Anyone know of where I can learn about making custom motorcycle wiring harnesses? Like the components needed to go batteryless or how to build a simple wiring harness for just the necessary lights etc. Is there a book or good website that explains it? Descriptions that explain why are encouraged. I tried googling but didn't find anything that explained or taught.
It is probably going to be pretty specific to a particular bike. A 2 stroke dirt bike will have different needs than a Harley chopper, for example. Batteryless with a magneto? Batteryless with a capacitor and the original electrical system? What's a necessary light? The headlight only? Turn signals (depends on the state there), brake light? In Texas, all you need is a headlight and a brake light, for example. I would think that in certain New England states, you probably need a lot more than that.
Hmm, I am going to look into this book when I get a chance. I want to flip through it first, so probably not going to buy online. Also support bookstores, FTW
Hmm apparently it doesn't include any information on batteryless systems.
Like Hess said, what bike? Makes a very big difference.
I am interested in Harleys and old japanese bikes like xs650s or cb550 and cb750s. I don't have an exact bike in mind, but generally I would want headlight, brakelight, turnsignals, possibly gauges or horn. I am mainly thinking for custom bikes so simple and basic, nothing fancy.
Batteryless with a magneto? Batteryless with a capacitor and the original electrical system?
Both, I want to learn as much as I can. I don't see if it is a custom application how the base bike is going to matter too much. It can't be totally different bike to bike, can it?
Basically, unless the bike has a lawnmower like magneto, and a kick starter, you can't go batteryless. All the other ignitions require available electricity for them to function.
There are a few notions about using capaciters instead of a battery. Sounds interesting, tends not to work. The theory is if you kick the engine enough times, the spinning of the alternator while you do this will charge the capaciter. I've yet to have a bike actually start trying this.
In reply to foxtrapper:
Can't magnetos be installed to allow to go batteryless? Or am I just missing something? I might just need to start with Motorcycle Wiring for Dummies 
They make battery eliminators for nap bikes. Look up Oregon electronics. The cafe / brat / bobber guys have been using them with success. I am an electrical moron and I was able to figure it out on a old Honda twin. I was kick only and no turns/ high beams.
Too many variables for a generic one, best bet is to wait until you have the bike, know it works and is in its final stages and only then do you start to cut up the stock harness.
Do you have cable or hydraulic brakes? Can Make a difference to how the lights are triggered. Using stock switches on the bars or custom? My Honda had a two stage stator that I wired to be on high charge all the time.
Will your bike run points, one, two or four coils
You get the idea.
Good news is that just about every bike has a forum that will be able to help you. My problem was trying to narrow down the many wiring diagrams that I found online.
You can get a magneto for a Harley. At least for a big twin.
After that, wiring the bike would be really easy. There was a "three wire electrical system" chart years (uh... decades...) ago that people used to use to wire up their choppers. You might try your google-fu on that. With a magneto for the ignition system and a capacitor for the charging system in place of the battery (needed to smooth out the pulses), that would about do you. Wire to switch to headlight and tail light. Wire to brake switch to brake light. Done. And, yeah, kick start only.
One of PapaDoc's rules of Harley etiquette is "Kick start only bikes must start their bike first" when out on runs. Otherwise everyone is waiting around at idle for them to get their bikes started. Another PapaDoc rule is "It's OK to wave at a jap bike rider if they wave first."
fritzsch wrote: In reply to foxtrapper: Can't magnetos be installed to allow to go batteryless? Or am I just missing something? I might just need to start with Motorcycle Wiring for Dummies
Oh, you can be creative and make a magneto ignition to fit any engine ever created. Will it be worth your time and effort? That's a question only you can answer.
Motorcycle batteries aren't big, and you can generally run even smaller. Other segments of various electrical systems can be simplified, degree varies with the bike.
Yeah, on a kick start only bike, you can put a pretty small battery inside the wrap around oil tank. Maybe 2x3" or 3x4" by 3" tall or so. Then you don't need the magneto at all. You just need enough current to power the ignition until the motor starts. I think most people put the magnetos on their bike just for "cool" factor. And if you put a pre-65 right case to a post-65 left case (or whenever the switch was, I think '65), then you could have both an alternator and a generator and put the magneto on with dual plug heads and have both a mag and coil ignition system for single redundancy in both ignition and charging. Now that would be cool.
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