Wiring Mess Behind Headlight

[XSive-11]

Hi all,

I recently picked up a 78 XS1100. So far this forum has been amazing for all the information I've been able to learn. Thank you all for the help, hard work and dedication you all have contributed.

My first of what I am sure will be many questions is, beneath the speedo/tach and behind the headlight is a mess of wires with no apparent regard for organization and are what seem to be stored in a fake leather pocket with snaps. Did Yamaha do this or did the previous owner(s) go crazy? I can't see work like that leaving the factory.

I'd like to clean it up as best I can and try to run through either one or a few wire looms to organize and de-clutter. Does anyone else have this going on and what can be done to fix it?

Thanks,
Lee

[natemoen]

Everything should be inside the headlight bucket. That bag is only used when you have a fairing on and the headlight bucket needs to be removed.

[motoman]

Everything should be inside the headlight bucket. That bag is only used when you have a fairing on and the headlight bucket needs to be removed.

.........and the Standards came from the factory with the 'bagged' wiring plug-ins. Would be a good idea to remove the bag, go thru, unplug and clean ALL the connections and re-install the bag.

[XSive-11]

OK thank you. I didn't think it was supposed to look like that. I guess I'll be doing some re-wiring and tucking neatly in the bucket. Did not come with a fairing and I don't plan on getting one. I could just throw a tool bag on and hide it, lol.

[natemoen]

Don't rewire, just re-route the wires after giving a good cleaning inside the plugs.

[crazy steve]

The factory manual has a cable/wiring routing diagram (not in the Clymer) that you'll find very helpful. If you need the manual, find a post by Catatonic Bug and follow the link in his signature....

[Tom Andersen]

.........and the Standards came from the factory with the 'bagged' wiring plug-ins. Would be a good idea to remove the bag, go thru, unplug and clean ALL the connections and re-install the bag.

I never had a bag on mine, I don't know how you could get one on inside the headlight bucket.

[fredintoon]

OK thank you. I didn't think it was supposed to look like that. I guess I'll be doing some re-wiring and tucking neatly in the bucket. Did not come with a fairing and I don't plan on getting one. I could just throw a tool bag on and hide it, lol.

Hi Lee and welcome,
like they said, go through the connections and clean them. Don't stop at that bagful, do each and every plug-in on the entire bike.
Especially the big white bastard behind the fuses where the alternator feeds in, that one burns out for a pastime.
And yeah, swap in one of TC's blade fuse replacements too. Those old fashioned glass tube fuses can lead to nasty problems.
But don't try and cram that bagful of plugs into the headlight bucket, they plain ol' don't want to all fit in there.

[motoman]

I never had a bag on mine, I don't know how you could get one on inside the headlight bucket.

Bag was used to cover the array of plug-ins, not go inside a headlite bucket. Don't know if all the year Standards were that way, but my Venturer came with one when new, and is still in place.

[Diskman01]

It seems that Catatonic Bug's website is gone.. Any more links to the helpful information??

[Tom Andersen]

Bag was used to cover the array of plug-ins, not go inside a headlite bucket. Don't know if all the year Standards were that way, but my Venturer came with one when new, and is still in place.

That's because the Venturer had the Windjammer on it.

[mack]

Headlight bucket

If it hadn't been for the fairing, this is what you would have seen upon removing the headlight from the bucket. If you can take a picture and post it we can talk you through it.