kury harness to the bikes battery - (negative) terminal.
There are 2 white and 2 black wires bundled together - you will wire the 2 black wires to any good ground on the bike. I dont recommend wiring it to the green (ground) wire in the headlight only because youll overload it. You can ground these wires to any bolt on the lightbar or pretty much any bolt on the bike. The point is just get these 2 black wires grounded. The 2 white wires will go to each spotlight on the lightbar. One white wire (from harness) to one black wire (from the spotlight) on each side.
From the switch on the Kury harness:
Red wire on the Kury switch to the blue wire with white stripe located in the headlight on the bike. Pay close attention when routing these wires and snugging everything down, a bunch of guys reported pinching wires on these harnesses early on causing the lights to short out and blow fuses.
More information:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28298&sid=d60354c08423f980e505ae4f54d21b6e (http://web.archive.org/web/20061025114833/http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28298&sid=d60354c08423f980e505ae4f54d21b6e)

Last update: 2004-11-10 11:56
Author: Bareass172

[Chicago-Spike]

Kury directions:
http://www.kuryakyn.com/documents/installation/4710-21HD-0404.pdf
Junk the supplied vampire connections and solder these connections. The Kury directions dont give the color codes because they label the wires, so youll have to wire according to these labels. Go under the right side cover and locate the following colored wires: Green, green w/ yellow stripe, light blue, orange, brown. Unplug the light blue, orange and green w/ yellow stripe, youll find the connections in the wire bundle located under the right side cover.
http://bareasschoppers.com/signals/grommet.jpg
At this point you need to decide if youre going to use the supplied connectors that came with the unit which will require you to cut the stock barrel/sleeve type connectors off - OR - you can go to an auto parts store and buy matching bullet/sleeve connectors so you cut/replace the connectors on the Kury unit. Basically, you need to decide how you want to plug the unit into the stock wiring harness - you can cut the bikes harness and use Kurys supplied stuff, or you can replace the Kury units plugs and leave the bikes wiring stuff alone... I know thats probably confusing, I hope you follow it.
Once you figure all that out this is how youll wire the unit:
Plug the green w/ yellow stripe FROM THE FRONT OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "input brake" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Plug the orange wire FROM THE FRONT OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "input left turn" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Plug the light blue wire FROM THE FRONT OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "input right turn" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Plug the green w/ yellow stripe going TO THE REAR OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "output brake" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Plug the orange wire going TO THE REAR OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "output left turn" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Plug the light blue wire going TO THE REAR OF THE BIKE into the wire labelled "output right turn" or whatever wording Kury uses.
Strip a small section of the brown wire from the bike (found in that same bundle) and solder the blue (power) wire from the unit to it. Connect both the input and output ground wires from the Kury unit to the green ground wire on the bike (also found in that same bundle). You can connect these however you like as long as they get grounded (solder, plug, whatever) just dont use vampire clips!


Last update: 2004-12-18 22:39
Author: Bareass172

[Chicago-Spike]

How to make and install a load equalizer

This is a write-up for installing on a C model but everything is the same on each model - the load equalizer itself is comparable to the one you buy from Kuryakyn.
http://www.bareasschoppers.com/loadeq (http://www.bareasschoppers.com/loadeq)

Last update: 2004-12-18 22:31
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

How to make and install a diode kit

This information is only relevant to the 1800 C model as the 1800 R and 1300 models all have separate dash indicators for their blinkers, therefore they are not prone to this problem. The instructions to fabricate your own diode kit will make a setup comparable to the one you can buy from Kuryakyn.
http://www.bareasschoppers.com/diode (http://www.bareasschoppers.com/diode)

Last update: 2004-12-18 22:31
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

How can I get red lenses for my rear turn signals?

Hats off to Bugshield, the original person to submit this idea:
If you need/want red lenses for the rear of your bike but can't find them for sale (I don't believe anyone currently makes them) you can try this little trick. Get Testors Transparent Candy Apple Red (Part# 1605) paint available at WalMart and hobby stores for about $3.
Remove your lenses and apply one or two light coats on the inside of the lens until you get the shade you want. The lights are just as bright as before because the paint is transparent so there is no diminishing of light intensity.

