Hi, everyone. What a great resource this site is! I just stumbled across it while doing a google search for GS500 wiring info. Looks like this is the place to ask my question, so here goes...
I recently bought a wireless RiderLight (http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=RL), which I'm going to attach to my Givi topbox. Installation seems pretty straightforward. I just need to attach the RiderLight transmitter wires (a red positive and a black negative) to the positive and negative wires of the GS's brake light.
I just looked at my bike and saw there are a few wires leading to the brake light. So (now for my embarrassing question...) how do I know which one is the positive and which one is the negative?
As you can tell, I'm not exactly... um... electrically inclined, so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Kim
1) Pull up the Haynes 1990-1996 wiring diagram (http://www.bbburma.net/Scans/Haynes_WiringDiagram_US_90-96.jpg). (I'll bet that the relevant wire colors are the same for ALL years.) Do whatever you need to do to get the image to display at full size.
2) Locate the "Brake and tail light" assemblies on the right edge of the diagram. Notice how each light has 3 wires going to it. This is because there are two separate bulb filaments to light up at different times, and therefore two different circuits. One of the bulbs (the "tail light") will be lit whenever the ignition key is in the ON position. The other bulb (the "brake light") will only light when one or both of the brakes are applied.
You have two goals: identify the ground wire (or negative wire, which eventually connects to the Battery's negative terminal) and identify which of the "positive" wires you're interested in.
3) Find the Battery in the diagram. It's on the top edge of the diagram, a little right of center.
4) Trace the path of the Black/white wires from the "Brake and tail light" units. Except for a couple of intermediate connectors, they run directly to the battery's negative terminal. BING! This is the negative wire.
5) Trace the path of the Brown wires. They turn out to run directly to the Ignition switch, which would indicate that they are part of the the always-on tail light circuit.
6) To confirm that hypothesis, trace the multiple paths of the White/black wires. One of them takes you to the Front brake light switch (this is what makes that faint "click" when you pull on the front brake lever). The other one goes to the Rear brake light switch. BING! This must be the positive wire for the usually-off "Brake light" circuit.
7) If you wish, you can trace both of the positive wires around the diagram until you reach the positive terminal on the Battery. But that will be left as an exercise for the reader.... :roll:
SUMMARY: Positive wire is White/black, negative wire is Black/white.
EDIT: Changed link from gs500e.co.uk to bbburma.net.
Thanks for the detailed answer, Kerry! That was really helpful. I'll let you know how it goes.
Well, I finally got around to hooking the light up this weekend. And... it actually worked! Thanks again for your help, Kerry.
My pleasure! I'm glad it worked for you.
Kerry, your the man!!
Hey Kerry, do you ever get up to Rose Bud, AR to see you parents much. I believe in one of my other posts I stated that I was from Little Rock, actually I live 45 minutes north of LR on Hwy 5 in El Paso, not far from Rose Bud. Next time your this way, let me know, we will have to get out and ride.
Quote from: tdan553527do you ever get up to Rose Bud, AR to see you parents much.
Oh, once every other year or so. My Dad just left my place this morning on his way home from Alaska (on a Honda ST1300). Both of my parents will be driving out here again in a couple weeks for an event with my sister's family down in Moab.
I've been through El Paso many times. For 8 years my Dad (pickup-)trucked the US mail between big post offices in Beebe and Conway (I think) and several of the smaller post offices in your area. If I remember right, El Paso was one of the few spots where he had to hand-deliver the mail to the boxes along the road. (That job ended a few years ago now.)
My parents' home is also on Highway 5, at the "high point" of the drive from El Paso to Rose Bud. They live right across the road from the "Rose of Sharon" gate, so about 3/4 of the way from El Paso to Rose Bud. My brother-in-law owns Sherwood Wholesale, a few miles north of Rose Bud on Highway 5. They just expanded last year - you can't miss the place (on the left)! His oldest daughter (Valerie Sherwood) just graduated from Rose Bud High School this year.
My Mom works in the office at the wholesale store. My Dad mostly hangs out around the house these days - unless he's riding to Alaska, that is! He's not very Internet-literate himself, but I mention GStwin to him a lot. (Not by name - just "that motorcycle message board for the GS500".) He would be "tickled" if you dropped in sometime and mentioned that you knew his son from the Internet. He would also love to see another GS500 in his neck of the woods. (You knew that he bought my GS500 out there and hauled it to UT for me, right?)
If you were REALLY nice you'd let him ride your bike around a bit. :mrgreen: We never seem to have time to ride when he's visiting. :o He sat on mine this morning and was amazed at how light it's 400+ lbs felt compared to the 600-some-odd-pound bike that he's been riding for a month solid now. I'm sure he would be glad to show you his bikes, and maybe even let you give one (or several) a test ride.
Quote from: tdan553527Next time your this way, let me know, we will have to get out and ride.
Sure thing! If I ride out on my GS ... great! If I don't, I can borrow one of my Dad's bikes.
No more hand delivery in this area, i'm also very familiar with Rose of Sharon, my parents live in Heber Springs, so i take Hwy 5 up there and pass it on the way, along with Sherwood Wholsale too. They have some small trailers there, I have been thinking about getting one. I will swing in there to say hello one day, and stop to see your dad and let him take a spin on the 04 GS.