Topic: 1976 CB550 K2 First timer - Sold

[calj737]

I would DEFINITELY cover and protect the battery posts from the tray, and the solenoid posts! Geez, thats a fire waiting to happen in there.

Your solenoid is stuffed in so tightly that it backs up to the ignition switch. You have live wires adjacent to metal, which will ground out constantly, or shift, and touch. Move the solenoid out of there and get some rubber boots to cover the posts as they have the most amperage running across them.

The red wire for the inline fuse is directly against the solenoid posts, and it will chew through that with riding vibration. Then your key switch will contact the solenoid hot wire. Expect bad results from that, like constantly blown fuses and a melted switch. It may be too late in your eyes, but you need to move that ignition switch out of there altogether. Its a terrible location for it, your tray is too small to accommodate it, and its at risk of electrical mayhem.

Just my $0.02-

[mscuiletti]

I would DEFINITELY cover and protect the battery posts from the tray, and the solenoid posts! Geez, thats a fire waiting to happen in there.

Your solenoid is stuffed in so tightly that it backs up to the ignition switch. You have live wires adjacent to metal, which will ground out constantly, or shift, and touch. Move the solenoid out of there and get some rubber boots to cover the posts as they have the most amperage running across them.

The red wire for the inline fuse is directly against the solenoid posts, and it will chew through that with riding vibration. Then your key switch will contact the solenoid hot wire. Expect bad results from that, like constantly blown fuses and a melted switch. It may be too late in your eyes, but you need to move that ignition switch out of there altogether. Its a terrible location for it, your tray is too small to accommodate it, and its at risk of electrical mayhem.

Just my $0.02-

It is definitely not too late to prevent issues down the road. I was wondering how the heck people make use of these trays. I'll move the ignition. Can the solenoid stay with the added room from pulling the ignition? I did use a rubber adhesive backed strip beneath the solenoid under the contacts, but I should get boots as well to prevent rubbing. I suppose I will take new pics afterwards and get your opinion then. Thanks Cal! It sure would be disheartening burning down the first bike after all this time.

Edit
Just ordered an ignition switch mount, so I can get that out of the tray. I'll plug the hole with a grommet as well and get some new pics once I move things around.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

No offense, but that wiring is a significant risk. 

[mscuiletti]

No offense, but that wiring is a significant risk.

Yea i got that from cal telling me its terrible. I ordered anti gravity terminal covers, a bracket for the ignition, and boots for the solenoid, which after moving the ignition may be able to mount vertically. 

[calj737]

EVERYONE starts somewhere. You should be proud of the job you've done, the undertaking, and the results. As long as you always remain open to polite, constructive input when you're taking a risk, you'll be just fine. I've seen lots of bikes wired like they tried to build a rats nest, and the owner wondering, "Gee, what do you think is wrong?" 

[mscuiletti]

EVERYONE starts somewhere. You should be proud of the job you've done, the undertaking, and the results. As long as you always remain open to polite, constructive input when you're taking a risk, you'll be just fine. I've seen lots of bikes wired like they tried to build a rats nest, and the owner wondering, "Gee, what do you think is wrong?" 

I appreciate that, and do appreciate the suggestions of experienced riders and builders. If i don't fix it now, i run the risk of turning into Ghost Rider down the road. That would be a quick way to lose all interest in motorcycles. I'll move some things around and report back once the boots arrive.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

It's easy for me to judge on the sidelines.  Good on you for rolling up your sleeves.

[mscuiletti]

It's easy for me to judge on the sidelines.  Good on you for rolling up your sleeves.

Door is always open for you to come by and help! You won't be rolling up any sleeves though, even with the heater running it's a balmy 50 degrees in my garage. Every winter I wonder why I am still here.

[mscuiletti]

I was feeling down about my crummy job in the electronics tray, so spent some time on the left handlebar. I need to figure out a better trick on where to drill the bar for the wires in the switch, as i must have drilled three times to get it right. Luckily they are all hidden beneath the switch.

Installed the CRG mirror and Motogadget Blaze. Then i set the seat on just to get an idea on how it will look. Hopefully better with the exhaust installed....





Excuse the disgusting garage. I need a spring cleaning badly.

[markreimer]

Nice reflection in the mirror!


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[mscuiletti]

Nice reflection in the mirror!

I hadn't even noticed. I was just trying to not include the seat in the pic as I set it down but didn't mount it for photos.

[mscuiletti]

I got back into the garage to improve my skills. Please be kind as i know a lot of you professionals fabricate beautifully, and I'm nowhere near that talented. However, I do have more space now.









I painted it to see how it would look in black. I have since stripped it down, drilled a lot of holes for grommets and brackets, and shot a high build primer to fill in some of the imperfections and hammer marks. I do think it flows much better with the rear gussets and shock mounts, than the Cognito Moto box that I had attempted to use.


Again, excuse the messy garage. I need to clean it badly.