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/390red_tail_light_lenses.jpg

Last update: 2004-12-01 14:18
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

Why do I need a diode on my 1800C when I add LED blinkers?

To understand and explain this thoroughly I think a schematic of the 1800 C's turn signal setup will help:
http://www.bareasschoppers.com/Pics/signalschem.jpg
What makes the C different from the other VTX models is that we have only one indicator light to let us know our blinker is on. On the 1300 C and R and 1800 R models there are 2 dash lights, one for each side, thus eliminating the problem we have on the 1800 C.
To better understand this we first need to understand how a basic (DC)electrical circuit works. Take for example just the right hand side of the schematic above, disregarding the indicator light altogether. Power comes from the 12V supply (your battery) through a 10A fuse which is designed to protect the circuit if there is a "short" in it. Past the fuse you hit the relay which determines the rate at which the signal flashes and then you hit the switch which is what actually turns the circuit on and off. With the switch in the on position (in the schematic it is off) the circuit is completed and power is allowed to flow from the battery, through the fuse, relay, switch and into the "load" (the blinker bulbs in this case) and then finally to ground.
The key to learn from this is that in order for any circuit to function it needs to be complete from 12V all the way to ground. The switch in this circuit is what allows power to flow and the blinkers to blink.
With this basic understanding of how circuits work it will help us understand how our one indicator light functions. By having only one indicator light you can see that it must get power from either the left or right side in order to blink. The problem is that Honda designed this system in such a way that when the left blinker goes on it provides power to the indicator light which then finds its electronic ground (to complete the circuit) through the right side of the circuit - and vice-versa for the right blinker. If that confuses you then look at the diagram above and cover up everything on the right side. With the switch flipped to the left the right side of the circuit doesn't function BUT the indicator light still uses it as a way to find its "ground" so it can light up.
Once you understand how the indicator light gets its power from each side of the circuit then you can see how a small amount of power is "leaking" over from one side to the other. This small "leak" doesn't matter when you have the stock incandescent bulbs or even aftermarket halogens because they require more power to light up then the little indicator light can "leak" to them. LED signals on the other hand require VERY small amounts of power to light up and the indicator light DOES leak enough power to light these. So instead of hitting the left blinker button and getting a left blinker, we get "emergency flashers" with all 4 lights blinking together.
So therein lies the problem - how do we get the indicator light to still function with LED signals based on the design of Honda's circuit? The answer is we modify the circuit - like this:
http://bareasschoppers.com/diode/diodeschematic.jpg
This is how we rewire the indicator light portion of the circuit. Using diodes you can buy at Radio Shack we fix the circuit so that no "feedback" can occur from one side to the other. To better understand diodes, think of them as a "one-way" valve for electricity. They let power through one way only, in this case it lets power get to the indicator light but not to the other side of the circuit.
For more information about making or installing this setup on your bike you can check out my site:
http://www.bareasschoppers.com/diode (http://www.bareasschoppers.com/diode)

Last update: 2005-01-24 02:45
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

Why can't I run a higher wattage headlight bulb?

Lots of guys think nothing of adding a higher wattage bulb to the headlight, and in many cases on many bikes it's not a big deal - but on the VTX it will cause problems. it's not a matter of "if" but "when" and when it happens you'll likely end up stranded. Here's why:
Our headlight gets power from a very small (22 gauge) wire that runs through the starter switch. This is how the headlight turns off when you hit the starter - the switch breaks the contact for this little wire going to the headlight. This wire can handle between 1 and 7 amps of load (depending on what conditions it's under) and the stock headlight bulb pulls roughly 5 amps by itself on low or high beam so you can see how there's not much room for improvement. Most guys replace the headlight with at least a 100 Watt bulb which is pulling over 8 amps and easily overloads this wire. When you add this higher wattage bulb that 22 gauge wire in the starter switch struggles to handle the extra load and it heats up. As it heats up it in turn melts the starter switch and the other contacts. It's a slow process, some people have problems within weeks, some take years - but rest assured if you're running a higher wattage bulb it is happening and one day it will melt the switch enough that it causes problems.
If you insist on replacing the bulb, See the next post on how to fix the problem before it happens to you:
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

How can I run a higher wattage headlight without burning out my starter switch?

