Bike shuts off in gear....

[BA80]

The splices/connectors between the flexible wires at the pickup coils and the hard wires that run up the frame. The insulation on the neutral wire will deteriorate over time and the water will cause a short.

I have several old harnesses out in the garage. I'll see if I can come up with a good pic for an example.

[crazy steve]

What is exactly inside the sheathing down by the shifter that seems to be the problem area ?

The factory used a super-flexible silicon-insulated wire coming off the pick-up coils, then converted to 'standard' wire after exiting the ignition cover. The insulation on the splices can fail over time, plus the heat from the motor bakes the plastic wire insulation and it can develop cracks.

[Schming]

I see.
Thank you both for the explanation.
Would it be best to just remove the neutral switch wire and replace it in its own sheathing separate of the lower PU coil splices and take it out of the upper plug as Barnfresh has done ?

[Schming]

I see.
Thank you both for the explanation.
Would it be best to just remove the neutral switch wire and replace it in its own sheathing separate of the lower PU coil splices and take it out of the upper plug as Barnfresh has done ?

Yes, I do beleive said procedure will yield the utmost stellar results in eliminating shunts between the neutral switch feed wire and the pickup coil wire splices.

With that said, here's what I did:

Located pickup coil/neutral wire harness plug that resides behind fuse panel and removed neutral wire from plug



Stripped away sheathing



Cut lower connector off neutral wire and pulled wire out of sheathing and stripped the rest of the sheathing off



Marked and removed pickup wires from plug











Pickup coil wire splices are protected by a silicone? sheathing





I fruitlessly looked around town for sheathing and resorted to what I had at hand in the Mancave, 12-3 WG non-metallic sheathed cable. Not sure how long it will last but I'm keeping an eye open for a qualified replacement



Fished pickup wires through



Used an extra gear shift rubber to seal at case entry





Original grommet was too small



Used a spark plug boot, marine heat shrink and a dob of clear silicone sealer to seal plug end and refitted plug. Notice NO neutral wire in plug





For the neutral wire I sourced this test lead and spark plug boot from my wire stash



Used both and a piece of vacuum hose to waterproof the switch



Fits snuggly over the switch



Little blurry but used marine heat shrink on vacuum tube sleeve and test lead



Crimped a new male end on up at fuse panel, connected and marine heat shrink





Tucked away neatly





Thanxs for all the questions answered to help me decide to eliminate another known SHORTcoming of our illustrious ElecTrickal system

[CaptonZap]

Geeze!
You old farts know ALL the neat tricks.
Nice fix.
Hope the young whipper snappers are paying attention. Boy, when I was their age, I was to poor to pay attention. They don't know how good they have it.
Could a person just plug the neutral switch wires back together after you take them out of the connector, and put some shrink wrap around them to keep them clean? You could cut the shrink wrap off if you needed to service anything, and put new back on when done?

It's still snowing, CZ

[Yard Dogg]

That a nice lookin motor.

[CaptonZap]

Ooop's,
The vision is right after the hearing when the senses start to go in us old farts.
I just saw the shrink wrap on the blue wire connection. Maybe I can think of some other dumb question to ask.

CZ

[Schming]

That a nice lookin motor.

Thanxs! Its been apart in my garage for 11 years so I had time here and there to clean, paint and polish but now I'm anxious to "git sum dirt" on her.

Ooop's,
The vision is right after the hearing when the senses start to go in us old farts.
I just saw the shrink wrap on the blue wire connection. Maybe I can think of some other dumb question to ask.

CZ

Yes, this I know. Just when I get some time, money and the garage almost the way I want it, I can't see what the heck I'm doin'. I turn on ten 2 bulb flourescents, a 300 watt halogen above the vise, 2 more 300 watt halogens on a portable work lamp and I still gotta wear an LED headlamp

Now that the neutral wire is isolated, I don't see any reason to disturb the upper connection. Easy enough to unscrew it from the switch and feed it up outta there if necessary.

[country guy]

thanks yall completely solved my problem never wouldve though to redo the neutral wire

[boatdoctor]

bike dies when droped in gear runs good in nutral

biker phil, has your problem for you. had same problem.

[bikerphil]

The way I repaired mine (sort of) on both my XS's is the same. First, I eliminated the leaky oil dripping neutral switch and put a bolt in it's place, I have no need for the light. Then I wrapped the harness in 33+ electrical tape and siliconed the area where it runs into the ignition cover. The neutral wire I just left hanging out of the harness near the engine in case it ever needs grounding to the case. No problems so far, did this about 2 years ago. I just have to remind anyone riding my bike that there is no neutral light.