Eliminating compnants

I tore my 1983 xj1100 apart this week. All the wiring is out. Is it possible to remove any compnants to make the bike less complicated? Also when I re wire it, is it possible to eliminate the harnesses and just hard wire the whole system.
Thanks in advance

 

What components do you want to eliminate? It really isn't all that complex. Why did you pull out the wiring? Was it damaged?

I am not sure what you mean. Like... Get rid of connectors and just solder everything together? Sure, I suppose. But why? You plan on never fixing anything on the bike ever again? Connectors exist to enable removing things to get to other things.

 

SO.....did you decide that Yamaha did a poor job of enginering the machine?

While some things can be "simplified" to meet modern standards, it's not always worth the effort.
The XJ1100 is not that complicated.

 

There have been wiring mods. Heres a pic of a phone charger that was added. If I remove the phone charger, there’s an empty loom. When I’m done I’d rather not have stuff there if it’s useless. I’m stripping it down for paint polish and whatever I can do to make it look and run better. The battery code comes up and always has. The battery is fine so I’m trying to address these issues. The mechanic who did the safety said he ran a redundant wire from the signal switch to the flasher relay. I cut this off as it was ran through the frame. There’s a picture. I think somebody’s hacked it up and I just want to get it back to original.

 

Well that's not "removing components" that's cleaning up the PO's mess. Battery sensor is best bypassed using a resistor connected directly to the "+" terminal of the battery, since you want to make the computer happy. Phone chargers are handy, but I'm not sure if they are factory. You may want to find out what they tapped into, which will involve removing a lot of tape (be careful not to damage anything). When I added USB connectors, I ran it from switched power at the fuse block. Or you can add a voltmeter to watch the health of the charging system (with USB plugs as well)...hint hint.

Not sure about the flasher relay mod, but if its a self cancelling flasher stock, there may be some extra wiring that you can delete if you don't need that feature and use a modern 2 pin flasher. That's not an egregious mod.

You do mention "hard wiring the whole system." Although many connectors will fail of 30-40 years, the BEST option is to simply re-pin the connectors with open barrel crimp Faston style connectors like it got from the factory. This will require some special tools and parts, but is WELL worth it, especially on the charging system.

 

minimum wiring

 

the xj1100 runs well as designed keep the airbox.

 

I had a 1979 XS1100 it was without a doubt the best running motorcycle I've ever owned pulled like a train bottom to top, no airbox just two K&N filters. I changed the rear disc brake entirely and had to weld a new stay for the new. caliper. I gently (with padding) laid the bike down did the welding job and stood the bike upright. Nothing, nada wouldn't run. I soon found out there is (was) a sort of dead man's switch if the bike was laid down in a crash there a device wired in to kill the motor. I didn't know it at the time there's a magnet If I recall. If there's one on the XJ find it and throw it away. That was the advice from the guys back when I had the bike. I will also get rid of the sidestand kill on my Maxim.
Cheers, 50gary

 

Emergency Stop Switch:

This switch is is activated whenever the tilt angle of the bike is more than about 60-degrees from vertical (so don't lean it too far over in the corners!). If the allowable tilt angle is exceeded....like when you dump the bike....this switch cuts power to the ignition system and, on the XJ650 Turbo model, to the fuel pump.

Location:
- on all XJ650 Turbo models: on the main fairing mounting bracket.
- on all XJ1100 models: under the gas tank, in-between the frame tubes.

Identification:
- small, rectangular switch with two short wires coming off of it and going into a white plastic 2-position connector shell.

Harness connector wire colors:
* Solid black wire
* Black wire with white tracer stripe

 

I'm pretty sure my seca hasn't such device otherwise I would have found out by now..

 

Depending what you want, you could replace the entire loom with a much better and simpler system by installing a Motogadget M unit. It gets rid of all relays/fuses and adds an alarm and some other smarts. Not cheap though but very good IMO.

 

I hope I'm not stating the obvious here - the tilt switch will not activate while cornering, simply because the forces remain down the centreline of the machine - unless it's a trike.....

 

I don't understand what is so much simplified here.

It replaces the fusebox. You still have to have wires to all the lights, to the ignition box, to the ignition switch. You still have wiring harnesses, just different ones. An electrical component still needs a + and a ground, and that still requires wires.

