Wiring inside your handlebars
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Novice
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24
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From:
Wiring inside your handlebars
Hi gurus
I'm changing a heap of stuff on my Fatboy, including the bars. So I've drilled the holes in the new bars to put the wiring in, and obviously I'll have to cut the connection plugs off the wires. So how does this work? Do you buy some new plugs that can be easily wired? How do you guys do it??
Thanks!
I'm changing a heap of stuff on my Fatboy, including the bars. So I've drilled the holes in the new bars to put the wiring in, and obviously I'll have to cut the connection plugs off the wires. So how does this work? Do you buy some new plugs that can be easily wired? How do you guys do it??
Thanks!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 10
From: Orange VA
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
You don't need to cut anything.
HD makes some extensions. Up side is they have the deutch connector ends on them already. Down side is the connector ends are big and clunky and I think their extensions only come in one length.
Novello makes wires extension kits. You disassemble the deutch connectors and remove the wires. The extensions are fitted with M/F ends. Extensions go back on connector ends and you are done. No cutting and if you change bars later.
HD makes some extensions. Up side is they have the deutch connector ends on them already. Down side is the connector ends are big and clunky and I think their extensions only come in one length.
Novello makes wires extension kits. You disassemble the deutch connectors and remove the wires. The extensions are fitted with M/F ends. Extensions go back on connector ends and you are done. No cutting and if you change bars later.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 842
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From:
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
Make sure you smooth the edges of the holes you drilled. The insulation on the wires nicks very easily. Buy a wireing harness for the bars at an indy shop. You will need to pull the new wireing harness,one side at a time,through the bars.I use a guitar string to pull wires. The G works perfectly. One end of course goes to your switches on the bars.
You will want to solder the other end to your connector. Make sure you left plenty of wire on the connector to solder to.
Be aware that this is not as easy of a job as it sounds. Ask more questions,there are plenty of exsperienced peeps here who are glad to help.
I guess this is the old school way to do it,but it still works...
You will want to solder the other end to your connector. Make sure you left plenty of wire on the connector to solder to.
Be aware that this is not as easy of a job as it sounds. Ask more questions,there are plenty of exsperienced peeps here who are glad to help.
I guess this is the old school way to do it,but it still works...
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 10
From: Orange VA
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
Here's a link for Novello... http://www.jpcycles.com/productgroup...;brand=novello All instructions are included. They are easy to use. Even a cavemen could do it.
I have cut and soldered wiring for one set of bars. I used HD extensions for a second set. For the third set I used the Novello kit and I'll never do it differently again. Novello is the way to go.
I have cut and soldered wiring for one set of bars. I used HD extensions for a second set. For the third set I used the Novello kit and I'll never do it differently again. Novello is the way to go.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,374
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
If you don't have to extend the wires you can do it without cutting. If you do have to go longer it's best to cut and solder only once, but to do that you need to pull the pins out of the connectors then extend the wires and put new pins on and reinsert into the connectors. Here is a link that will give you an idea on how to remove the connector pins. And as stated before, file the holes smooth so you don't cut the wire insulation.
https://www.hdforums.com/m_152297/tm.htm
https://www.hdforums.com/m_152297/tm.htm
Banned
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 0
From: Nor-Cal
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
http://www.deutschconnector.com/ They sell the connectors you'll need here at a deep discount.Then just find a good auto parts store that carries different wire since some are multiple color codes.I got all the wires from a Napa store.It cost about twenty bucks instead of the approx 80 for the novello kits.I used shrink tube on each connection and then wrapped the hole harness in electrical tape ,then shrink tube.A little over kill but it is rock solid and prevents any chaffing of the wires while feeding them through the bars or from vibration down the road.Last thing you want to be doing is chasing down a short, in the dark, a couple hundred miles from home . PS you don't need the two hundred dollar tool to crimp the ends.A standard crimping tool will work.You just need to take your time and crimp one side of the fitting end then roll the other side over and crimp them together.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 3
From: Sydney, Australia
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
Hope your bike ain't an 07. We started doing it the other week and gave up and put the bike back together and I booked it in at the stealer. The factory plugs seem to need some specialised tool to extract the wire from the plastic plug bit and of the two we tried, one worked and we stuffed the other and had to hot glue gun it back in 
If you are not REALLY competant with electrical (and I am someone who has installed all my friends car alarms, in car stero and dvd, lowjack devices and central locking...and STILL couldn't) then I would get the dealer to do it.
Would have been easier just to cut and re-solder the wires back together and we were almost about to do that but I didn't wanna do that to a 8 month old bike... (sh*t , has it been 8 months already?!?!?)...
DeanO
If you are not REALLY competant with electrical (and I am someone who has installed all my friends car alarms, in car stero and dvd, lowjack devices and central locking...and STILL couldn't) then I would get the dealer to do it.Would have been easier just to cut and re-solder the wires back together and we were almost about to do that but I didn't wanna do that to a 8 month old bike... (sh*t , has it been 8 months already?!?!?)...
DeanO
ORIGINAL: JimmyR
Hi gurus
I'm changing a heap of stuff on my Fatboy, including the bars. So I've drilled the holes in the new bars to put the wiring in, and obviously I'll have to cut the connection plugs off the wires. So how does this work? Do you buy some new plugs that can be easily wired? How do you guys do it??
Thanks!
Hi gurus
I'm changing a heap of stuff on my Fatboy, including the bars. So I've drilled the holes in the new bars to put the wiring in, and obviously I'll have to cut the connection plugs off the wires. So how does this work? Do you buy some new plugs that can be easily wired? How do you guys do it??
Thanks!
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Banned
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 0
From: Nor-Cal
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
Dmac all you need is a small flat tip screwdriver(like the kind used to fix eyeglasses) . When you get the orangewedge fitting off the end of the connector you have to pry up the little tang inside the housing and the wire will pull out easily.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
RE: Wiring inside your handlebars
You should not have to cut anything. Your wiring harness will pull up from the back of the frame as there is a loop of wire pulled up and wrapped back there just for this reason. Pull the plug from the inside front of your rear fender. Reach in, clip the zip ties holding the loop, and while someone is pulling the harness at the front access hole, feed it to them into the bottom of the backbone of your frame where the wires go into the frame. It is work though. The pins on the connectors will come out using a fine wire pick. Make sure you write on the block which color goes where so you get it back together correctly. Better not to cut because every joint made up is a potential for failure while your on the road. Soft copper wire from stripped #12 romex works great for feeding wires through handlebars too. Did my changeover, with help, in about 3 hours.