Electrics Frustration - 2004 cafe sport (us model)

[Ryland3210]

Hi there NotRight,

 

I hope you have had some success with your problem. I have just had a similar problem with my '04 model. Indicators, instrument lights, tail light and licence plate light would not work. (No fuse blown though.) I traced it to the wiring cable coming out of the bottom of the ignition switch. This cable is tied to the ignition switch with a cable tie, and that is the point where it flexes most when you turn the bars. If I moved the cable very slightly at the point where it left this cable tie, I could make all of the above lights start and stop. May not be the same as your problem, but it's easy to check. The yellow and the green/black wires from the ignition switch control these lights.

 

Cheers,

Jim.

 

Hi Jim,

I'm not sure I understand. Where do you think the intermittent was, at the cable tie, or somewhere else?

I'd like to see if I can do something to prevent this on my bike.

Thanks, John

[Jim in NZ]

Hi John,

 

The break in the cable was just where it emerged from the cable tie which tied it to the ignition switch. I figured if one wire was broken the other 3 wouldn't be far behind, so I cut out a 10cm section of this cable and soldered in new lengths of wire, which has cured the problem. I made them about 5cm longer than the originals. The extra length, combined with the heat-shrink insulation making the cable a bit stiffer, means that there is less flexing than before as you move the bars from side to side. So I am hoping it is a long-term fix, but time will tell!

 

This seems a bit drastic as a preventive action though. Careful cable routing and trying to minimise the full-lock turns should help prolong their life. I have to do quite a lot of manoeuvering to get my bike in and out of the garage each day, and I assume all the flexing is the cause of the break. I suspect it is an uncommon problem.

 

Don't be tempted to just cut off the offending cable tie, as the cable would then break where it emerges from the bottom of the ignition switch. This would be much harder to repair.

 

Cheers,

Jim.

[Ryland3210]

Hi John,

 

The break in the cable was just where it emerged from the cable tie which tied it to the ignition switch. I figured if one wire was broken the other 3 wouldn't be far behind, so I cut out a 10cm section of this cable and soldered in new lengths of wire, which has cured the problem. I made them about 5cm longer than the originals. The extra length, combined with the heat-shrink insulation making the cable a bit stiffer, means that there is less flexing than before as you move the bars from side to side. So I am hoping it is a long-term fix, but time will tell!

 

This seems a bit drastic as a preventive action though. Careful cable routing and trying to minimise the full-lock turns should help prolong their life. I have to do quite a lot of manoeuvering to get my bike in and out of the garage each day, and I assume all the flexing is the cause of the break. I suspect it is an uncommon problem.

 

Don't be tempted to just cut off the offending cable tie, as the cable would then break where it emerges from the bottom of the ignition switch. This would be much harder to repair.

 

Cheers,

Jim.

 

Thanks much for the details. I suppose the wire must have been multi-strand copper-can you estimate the wire gauge and how many strands? The more strands of thinner gauge, the better fatigue life. I'm in the same situation, with garage maneuvering.

 

Cheers, John

[Jim in NZ]

Yes it was, John, but I don't know how many strands, and I've thrown the remnants away now. The 4 wires were not all the same size. I just used Narva auto cable 2.5mm diameter which seemed to be the best size match for what was there. It is rated at 5A. I also bought a roll of 3mm which was rated at 10A, but decided that would make the finished cable too thick and it wouldn't be flexible enough. It was the first time I have done any sort of vehicle rewiring, so don't take what I did as gospel, I'm a complete amateur.

 

I enquired about buying a new ignition switch (with cable) - US$98, would probably be something like NZ$170 to get it to New Zealand. My intention was to have a spare in case my repair also failed. However, I haven't been able to find out how to replace the ignition lock. The manual doesn't seem to say anything about it. It looks to be riveted to the underside of the top fork clamp. Do you (or does anyone else) know how to do this? Do you have to remove the triple clamp, which would be a right p.i.t.a., and drill out the rivets? How do you fix the new one in? Perhaps I shouln't be so anal about it, and be more confident in my repair!

 

Cheers,

Jim.

[Ryland3210]

Yes it was, John, but I don't know how many strands, and I've thrown the remnants away now. The 4 wires were not all the same size. I just used Narva auto cable 2.5mm diameter which seemed to be the best size match for what was there. It is rated at 5A. I also bought a roll of 3mm which was rated at 10A, but decided that would make the finished cable too thick and it wouldn't be flexible enough. It was the first time I have done any sort of vehicle rewiring, so don't take what I did as gospel, I'm a complete amateur.

 

I enquired about buying a new ignition switch (with cable) - US$98, would probably be something like NZ$170 to get it to New Zealand. My intention was to have a spare in case my repair also failed. However, I haven't been able to find out how to replace the ignition lock. The manual doesn't seem to say anything about it. It looks to be riveted to the underside of the top fork clamp. Do you (or does anyone else) know how to do this? Do you have to remove the triple clamp, which would be a right p.i.t.a., and drill out the rivets? How do you fix the new one in? Perhaps I shouln't be so anal about it, and be more confident in my repair!

 

Cheers,

Jim.

 

I haven't any advice to give on the ignition switch. Hopefully one of the handy wrench guys will spot this and help out. If not, send a personal message to Pete Roper. He's done it all.

Cheers, John