Happy New Year! Back from a test run around the block with some new replacement parts. This will mark my fourth year tooling on this bike. I feel like this is gonna be the year I get her all done. I hope.
However, it won't be without some wiring issues. Here's a quick rundown of problems and I will try to elaborate on each after:
- Running light not working in tail light - strange because the light has three leads and it seems to be a dual-fitment. Meanwhile, brake light illuminates fine
- Koso speedo lights up like Christmas and reads MPH and odometer in the digital readout below but the RPM needle doesn't move an inch while speeding
- Headlight wasn't coming on using OEM right-hand throttle switch assembly so I resorted to an aftermarket Kawasaki unit and that worked but the start button did not work across all start/throttle switches - it used to work before... Ground issue?
Out of some frustration I took a little time off the wiring to redo my tail light/license mount bracket. I wasn't feeling the previous one and I think this is more the look that I'm after:
If you noticed too, I also slapped on a new trumpet-style muffler. I had a little help from Fred, my local muffler mechanic who modified a reducer adapter that I had with a swift chop, grind and welded around the inside to ensure a seal. He was able to get the new muffler to slip over my old pipes in a jiffy. I think the new muffler looks and sounds great. I would liken it to how a fly would interpret the sound of a big wet fart at mid flight. It's glorious.
I don't want to stray too far from the problems above, but to recap on where I last left off before the new year, I was finally able to get replacement parts back into the mix:
- Regulator/rectifier. Kindly replaced - out of warranty - by ElectroSport
- New Shorai LiFe battery which is fully charged (~13.4V)
Now, circling back to at least one of the issues above, since I can at least get the bike to kickstart and run, let's begin with troubleshooting the RPM needle in the Koso gauge.
So I wrapped the Koso Dark Brown/RPM wire around a spark plug wire several times (plug #1) and I connected it to its corresponding coil (sharing the same connection as the Black/White wire). So what the heck? That's all I needed to do, right? I was getting a lot more movement, albeit shakiness with the needle while the RPM wire was connected to 1-4 on the points, but that seemed to be incorrect. Something else is amiss here (perhaps I should check back in my old notes and correspondence with good ol' calj)! My guess is gonna be with the Koso LIGHT Brown wire. I was supposed to connect this to 12V ignition and found a Honda Black line that had continuity with the black coming off the 12V ignition. Should be ok, right?
Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
