While looking for problems with my radio cutting out I came across this, It looks like a ground wire that is unprotected. It comes from one of the gray sleaves that come from the rear of the bike and is spliced into a couple of black wires that run to the right side plug of the radio.

Is this normal looking ?

 

Nope!

 

Is it the bare wire coming from the grey wiring loom?

If so it's a shielding wire and they are not covered.

 

Yes, it is coming from the gray wiring loom.
Many Thanks for the quick replies.

 

I don't think that's factory.

 

Used bike ?

 

That wire got hot at some point and burned off the insulation ? That's what it looks like to me. Lose ground somewhere, is what I'd be looking for.

 

Normally, a shield wire is grounded at one end and sometimes both ends, to protect the signal within.

Can you ground other wires to it? Yes, but you really shouldn't. For several reasons.

First, running current through the shielding can defeat the protection of the shielding. Shielding should be quiet electrically in order to work. The running current isn't quiet.

Second a shielding wire is not designed or rated to handle current. Oh, you can get away with it. But it's kinda like wrapping a blown fuse with aluminum foil and calling it fixed.

Were it my bike, I would replace all that with a proper ground wire and splice the black ground wires to that ground point. I would also check to see if that grey shield wire needs to be regrounded at the cut end, and do so if called for.

 

Depending on the function, some shields are grounded at both ends, some are grounded at only one end, and some float or are internal ground loops...if it is not connected to anything then you do not want to ground it, leave it alone, just like it is. The last thing you want to do is troubleshoot a bad ground loop...serious PITA

 

Yes, It is a used bike.