This is in response to the above post, which discusses why you shouldn't run higher wattage headlight bulbs on the VTX.

Here is what needs to be done to protect the starter switch with higher wattage bulbs (it is possible with some rewiring):
http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/startrelief.gif
Doing this you are using the starter switch to now do nothing more than trigger a relay which then pulls power to the headlight from the main fuse for the headlight (or you can use power straight from the battery if you install your own fuse). This way you don't have to worry about melting that switch or getting stranded!
Green is your ground, red is the power lead (from the headlight fuse or battery) and the blue with white stripe is what provides power to the headlight hi/low beam switch.

Last update: 2004-12-01 14:19
Author: Bareass

[Chicago-Spike]

Badlands Illuminator Pro III Install

Here is what it does....

Built in automatic turn signal canceler.
Built in load equalizer.
Front / run & turn signal for single filament or halogen bulbs & LED's
Rear / run , brake and turn signal functions
Emergency flashers without heating up , even in parade use .
Front running lights even with a single element bulb or LED.


Instructions for a 2002-2004 Honda VTX

Honda VTX wire color codes:

Green…………………................………Ground
Green with a yellow stripe…...…. Brake light
Black with a brown stripe………....Rear running light
White with a green stripe…...……+12V power to the turn signal relay
Gray……………………...............……….Turn signal relay output
Light blue………………............……….Right turn signal
Orange…………………............………..Left turn signal
Light blue with a white stripe…..Right front running light
Orange with a white stripe……...Left front running light


Badlands Illuminator Pro III wire color codes:

Purple ……………………….............….Left turn signal out of switch
Brown……………………….................Right turn signal out of switch
Purple with a white stripe…....…Out to left front turn signal
Brown with a white stripe…....…Out to right front turn signal
Green…………………………................Left dash turn signal indicator
White………………………..................Right dash turn signal indicator
Gray…………………………..............….Left rear turn signal
Yellow…………………………...............Right rear turn signal
Red…………………………….................Brake light
Blue……………………………................Running light
Orange………………………….............+12v switched power source
Black……………………………...............Ground

DISABLING YOUR CURRENT TURN SIGNAL CIRCUIT

1. Disconnect your battery!

2. Locate your turn signal relay. It is located under the right side cover. You can identify it by 3 wires going into the relay colored green, gray, and white/green stripe. Remove the wire connector from the relay and remove the relay from the motorcycle.

http://bareasschoppers.com/uflasher/flasher.jpg


3. Connect the Gray and White with a green stripe wire together. This sends constant power to the turn signal switch. (The green ground wire is no longer used)

4. Disconnect the rear turn signal wires located in the clear bundle located near the stock turn signal relay.

5. Remove the headlight rim and reflector assy.

6. Locate the blue wire connector.

7. Cut and cap the light blue and orange wire on either side of this plug. (You can also open the connector and remove the pin by pressing on the little lock with a pick and remove the pin from the wire plug. Don’t for get to protect the wire from grounding)

8. Disconnect the orange with a white stripe and light blue with a white stripe wires from the front turn signals. Cap and protect the wires from grounding out. These wires are no longer used with the Illuminator Pro III.

9. Disconnect the orange and light blue wires from the front turn signals.





INSTALLING THE “ILLUMINATOR PRO III”

Before you install this module, figure out the most convenient place to mount this module. Consider where the majority of your wire connections will be made. (A good location can be where your original turn signal relay was located)

1. Disconnect your battery!

2. Connect the purple wire from the module, to the left (orange) turn signal wire on the switch side located in the headlight bucket.

