Topic: Zach’s 1980 CB650 Custom Project

[Cramezl]

Hey, guys. Got my very first motorcycle in a trade. It’s a 1980 CB650C with just over 5k miles. It hasn’t run in quite a while. This is going to be a two phase project. Phase 1: get it operational as soon as possible and cruise around. Phase 2: make it nice, maybe turn into into a sort of scrambler.

The previous owner was the second ever. He wanted to cafe it so he started pulling parts and cutting wires, then lost interest. So far, I’ve installed spark units and sorted out some “custom” wiring that was done.

To do: rebuild front brake system, rebuild carbs, and slap some new tires on it.

My first question revolves around the front turn signals. The rear function as they should, but the front doesn’t. Both bulbs light up with the ignition on. When you turn the switch for the left signal, it cuts out and the right signal kind of pulses, but doesn’t flash. Same for the opposite scenario. Any ideas where to start?

Pics are of the night I brought it home.

[BenelliSEI]

If you have mounted the lamp housings on the “fork ears”, make they are properly grounded. They are mounted in rubber rings (top and bottom) and by design, get their ground from the head light mounting bolts. The nuts in the headlight housing have ground wires that tie directly to the ground wires in the main harness.....

[Cramezl]

Good to know. I don’t have the headlight mounted, just plugged in. I also don’t have any rubber o-rings. I’ll try again with everything mounted correctly.

[Cramezl]

Update: Got all of the lights working. The issue was....drum roll please...a loose ground. There is a little spade inside the headlight housing that needed a ground wire. Doh!

Learned me lesson on a quick and dirty carb rebuild. I didn’t want to separate the carbs so I just cleaned what I could, which was unsuccessful. Time to try again.