I left enough space on top to weld a cross member as well,  but was unsure how necessary that would be. My neighbor seemed to think it would be fine but I am sure I will hear otherwise from one of you all if not.

[calj737]

A brace across the electronics tray? Completely unnecessary.

[mscuiletti]

A brace across the electronics tray? Completely unnecessary.

Across the frame, not the tray, to replace what i had removed.

[calj737]

In that picture, you have all the cross bracing you need.

[Marissa]

In that picture, you have all the cross bracing you need.

Is this actually the case? If so, that really opens up the potential for the space back there, and now I want to redesign my electrics box

Loving the progress Mscuiletti, and I'll have some progress to post up on my thread soon, thanks for asking!

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Nice job on the shaping of the tray.

[calj737]

In that picture, you have all the cross bracing you need.

Is this actually the case? If so, that really opens up the potential for the space back there, and now I want to redesign my electrics box

Yes. The hoop needs only be tied to itself across the rails at a single point, just like stock  A fully closed hoop can actually be “tied” together with a welded seat pan if that’s your preference, but I’d advise against it for tire clearance reasons. The stock brace was bridged for suspension travel, and it was only thin, stamped metal. Nothing special at all.

[mscuiletti]

In that picture, you have all the cross bracing you need.

Awesome. Thanks as always Cal.

Nice job on the shaping of the tray.

Thanks, but now I am questioning whether you need glasses haha. I DID order some carbide bits to clean up my cheap booger welds, so maybe that will help.

To you and Cal, my antigravity terminal boots arrived for the battery connections. I also ordered a few other things to help prevent any shorts. I am going to mount the starter solenoid on top of some rubber bushings to elevate the terminals off of the pan (not enough space to mount it vertically). I also have terminal boots on the way for the solenoid to keep those covered. I made a bracket for the battery, which I will mount on rubber washers to try and prevent some of the vibration, and will also use the material they package with the battery beneath the bracket and battery to keep it insulated from the metal, again to prevent vibrations. Any issue with mounting the rec/reg within a few inches of the battery? I am unsure how hot those get, but the heat sinks are pretty large which is why I am asking.

Loving the progress Mscuiletti, and I'll have some progress to post up on my thread soon, thanks for asking!

Make a new tray! It's Marc, btw. Hopefully yours is ready for spring as well.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

You can mount the reg/rec close to the battery, but (preferably) mount the reg/rec where it might have access to air flow so those heat sinks can more effectively do their job.

[mscuiletti]

You can mount the reg/rec close to the battery, but (preferably) mount the reg/rec where it might have access to air flow so those heat sinks can more effectively do their job.

Being solid state, I guess the elements won't hurt it so i could mount it beneath the pan... I'll take a look tonight and see what my options are.

[Rnobx67]

You really did a good job with the tray, don't know how much depth I need too But I certainly want to do it too

[mscuiletti]

You really did a good job with the tray, don't know how much depth I need too But I certainly want to do it too

Thanks!

Chris got back to me and expects the exhaust to be done in the next couple weeks. I decided it best to get ahead knowing that I will need to make a mount for the exhaust, possibly using the passenger peg, so I ordered rear sets from Slipstream. This way I can hopefully have them when the exhaust arrives so I can fabricate a mount that works with both. As this will be my first year on this bike, I figured I won't be needing passenger pegs for a long time.

[mscuiletti]

Busy week at work so not much progress. I did start mounting a few items, hoping that i could get feedback on the separation and potential for issues down the road from you experienced folk.

Again, not professional by any means, but I am noticing growth in me, which thrills me to the core. I am loving this, and now I feel that I NEED another to follow this up and keep learning and improving.

I moved the ignition as i ignorantly cut a bunch of stuff off originally. I was hoping that with enough separation from the solenoid, and the terminal boots, that I can leave it in the tray.



I lost the strap and made a simple bracket to hold the battery in place. The battery is surrounded by the foam(ish?) material that they are shipped with for filling space left from the original battery. I need to read whether it is safe to use before actually getting too far. I tried my best to elevate the starter solenoid terminals off the pan, but may end up getting another that is short enough to stand with the terminals pointing upwards.

I also originally planned on leaving the reg/rec in the tray, but now am concerned with it not getting air flow after discussing it in an earlier post. I wonder if adding some vents/louvers would help. That and i really want to learn how to do that.

I should add that the positive battery terminal is closest the solenoid. I planned on taking the ground out of the tray either below and around or straight out the right side.



Just comparing it to the size of the Cognito tray, which is(was before I hacked it up) a very nicely made piece.



So what do you all think? Is it worth making the cables again or does anything need to move around? Thanks as always!
-Marc

[mscuiletti]

Trying on the rearsets:


I really like the connectors from Vintage Connections. They seem much higher quality than the cheapo red/blue things I had used in past wiring jobs:


I started making new wires again, and think I have enough space, but will defer to professionals:


I put rubber beneath the ignition to ensure the connections would not arc to the tray(not pictured):