Chopped n dropped.

[GTXS1100]

its not that i realy want to change it its i want to do away with all the wireing harnesses on the bike give it a real clean and bare look

[cywelchjr]

its not that i realy want to change it its i want to do away with all the wireing harnesses on the bike give it a real clean and bare look

You would still have a good number of wires to support the charging system and the points etc. It would probably be better to relocate the TCI, I know some have moved it to a location better suited to hiding the wiring.

Remember that a lot of things that don't require wires on other bikes do on these, such as the tach since it runs off the charging system, and there is no place to get the input for a mechanical tach either (which also reduces potential oil leaks by one). That said, if you eliminate all the automatic stuff, and go to minimums, you could probably make the wire harness significantly smaller (things like the reserve lighting system, the headlight relay (just have it come on with the key), auto cancel on the turn signals assuming you want to be street legal (since they are required by Federal law), brake and tail lights (which in many cases (check your state law) have to be on the centerline of the bike) and of course the headlight and ignition/charging system, and last but not least a battery (required as these charging systems will NOT charge without a battery in the system).

Part of that clean look may require replacing all the controls and possibly the bars (really clean would mean no electrical wires showing on the bars, which usually means either no controls on the bars (electrical that is) or running the wires inside of the bars.

It could be a lot of work and engineering time to get there, but you probably could get there. Is it worth it? I don't know, certainly not for me, but it might be for you. There really aren't very many wires that show when things are put together on mine, and with a bit of work I could probably make that even better, but they don't look bad in my opinion, and I frankly would rather spend the time riding it than re-engineering it. I'm not in to working on them to work on them, I want to take it out on the roads and ride. I think Honda got the right message out with their new ad campain, because "I want to ride" just like in the ads.

[Rstyduck]

My 74 XL350 Honda doesnt even have a battery, runs on the old points ignition and has power in a couple bare wires when its running.
I know, i checked for a place to hook up a light or two.
I want to make it street legal.
Thats going to be a pain in the ass.

[cywelchjr]

My 74 XL350 Honda doesnt even have a battery, runs on the old points ignition and has power in a couple bare wires when its running.
I know, i checked for a place to hook up a light or two.
I want to make it street legal.
Thats going to be a pain in the ass.

That is true of many bikes, but these charging systems REQUIRE a battery to charge. If your battery is completely dead, you can't get it to start or run, no matter what you do. And if you jump it, when you take the leads off it WILL die. The XS400 shares the same charging system design, and will do the same thing. It can work with a battery eliminator once it's running, but unless you have 12 volts on there to start the system up with, it won't charge at all. You can put a small battery if you use the kick start, but also remember these things discharge at idle, and don't start to charge until at least 1500 RPM or so with the stock system. This brushless design is pretty maint free, but since there is NO perm magnet involved anywhere in the system it won't self excite like many systems will.

[Rstyduck]

Id keep a battery in these. Big bike, lots of electronics.
My 74 Honda doesnt have any electronics.

[cywelchjr]

Id keep a battery in these. Big bike, lots of electronics.
My 74 Honda doesnt have any electronics.

You would have to anyways, unless your going to replace the charging system, as it won't put out any voltage without a battery. And the ignition system won't spark without at least about 11 volts (actually I think it's ten point something but I think you get the point). That said I understand it's pretty easy to kick start these things provided you have a kick starter.

[MindWebs]

hmm, i think cywelchjr missed the part where you said the XL currently runs
without the battery.

i just worked on a 78 suzuki DR370. no battery on that either.
just like a sled, simple and clean.

you can do the same with the KE100's jerk the battery and skip the lights and away you go.

that being said, it's like you said rusty, to much electronics on the XS to skip the battery.

good luck on your project, a man's got to have goals.

later

[cywelchjr]

hmm, i think cywelchjr missed the part where you said the XL currently runs
without the battery.

i just worked on a 78 suzuki DR370. no battery on that either.
just like a sled, simple and clean.

you can do the same with the KE100's jerk the battery and skip the lights and away you go.

that being said, it's like you said rusty, to much electronics on the XS to skip the battery.

good luck on your project, a man's got to have goals.

later

Actually I think I was misunderstood. What I was saying is that the XS charging system will not produce anything without a voltage source to feed it. I'm pretty sure I remember my Honda working with a bump start even with a dead battery, but the XS won't do that. Some charging systems are self exciting, the XS system is NOT. So, it's not about the electronics, but rather that the XS charging system will not work without at least a small battery.

[DGXSER]

Not as electronically intense as some of you, the way I understand it, the XS11 pulls all of its operating power from the battery, not the alternator. The alternator simply recharges the battery as you go.

Even kick starting the bike, I believe you still need the minimum voltage from the battery to get it to start.

[Rstyduck]

Like a car. Need a battery to start it but once its running your good to go as long as you dont use more power than the altenator can put out.

[DGXSER]

Hey Duck,

I've never tried it as I fear screwing up an expensive TCI. But as I understand it, if you pull the battery on an XS11 with it running, it will die.

I know that pulling the battery has no effect on running for every car I have ever owned. But then a car gets it operating power from the alternator, and as a side job it charges the battery. Like I said, I have only read it on here honestly, but as I understand it, the battery runs the XS11, and the alternator keeps it charged so it can continue to run the bike.

[Rstyduck]

You should try it and let us know.

[crazy steve]

...I know that pulling the battery has no effect on running for every car I have ever owned. But then a car gets it operating power from the alternator, and as a side job it charges the battery...

There is an effect if you pull the battery while it's running; the alternator loses it's 'reference' and 'hunts' for it. If you run them like that too long, it will smoke the alternator. How long is too long varies with the unit, but it's not good for any of 'em...

'78E original owner

[Rstyduck]

There is an effect if you pull the battery while it's running; the alternator loses it's 'reference' and 'hunts' for it. If you run them like that too long, it will smoke the alternator. How long is too long varies with the unit, but it's not good for any of 'em...

'78E original owner

A bad battery is better than no battery.

[DGXSER]

I have only done it long enough to swap batteries between a good one and bad. When you as much if a cheap azz as me, if you have a truck you only use to haul loads to the dump or such with a bad battery, you switch it out with a good one to start it, then swap back to make the run and hope you don't need to restart it. (someone always needs the car with the good battery while your gone).