Ten ****ing Buellfockeries

[Cooter]

Buellfokkery

[mrlogix]

I got the bike home. My son (bless his little heart) showed up to help (which actually slowed everything down) and visit. Got the section of the harness removed that goes to the ignition switch removed and re-soldered. While I was dis-assembling I happened to notice something. I'll post pic's later when I get time. Didn't lengthen the harness or anything yet. Just fixed it enough to get it home. More later.

[heagachongoose]

Glad you got it back safely. Sucks that that happened. Looking forward to pics!

[mrlogix]

I had taken a few pics while I was taking it apart yesterday. Just looked at them and I guess my phone camera sucks. I hardly ever take pictures with it, so I didn't realize. Sorry.

Anyway, yes the wire was broke about 1/2" below where it solders to the connector on the back of the ignition switch. I did notice that from the perspective of looking down the length of the ignition switch when it is mounted, the wire bundle going to the connector in the back of the switch is channeled throught the opening where the headlight/IC mounting bracket attaches to the frame.

wire 1.jpg

the wire bundle is hitting the left and right sides of this channel as the forks are turned lock to lock. At full turn (both left and right) this contact causes the bundle to flex as the tunnel in the bracket is narrower than the arc of movement of the bundle. This flexing in addition to the wire harness being a little tight in this area are what is causing the wires to break. During normal riding this isn't a problem, but when the bike is parked, loaded or any manuever that requires the forks to be turned lock to lock aggravates this problem. I re-soldered the break, just to get it home. Over the next couple of days I will re-re-re-re-dis-assemble (Buellfockery) the harness to properly rewire and figure out what remediation is required. Most likely changing the wiring in this location to a high flex conductor and a little dremel massaging of the headlight/fairing bracket. I will borrow the ol' lady's phone to take pictures this time.

[mrlogix]

ended up using 16/4 sjow wire to replace the factory wiring. trimmed the old wires out about 1" from the connector to the harness and soldered and heat shrink. Still not happy with the fix though. This before picture shows the problem better about the wire hitting the headlight/fairing bracket and bending the wires causing them to break.

wire 5.jpg

I think I am going to try something different. I want to leave the lock cylinder there because it will lock the forks. I want to relocate the wire harness back on the seat sub-frame or on the main part of the bike somewhere. I have created a 3D model of a new upper triple tree (kind of like the one that EBR used on the 1190) except that I have a recess that I can mount a plate with three micro toggle switches. I was planning on using one of the toggle switches to interrupt the headlight circuit so I could start the bike without the headlights automatically being on (this will also allow me to turn the power on with TunePro connected without draining the battery from the lights). I could use one to turn on the power to the bike like the key switch. If I remember correctly Shawns wired one of his bikes to use a RFID reader to turn the ignition on or something like that. They make commercially available thumbprint reader as an ignition switch (not a starter button) but don't like that idea. Any other ideas?