So im doing small things on my 94 to bring it a bit up to date. Now before anyone goes off and says something like just go buy a new bike, unless you are also going to offer funding my new bike 100%, its cheaper and easier for me to do small upgrades over time.

With that said, I already have my new oil pan, hoses and oil cooler. I ordered all new mounts and hardware as well as a few other seals, grommets, Ect.

I already have bought full fairings, headlight, all the mounts and hardware, Ect.

I've got replacement Katana rims and 120/160 Metzeler Sportec M3 tires.

Now for the main question, I really want to replace the old faded handlebar controls with newer styled and nicer looking controls off a newer bike. I know that requires the newer engine harness. Both the controls and the harness are cheap.

But what else needs to be changed out? The clocks? The computer or control module? Carbs? 

If you're talking about changing your existing switches for ones off a newer GS, I think it would be easier to stick with your existing harness and just adapt the wiring on the new switches to suit. It should be mostly the same anyway. If you look at the wiring diagrams for both models it should be pretty clear.

Yeah I did look at that but the electrical plugs are different also. So they would have to be cut off and spliced. While I could use 3M heat shrink connectors, I would rather not. Plus the PO of my bike obviously left it out in the sun a lot as the clocks were faded some.

My bike is currently stripped down to the frame and im cleaning everything and hopefully can get time to powder coat soon. So I really don't want to put back on faded parts.

I put a whole wiring harness from a 2000 on my bike and I have a 89, the only thing that I had to change was the plug for the starter cilinoide, (wrong spelling I know). everything else the plugs all fit with out any mods. Also on the throttle side on new bikes they and went to a throttle cable for each carb, where imo bike only has one. Don't know what year that changed. Let me know if you can go newer as I have the same problem, and want to upgrade the controls.

Do you know anything about gas tanks, what years woupd fit a 89. Want to get a 04 or newer.

I do know there are mounts or tabs that have to be fabricated and you need the matching newer seat

Ok i think I'll just stick with my seat and tank. Find out anything more on the bar switches?

I remember looking on ebay at some controls because that's the only place I knew I could find pics. The electrical harness plugs on the newer 04+ bikes are definitely different then those of previous years. You MIGHT be able to cut the plugs off and splice them but I would not want to. Its not that is couldn't be done because I could easily do it but I just would not want all those weather proof quick disconnects.

I would just solder them together then heat s :woohoo:hrink them, and then eletrical tape them all together.

Yeah that would be the best and most permanent thing to do but what if you had a tear down the front end or replace parts for whatever reason? Thus the need for quick disconnects.

I would cut off the quick disconector from my bike and the one that came with the new hand :cheers:le bar
control. So then I can still use the quick disconnecter.

Yeah you could but then again you are still looking at a bundle of connections that might or might not that give future issues or corrosion.

You cannot mount an oil cooler by just adding a newer oil pan. There is additional plumbing cast into the block of the 04+ engines.

i read several threads where other guys did it. Anyone got any bottom block pics to compare?

Bob Broussard sent me pictures 6 or 7 years ago showing the differences. I have them on my laptop at home. I thought I had posted them before but may not have.

post when you can or email them to me weedahoe@hotmail

Here are the pics of an 04. I can get pics of a pre-04 Wednesday if needed for comparison.

Hmm......very interesting. I wonder why we dont see this more often in the threads where guys are asking about upgrading to a cooler

I guess there are not many of old dogs still around that know this stuff.

If you do use gauges from an 04+, since they use an electronic tach, use the Black/Yellow wire from the right coil for your signal. All the other wires should be easy to match up.

I was just going to buy an 04+ electrical harness, both left and right controls and the igniter box.