Losing my inspiration on my bike

[Scorpio1963]

As most of you my bike has been plague by a series of electrical issues that started this spring and still continues.After $100 in parts rewiring,breaking wires and connectors Im at my wits end.I have taken all the help and advice from all you forum members who have contributed which I definately appreciate and still it sits.Im stuck inbetween a rock and hard place,cant afford another bike but Im sick of wasting $ and time on the head ache.I have taken time away and stepped back then went back and tried more testing which isn't getting me no where.Im too the point Im just sick of it!The dam thing ran great last year then this year the plague hit.WTF!I figure my riding season is null for this year so I cancelled my insurance said fuck it Im not bothering renewing the tag either.So I need a some advice what to do?What would you guys do your opinion means a lot.Would you say screw it part it out or just step back and let it sit till I feel motivated again or what?

 

[Sesty]

Riding season is just getting going!

For me i have a hard time selling things and would keep it even if it was to just give it dirty looks from time to time.

Id say stick it out, it will be worth it when it comes together and you get it running reliably again! Take a break from it, burn a picture of it, or go behind 7-11 and break some bottles, maybe dig a hole and burn some wood.

pick up a new project bike off CraigsList and prod at that for a bit.

HANG IN THERE

 

[Scorpio1963]

I already have another project guess what it has electrical issues also.not as bad as the bike its just I cant find the information I need to know where to hook them at?Then about 100ft of vacume line to figure out where to route.

 

[Sesty]

 

[xschris]

Sometimes you have to pay to play. Get a new harness or make a new one. If your back won't let you kick, it maybe a better idea not to have an old bike that will require a lot of time to keep up and fix. If you only have a few hundred in it I would not worry I have a lot more than that in one of my mopeds It costs a fair amount to have a bike that all you need to do is put gas in it and go. Either find a better xs or look for a better bike

 

[Scorpio1963]

Im actualy think of making it kick only but first Im going to try and make just a basic harness for getting it running
Chris do you have a wiring schematic for your 80?
@Sesty if it wouldn't hurt so much your image is dang good description of how much frustration I feel about my bike.

 

[xschris]

Mine is just a cut down stock harness. These posts should have been in your other electrical help thread No need for all the new threads but same issue/questions.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Ok will you if you can post a picture to the best of your ability even if its drawn schematic just some kind starting point for me and post it in my ignition thread?Thanks

 

[Lou Ranger]

I can't imagine what the frustration must be like. It would be one thing to be say 10 hrs away from it running, with a known quantity of work ahead of you.
Not knowing would be discouraging. I can feel that pain.

I have 2 thoughts. It is surprising how many dollars are in a bike if you literally are prepared to take it all apart and sell each piece on e-bay or even this Forum. However it would be a lot of work. The advantage is, you can quantify how much work, and then actually get to there.

If you were able to get a decent total after all that work (could all the parts from an xs400, sold individually get you 6 or 700?), then it might not take much, if anything to get a bike that runs well enough to simply enjoy riding for a while.
I paid a bit more than average (< $1,000 cdn) for a Maxim with new everything - and it ran for 2 years and over 15,000 kms on gas, oil changes and a new chain (if you don't count the owner-inflicted maintenance opportunities).

2nd thought is to take one of these diagrams, add turning lights, and try to reconstruct. I would personally be afraid to try this as I simply don't understand it.
However, you have more skill and understanding when it comes to electrical.

I hope one way or the other clicks for you. Minnesota's leaking lakes willing, we have 4 months of great riding weather ahead and it's just too nice to not be doing it.

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?p=96240#post96240
.

 

[Lou Ranger]

@ Scorpio - Not quite as nice as mine was when I first got it, but your U.S. $$ could bring it home for less than half -

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-street-cruis...ts/1000184869?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

 

[xschris]

Ok will you if you can post a picture to the best of your ability even if its drawn schematic just some kind starting point for me and post it in my ignition thread?Thanks

There are pics in my photo album of the wiring under the seat. I don't have any diagrams of what I did as it was a cut as you go job It was almost three years when I started it and can't remember all of it. This is an 80 and won't have all the relays your bike has. Like I said it is just a cut down stock harness. All I did was shorten up wires and removed the stock battery/box for a smaller one. I am no electrical guru by any means Just went bit by bit. Here is a question, did you install the diode in the correct direction?