3. Connect the brown wire from the module, to the right (light blue) turn signal wire on the switch side located in the headlight bucket.

4. Connect the purple w/ white stripe wire from the module to the left (orange) front turn signal wire.

5. Connect the brown w/ white stripe wire from the module to the right (light blue) front turn signal wire.

6. Connect the white and green wires on the module for dash indication. The green wire goes to the left side indicator (orange) and the white wire goes to the right side indicator (light blue) you can hook these wires to the forward connectors when you disconnected the rear turn signal wires near the stock signal relay. (if you have only one turn signal indicator light on your dash see the variations section or visit Bare's site (http://bareasschoppers.com/diode/))

7. Connect the gray wire from the module to the left rear turn signal (orange) wire.

8. Connect the yellow wire from the module to the right rear turn signal (light blue) wire.
9. Connect the red wire from the module to the brake light (green w/yellow) wire.

10. Connect the blue wire from the module to the running light (black w/brown) wire.

11. Connect the orange wire from the module to the protected side of your circuit breaker or into a keyed power source.

12. Connect the black wire from the module to a good ground.

13. Test all the functions. Running lights when key comes on, good. Squeeze the brake lever, the rear turn signals brighten, good. Try your turn signal function, they both work, Great! Replace your body parts and your good to go!

http://www.badlandsmotorcycleproducts.com/Tech-Pages/Metric/ILLUMINATOR-PRO-III-METRIC-DIAGRAM.jpg

http://www.badlandsmotorcycleproducts.com/Tech-Pages/Metric/ILLUMINATOR-PRO-III-METRIC-VARIATIONS.jpg

Author; X'N

[X'N]

Spike here's a great picture to add in this thread!

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i210/a426fan/Trailer%201/1607hondalightwires.gif

[Chicago-Spike]

Replacement lens for Honda light bar
Got this fix from enfuego

So your driving light on your new light bar got hit by a rock and Honda says its $65 to replace the lens cause its an assembly. Hog wash! Take the screw at bottom of the light out. Now take the bulb assembly out remove the H3 bulb. you now have a two piece assembly held together by silicon, take this apart and clean the silicon out and from BIG BIKE PARTS get Part # 16-23L It is the lens only then silicone the new lens in place. http://www.bigbikeparts.com/eshopprod_cat_1713-3250-3252_product_163136.4-12_Halogen_Spot_Light.htm

More information: http://www.bigbikeparts.com/eshopprod_cat_1713-3250-3252_product_163136.4-12_Halogen_Spot_Light.htm (http://www.bigbikeparts.com/eshopprod_cat_1713-3250-3252_product_163136.4-12_Halogen_Spot_Light.htm)
Last update: 2005-12-02 09:49
Author: Video

[Chicago-Spike]

How To; Change the Headlamp
by grundle

Ok could not find a write up on this and just spent the last hour wanting to bang my head on the driveway....

1) There are either 2 or 3 screws holding the headlight assembly in place, 2 inside the headlight assembly at the top and possibly 1 at the bottom. You do not need to remove the bottom screw, there is also a tab connector at the bottom, simply remove the top 2 screws the assembly will open towards you. A little bit of jockeying and the assembly will come out (I removed the light bar and headlight to find this part out)

2) There is a rubber gasket where the wiring goes into the headlight assembly. Roll this backwards (away from the light) and it will expose a brass colored spring type thing. This brass spring holds the light in the assembly. Push down on the tab will release it and it will unclip, carefully roll this to the side (one side is hinged) being careful not to rip or tear the rubber sleeve.

3) OK now all you have to do is pull the bulb from the connector. This is or was for me a major pain, kept thinking I was going to break it or that there was something else holding it in... Nope just a major pull.

4) Put new bulb in, make sure sleeve is over the end of the bulb (leave sleeve rolled back). Reclip brass spring, roll rubber sleeve back and rescrew assembly.


Hope this helps someone I know I sure could have used it.

Original author; grundle