Can anyone tell me how to wire late model 1996 handle bar switches to 1990 softtail harnes?
The late model switches have less wires
Help

 

Hey man,

What do you have? I see ya gots a 1990 softie. What else ya got? Will the rounded 96+ switches fit in the housings? Which year ya got for them? Do you have the oem switches now? Did your handlebars get cut of?
Guessing...
I would remove tanks and dash. Carefully photo everything, step by step. Trace wires to current switches. Red and orange should still be front brake switch. If you're feeling lucky then I may reconnect the battery and and take my DC meter and test all lines for power. Flip some switches and re-test for power. Then disconnect the battery and switch multimeter to ohms or continuity and check the starter wires, using roach clips, this is to test you circuit relay for the starter continuity.
This is just for the right side assembly.
You're asking a tough question with not too much info.
Good luck,
Tom

 

Here's how they compare: On the left side for the 1990 bike, the power line to the headlight switch is blue. High/low beam from the switch is yellow and white (don't remember which is which off the top of my head). This is the same for the 1996 switch set. For the 1990 horn, orange is power going to the switch and black is coming from the switch to the horn. The 1996 horn has an orange with white stripe wire providing power, and the return to the horn is yellow with black stripe. The 1990 left turn signal uses violet as ground to the light and green as power from the flasher. The 1996 version is orange with white stripe as power (same feed as the horn ... I think they are combined within the switch housing. You can confirm with a multimeter). Out from the switch to the electronic flasher, etc, module is white with violet stripe. On the right side for 1990, the brake light switch has orange in for power and red out to the light. For 1996 it's orange with white stripe and red with yellow stripe ... basically the same. The 1990 turn signal is green power and brown to ground through the bulb. 1996 is orange with white stripe for power and white with brown stripe to the flasher control module. The run/kill switch wires for 1990 are gray and white. The white wire is jumpered to the start button (within the switch housing) with the return out from the start switch being a black wire. For 1996 the run/kill is gray and white with black stripe. The white with black stripe is jumpered to the start switch and black with red stripe is the out to the starter relay. The biggest difference is that the older bikes had turn signals that had to have the switch held in to operate, and 1996 introduced (I think) the self-canceling turn signals. If you can't figure it out from this description, pm me and I'll help you however I can.

 

FWIW: My 94 (okd style) has cancelling turn signals...

Can't help the OP othan to say I have had both kinds and they are really different under the dash. I can only suggest careful mapping of the working set, get both wireing diagrams and introduce the new set one switch at a time.

Ds

 

I have self cancelling on my 1990! I think it was introduced in 1987 or there-abouts.

 

I looked back through my schematics, and the first year I see a turn signal canceling canceling module in the Softail wiring was 1991. So for Softails, it appears the transition was between 1990 and 1991.

 

Wish I could add more, but I updated my '94 Dyna to the '96 switches several years ago.. No big deal, the colors were different, but an ohm meter with your '90 schematic can figure that out pretty easily ..

 

Twospeed ... go to a website called Motorcycle Manual Downloads and you can purchase a PDF version (download) of a 1984 to 1990 Softail Service manual for $7. It includes schematics for all of those year models. I did exactly that a couple of months ago when I was rebuilding a friend's 1990 Softail. It was really helpful.

http://www.motorcycle-manual-downloa...products_id=78

 

Your heading for a wiring nightmare.

Can i ask why you have decided to do this ?

Bar switches are usually very stout and dirt is the only usual problem.

A good cleaning is all that is usually required .

See me or others for help with your original switches.

 

one other issue to consider

1984 to 1995 controls use a 5/8 inch master and a 3/4 inch master for the front brake -

1996 to 2000 something i think its 2006 - the front master choices are 9/16 inch and 11/16 inch master cylinders

NOW the main issue is the feel of the front brake / different masters on the same system dont stop the same < --- ya think -- and what other front fork changes you might be making, will play into what you might be doing - you have not been forth coming with all the info - the guys will help but its really not a secret what your doing BTW -- johnjzjz