Classic Motorcycle Build

Basic Motorcycle Wiring

Article by Mark Trotta

Engine vibration, exposure to the elements, and poor quality wiring all contribute to motorcycle electrical problems. Components such as spark plug wires and coils go bad with time. Regular inspection of your wiring and electrical components can keep you from breaking down on the roadside.

basic motorcycle wiring

Troubleshooting A Motorcycle Electrical System

Broken or melted wires are a common source of electrical failure. The first thing to do is visually inspect all wiring, front to back, side to side. If you're lucky the problem may be obvious.

To check an old electrical system for shorts, start with a fully-charged battery. You'll be needing it to test the electrical system and wiring. Having a workshop manual for your specific bike is very helpful. If you don't want to buy one, you may be able to download one online.

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Electrical Test Light

A test-light is a must-have for finding electrical shorts. Be sure to use a 12 volt (automotive) test-light. They sell for under $10. The leads on the test-light are reversible. One end goes to a positive and the other end goes to a ground.

12 volt test light

Shop: 12 Volt Test Light

When diagnosing an automotive electrical problem, always start by checking the test light on your bike's battery. Depending on what you testing for, you may have to turn the ignition switch on.

Most test lights have a sharp pointed end. Use this to pierce the plastic insulation on a wire. Now you can test the circuit without disconnecting anything.

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Pinched Wire

After custom wiring my 1961 Harley Servi-Car, I double-checked that all the lights and switches were working correctly. I then proceeded to wire-tie all the wires, and tighten all the components down.

The next day, I went out to the garage, turned the ignition switch on, and had no power.

My first thought was that the battery had gone dead, but here was the big clue. When I turned the ignition switch on, I heard a "click".

custom wire a motorcycle

Something was tripping the circuit breaker every time I turned the power on.

pinched wire on motorcycle

After a little head scratching and poking around, I found the problem. I had pinched a wire when tightening the gas tank to the frame, thus grounding out the system. Having a circuit breaker on the battery protected my bike from any damage.

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Repairing A Broken Wire

Once a broken electrical wire is discovered, you have two options. The wire can be replaced, or the damaged part can often be cut out and the wire spliced and reconnected. This can be done by using either crimp connectors, or soldering the two wires together. Crimp connectors are much easier to use, but soldering is more vibration-proof.

best way to connect electrical wires

Read: Solder or Crimp Wires

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Crimp Connectors

best electrical wire

TIP: If you choose crimp connectors, take off the plastic sleeve it comes with. One or two inches of shrink tubing will look and work better.

electrical wiring for motorcycles

After crimping the terminal, check tightness by pulling on it with your fingers.

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Heat the shrink tubing with a lighter. The wire and terminal connection is now sealed and protected from the elements.

Solder A Broken Wire

You'll need a soldering gun, some solder, and a bit of patience. Most soldering pencils don’t create enough heat, so a soldering gun is best.

basic motorcycle wiring
basic motorcycle wiring

Shop: Weller Soldering Gun Kit

The Weller D550PK 260-Watt/200W soldering gun kit includes three tips, solder, and storage case.

Although soldering and shrink-tubing wires is the most permanent way to repair electrical wires, I don't always solder wires every time there's a repair needed. Time is often a factor, and when a repair needs to be done quickly, it just takes too long to solder. It's not that the actual soldering process is long, but the setting up process takes awhile.

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Best Electrical Wire for Motorcycles

Most classic motorcycle wiring is 16-gauge or 18-gauge. For starter and generator wires, a heavier 14g or 12g is needed. Heavier 12-gauge wire is required when you need something that can handle a bit more load.

wiring a motorcycle

You can use standard automotive-type wire found in parts stores, but there is a difference between SAE-rated wire and AWG (American Wire Gauge) sizing.

best electrical wire for motorcycle

Shop: AWG Primary Wire

AWG sizing always has more copper for a given gauge size than SAE-rated wire does, and more copper is better. This variation is about 10-20%.

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Heat shrink tubing is inexpensive and protects the wire terminals from the elements.

motorcycle wiring tips

Shop: Heat Shrink Tubing Assortment

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Digital Multimeter

A multimeter is an instrument designed to measure electrical values such as voltage (volts), current (amps), and resistance (ohms). There are two main types of multimeters, analog and digital.

A Digital Multimeter is known as a DMM, and has an easy-to-read numeric display. Digital is by far more common, and they are inexpensive.

best digital multimeter for automotive

Shop: Digital Multimeter

Although you can run dozens of tests with a multimeter, I use mine for about two. I use it mostly to check if a certain wire is still getting power or if there's a problem with it.

Using A Multimeter To Test A Wire

Connect one test probe to one end of the wire, and the other test probe to the other end of the wire. With the multimeter on the low ohm setting, it should read .02 or less. Anything much higher than that tells you there is a blockage in the current. Replace the wire and/or the terminals.

Another use for a multimeter is measuring battery output. Old motorcycles are not known for having great charging systems, so a quick check assures everything's working as it should.

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Wire Ties

Once everything is correct and working as it should, use plastic wire ties to secure wiring and harnesses.

motorcycle wiring tips

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Related Articles:

Wiring A Motorcycle From Scratch
How To Wire Handlebars Internally
Convert Harley To Points Ignition
Yuasa AGM battery review

Read: AGM Motorcycle Battery Review