Wiring is one of the techniques that require a lot of experience and knowledge when customizing a motorcycle. This article will show you the easiest way to wire, along with some tips to ensure safety while working.
Introducing The Sportster Treatment Wiring Kit for 1994-96 Harley-Davidson Sportsters
The Sportster Treatment Kit eliminate most wires, handlebar controls, unneeded sensors, and relays on a stock Sportster. The wiring harness that comes with the kits contain all connectors already installed and can be customized based on where the key switch is mounted.
These kits were designed so that anyone can install it and includes a detailed instruction booklet to help facilitate installation. Kits are available for 1994 up to 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster models.
Sportster Treatment's a kit I've been developing over the past few months. It basically eliminates just over-engineered wires that go into a stock Sportster, that eliminates all the handlebar controls, bank angle sensor bows, all the stuff, you really don't need to make your bike run right.
The Sportster Treatment Kit comes with the master harness that eliminates all the other wires, it comes with a key switch. It's three positions, it's bump to start, comes with a three-position toggle switch, so you can have high beam, low beam. It has the wires for your headlight housing, it has the key switch mount. Everything you need to basically eliminate all your other wires.
How to Install - The Sportster Treatment Wiring Kit for 1994-96 Harley-Davidson Sportsters
Matt Wuerdeman, founder of The Sportster Treatment Kit gives you a step by step tutorial on how to remove your stock wiring harness and install his wiring kit on a 1994-96 Harley-Davidson Sportster.
This wiring harness that comes with the kit contains all connectors already installed and can be customized based on where you decide to mount your key switch. With the help of this video we are fully confident you can get your bike re-wired up and looking killer, with clean looking handlebars and a less bulky stock wiring harness.
For the exact wiring harness used in this video check out The Sportster Treatment kit for 1994-1996 Harley-Davidson Sportsters.
How to Install the Sportster Treatment Wiring Kit for 1998-2003 Harley-Davidson Sportsters
In this step by step tutorial Matt Wuerdeman founder of The Sportster Treatment Kit walks you through how to remove the stock wiring harness and install his wiring kit on a 1998-2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster. This kit eliminates most wires, handlebar controls, unneeded sensors, and relays on a stock Sportster.
The wiring harness that comes with the kit contains all connectors already installed and can be customized based on where the key switch is mounted. This kit was designed so that anyone can install it and with the help of this video we know you can get your bike wired up easily and quickly.
For this exact wiring kits used: The Sportster Treatment Kit for 1998; The Sportster Treatment kit for 1999-2003
Wiring Tips: Using Cloth Covered Wire
This was written and put together by Wes White of Four Aces Cycle in Pacoima, California. It was posted here with his permission, it is a great look at how to give your bike a really nice wiring job with cloth covered wire.
To me nothing ruins a flashy period custom or a bike (that you just want to be nice and tidy) like that plastic covered wire and those ugly crimp connectors that get all misshapen and crunched when you crimp them. How about just a bike that has a big snarl of wire masquerading as an electrical system?
So here is one solution… It takes a lot of extra time comparatively but the result is undeniably better.
Get some nice cloth covered wiring
Go and get yourself some black shrink wrap in a couple of different sizes and those boring crimp connectors. Then get some nice cloth covered wiring for your motorcycle. Typically 16 gauge wire works for your general wiring such as lighting while 12 gauge cloth covered wire works when you need something that can handle a bit more load.
Strip the Plastic off for a nice clean connector
First thing you need to do is strip the plastic off of all of the crimp connectors. This is tedious and boring and sometimes painful depending on whether you use the dykes or a razor blade.
Here in the San Fernando Valley we have a couple of old time electrical shops that sell connectors that do not have the ugly modern plastic dealies around the base, but some of the butt connectors are not available.
If you cannot find an old shop, just start taking the plastic off. This gives you a nice clean connector. (note: quick and easy way to remove the plastic, just heat it up with a lighter and pull it off with with a pair of needle nose pliers)
Slip Shrink wrap around the wire when Wrapping
Strip your wire carefully then slip a little shrink wrap around the wire. DO THIS FIRST, otherwise you might not get it over the connector. Then add the connector of your choice and crimp CAREFULLY.
Slide the shrink wrap over the connector and fire up your Bic lighter and shrink the wrap on the connector. Nice and clean. When you are using butt connectors, you can slip some bigger shrink wrap around a couple of connections to make it even cleaner. Look how much cleaner things are when you use a little extra shrink wrap on the wires coming out of the regulator.
Use asphalt wire loom can keep the wire nice and tidy
With some planning you can also use asphalt wire loom to keep runs of several wires nice and tidy, as well as protected from sharp edges they may encounter, and the elements.
You can even get crazy and run little curly wires to various parts of your electrical system. I would not get carried away with the curlies though. Too much of a good thing can be bad. A couple of discrete ones look good, your whole bike in curlies is kinda weird. Just take a screwdriver and wrap the wire around it in a tight little roll. Remove the screwdriver and you have a nice, tidy curly.
Wash your hands before wiring your bike
Oh, and if your hands are always dirty like mine, wash them before wiring your bike, the light colored cloth wire can get dirty fast when you handle it.
So if you don’t like your wiring, spend $40 bucks and get after it. If you have already wired your bike or had someone else do it for you, you can just replace the wires with cloth covered wire or replace the connectors only.
This will also teach you a lot about how your electrical system works. Using some cloth covered spark plug wires will match your new, tidy wiring and add that vintage aesthetic.
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