 

[Scorpio1963]

As for the diode yes theres only one way it can be plugged in..I have a week or so to step back from the bike and think a while about it.Im having another nerve burning procedure,in my back today.I`ll be quite sore a while but the relief from the pain it brings is worth it..As for frustration its more like aggravation at this point.I had such high hopes for riding this year but now Im hopeless about riding.If I even get it fixed I have approximately 2-3 months if we`re lucky to put up and down the roads.Mostly everyones opinions are positive so I guess I wont give up just yet.From speaking with people who part their bikes out IDK which would be more of a pain diaasembling and packaging the parts for people or just dealing with the problems I have and try and fix it.I guess this is somebodys way of getting me to try and finish another project Ive been working on for 4 years.

 

[faze]

You can do it. Don't give up. There is still plenty of time to ride!

 

[rugbywarrior89]

If you put it away for the winter now, it gives you a nice long time to do a complete rewire. I always found that the troubleshooting was the frustrating part. If you did the complete rewire, there would be nothing to troubleshoot. Although rewiring is the tedious monotonous part (which is why it terrifies me). I would say let it be for a while and start planning. I would hate for another xs400 to be off the road. Good Luck

 

[Scorpio1963]

To build a harness from scratch doesn't scare me Its just something I don't think I have the confidence to do unless I had a duplicate right next to me.Seems like everything I try checking or messing with breaks.Also your talking about cutting and splicing a lot of wires together to make a complete brand new harness.Wiring isn't my gig,mechanical things come much easier for me.I could try and save up $ and see if I can get somebody to do it for me.IDK yet.Its difficult knowing I had a bike that ran perfect last year now this year its one wiring problem after another.Then I see other people riding while my bike is broke down in the garage.

 

[Lou Ranger]

To build a harness from scratch doesn't scare me Its just something I don't think I have the confidence to do unless I had a duplicate right next to me ...

You may have already seen this new posting (http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13073), however, I was particularly taken with this one gadget which, if affordable, would allow you to bolt it in and then simply run a simple, single wire out to each thing which needs power. You wouldn't need a sample plate of working spaghetti in front of you - just a long spool of wire and some connectors or a soldering iron and shrink tubing.

"The m-Unit is a self contained, programmable, and well-labeled electrical heart for the wiring system. It uses electronic circuit breakers, making fuses obsolete. Just hook it up to your battery then run wires out to every electrical component on the bike"

 

[Requiem]

That thing does look great, but I wonder if it's actually worth it... If you can't get the electronics to work otherwise it might not be waste of money... On the other hand the tutorial you just linked does make it sounds easy to build an entirely new harnass

 

[Scorpio1963]

I dont believe I actualy need that component to fix my bike although it does need to be rewired.Probaly something I`ll do over the winter.
As of lately my ethusasm for working on my bike has been null.With the news of finding out our cat has cancer and me having have to shove tubes of medicine down her throat every 6 hours or so stressing her out and watching her wither away has been quite depressing.My head is buried in a slump and for now its been difficuly for me to get motivated to do much of anything.

 

[motoTrooper]

Sorry to hear about your sick furry girl. I understand how you wouldn't be motivated to deal with wiring even in the best of circumstances. There was a bit of inspiring advice on the topic of wiring on bikeexif.com. Here's the link:

http://www.bikeexif.com/motorcycle-wiring

Best thoughts for you and your kitty.

 

[faze]

Hey Scorp, wrenching on your bike might be just the thing to deal with your kitty situation. Sorry to hear she is sick. I know fiddling with my XS helps me deal with the daily stress. I'm not even close to the point of sorting out the wiring! Life will kick you around sometimes, but a good ride will heal your soul. Stay focused on the mental image of you firing her up and pulling out of your driveway, and you'll get it done!