It's a shiny toy, with blinking lights and Bluetooth. That's fun, but I really don't see what is functionally better about it enough to justify the $400 investment and the work.

 

Hi Mate,
Thats not quite right. The M Unit has built in fuses and relays so there are a lot less wires. Also if you add the M Button there is only one wire from the handle bars going to the M Unit and that one wire controls both blinkers, horn and start button via a common earth. Definitely simpler and easier to fault find with and a lot less cabling that a stock bike.

At the end of the day, everyone needs to make there choice as there are other options. A simple tidy up is also easy and much less costly. For me I went with the M Unit and am very happy with it. Having said that, I'm not saying its for everyone.

 

Ok, so you lose like three relays.

That's not a "common earth". That's a data bus. The handlebar controls are a small network node. They say it's proprietary, but I am guessing it's some flavor of CAN bus.

You are installing a small computer network into your bike. This is the same thing that BMW uses in their new bikes, and what a lot of modern cars use. And it's what makes them a headache.

You can't troubleshoot a data bus with a continuity probe. Faults other than an obvious break will be very hard to find without special tools. The wires aren't on/off, they carry a high and a low signal, and the nodes use the differential between high and low to encode bits.

Oh, I'm all about nifty toys and das blinkenlights. I get the appeal.

I kinda think it's weird to bolt computer networks onto carbureted bikes, tho. Like driving a steam locomotive over Bluetooth.

 

Hmmm....... There's an idea......
A model steam engine that you run a just like it were a drone.

 

I wasn't talking about cornering to find out my seca doesn't have that device..

 

The only XJ that had it was the 1100.

 

Going back to the question the MPL asked, the M unit is one option, I’m not here to convince anyone anything, just sharing my view.

One of the things I like about bike builds is that everyone has there own approach. Each to their own, personally I like old school looks but with modern controls, it would be pretty boring if everyone did the same thing....

 

Eh. We're just a bunch of opinionated c... Well, you know.

 

Mezzmo is newer on the forum, but his work is clearly top notch. His YouTube channel is quite spectacular as well.

The old guard on this site tends toward conservative, proven advice because not everyone has the skills or resources to build an amazing custom and the cost is likely far greater that the “average” XJbiker that got “an amazing deal on CL” expects.

It’s the same with carburetor vs fuel injector. Sure it can be done, and has, even turbo charged (look at Turbo Maximus). But the average XJbiker, struggling with carbs, isn't going to make fuel injection work, but can be taught to make carbs work.

If you’re an electrician, or have the time and resources to learn all of the skills and access all the tools necessary to rewire the bike differently you should definitely take on the project. If you’re just frustrated an electrical issue it can’t figure out how it’s supposed to work, slow down and listen to the conservative advice. You’ll learn alot in the process.

I’m working on my dad’s old harley shovel head now, and the wiring is a mess (but simple). I’m excited to redo the entire thing, but only because I spent time repairing and restoring major wiring issues on two XJs, an SRAD GSXR, and a triumph ST1050.

 

two identical bikes for sale, one with original wiring, one with a M unit. Sorry but i would get the original

 

M unit is just another gizmo I would need to lear about and how to trouble shoot If I got one. minimal wiring looks a lot easier to do may cost just as much after buying wire and connectors.
stock harness is best because if you need help we all know what you have t work with.

for the poster bypassing relays and safety relays is easy enough, just not advised for safety reasons.
stock blinker set up is also simple.
headlights depends on model but easy to change

 

The M unit has built in warning functions and LED displays that show which part of the circuit has a fault. I think its a very good design, just expensive for what it is. Having all relays and fuses replaced by this solid state unit is also a plus.
BUT, nothing wrong with the stock loom either. Boils down to what you prefer...

 

now if you could get one that included a TCI an R/R then they would have something

 

Sure, try Haltech. https://www.haltech.com/tag/motorcycle/

It can do everything, BUT cost is another level that is typically only for full on drag bikes....

 

Does the loss of relays that comes with using the M Unit mean more room in the headlight housing? Wondering if that would mean enough room for a good LED bulb.

 

Yep, that whole bundle goes when you get the M unit....If I didn't use an aftermarket electronic speedo I'd have just about an empty headlight casing. With all the room available I added a dual USB charging port into the rear of the headlight case...

 

An M-unit costs 1/2 of the initial cost (to me) of my machine.
I can buy a lot of gas with that.
But you do you.