- #Simple wiring diagram for a 1980 sportster chopper upgrade#
- #Simple wiring diagram for a 1980 sportster chopper professional#
#Simple wiring diagram for a 1980 sportster chopper professional#
When you’ve spared no expense on your build and want a professional looking installation, Motogadget parts are the ones you reach for. Ah, the pièce de résistance or gold standard for motorcycle wiring. These units will put out a lot more charging power and in some kickstart only cases, allow you to run without a battery. It may not be available for all bikes but some of the more common ones like CB350s and XS650s can take advantage of offerings from Rick’s or Hugh’s Handbuilt. If you find that upgrading the regulator/rectifier still hasn’t given you enough power, it may be time to look into this. Most older machines had weak charging systems to begin with, and time has only made them worse. It’s usually under the left side cover of the engine at the end of the crankshaft. The stator produces the power to run your electrical system and keep your battery charged. You may have to fabricate a bracket or two but they’ll still work just fine. Don’t expect aftermarket coils to match up to you stock mounts. While companies like Dyna make very good coils, I’ve had plenty of success with less expensive options like Emgo. However, if your plug wires are damaged or you suspect a failure, it’s always a good idea to replace them with something new.
Most running motorcycles still have perfectly good coils that will function well with newer electronic ignitions. They’re usually found under the gas tank. These produce the power to fire the spark plugs. These aren’t completely necessary but any time you can eliminate a possible failure point in your electrical system, you’ll be ahead of the game. They’ll look the part and match up to existing connectors already on your bike. They may do the job, but if you want a professional look, go with proper supplies from Vintage Connections (below). Speaking of blank, nothing says “I built my bike at Home Depot and Pep Boys” like those red and blue crimp connectors. Never use solid core made for home wiring (I’ve seen it done). I recommend at least 16-gauge thin stranded copper primary wire. Most street bikes won’t run without one and if the charging system was week or the bike sat for a long time, don’t take the chance. They also eliminate the old condensers, which often fail.įor those with larger budgets or dreams of racing there are higher end optical ignitions like Power Arc which give the most precisely timed spark for optimal power.Ī brand new battery. They’re relatively affordable and produce great results. The most common of these are the Pamco and Dyna (below) units.
#Simple wiring diagram for a 1980 sportster chopper upgrade#
While a traditional points ignition works fine when adjusted properly, it does require periodic maintenance and the know-how to get it dialed in just right.įor this reason many riders choose to upgrade to an electronic unit that is mostly maintenance free once installed. These send the signal to the coils telling them when to fire the spark plugs. Replacing points with electronic ignitions. Get a quality one from a company like Rick’s Motorsport Electrics. The old ones worked poorly to begin with, and chances are, the stock one is dead or on its way out. It’s a critical part of your charging system-and the easiest part to upgrade. Most often you can find it under the seat area or under one of the side covers. It will also keep the voltage from getting too high and frying your system.
This takes the AC current produced by the stator and changes it to DC current to charge the battery. Let’s start with the must-haves for your bike wiring:Ī new modern regulator/rectifier.
We’re going to trash that one and start from scratch with a bare-bones basic harness-one that’s just enough to get you on the road, and should work for most vintage bikes. There are many different ways to wire your bike, but for this tutorial we’re going to assume that your factory harness is like the ones I usually find: cut, spliced, taped, cracked, and abused by countless previous owners. That’s where the motorcycle wiring harness comes in. But if there’s no spark, you just built a really nice paperweight. You can spend lots of time and money building a high performance engine or sculpting beautiful lines. The most overlooked, forgotten, or avoided aspect of building a custom motorcycle has to be the electrical system. So we’ve asked Joe to demystify the motorcycle electrical system, and provide an easy tutorial guide to sparking your bike back into life. It’s his favorite part of the build, and the source of most of his business. Most bike builders hate working with motorcycle wiring, but not Joe.