Swapping Handlebars - Wiring Question

I'm swapping my stock handlebars with clubmans and have a question about the wiring.

I have the controls removed from the stock bars but the wiring is still running through them. The electrical parts (not sure of proper names) that are connected to the end of the wires are too large to slip through the holes in the bars, so I just wanted to confirm that the only way to remove them is to cut the wires and then splice back again when installing on the new bars? I don't like anything to do with wiring so I wanted to make sure this was the only way before doing any cutting.

Thanks

i would not cut them, asking for trouble. i did this same swap a couple years ago. you need to take the wires out of the connector then they will pull through. there is a little tab on the end you depress and then pull out the wire. make a note of the order they are in the connector. i did not try and run them back through the clubmans though. it is easier to take a little grinder and put some notches it the control housings.

That was not one of mother Kaw's better ideas and IIRC they only did it for 2 years (77&78). While it might seem as though they won't fit through the holes trust me they will. It might help to wrap electrical tape around all the loose wires all the way to the end to prevent the connectors catching on anything as you pull them through. WD-40 sprayed on the wires helps as well. Cutting off the bullet connectors is not the answer. Patience and some cussing is.:laugh:

They'le fit. I've changed my bars on KZ650s a few times and never had to cut any wires. You have to figure out the logical way to get them through.

Post edited by: RonKZ650, at: 2007/11/20 13:06

del

Thanks guys, but I still can't figure out how it can be done. I tried the right hand side tonight (since this has the smaller circuit boards (for lack of a better term) on them. But I can't see how the larger board is going to fit through the hole. I may have to enlarge the hole a bit to get it to fit. I've attached a couple of pics to show you the electrice bits I'm refering to. I also looked at the left hand side and that is even worse. The circuit boards on that side are even way bigger than the right side.

Thanks for your help.





Post edited by: HerrDeacon, at: 2007/11/20 21:01

Those can't be pulled out, you're going the wrong direction. The way I did mine over the years I never touched the controls in your pictures at all. Pulled all the wiring out the opposite direction, from the center of the bars out each end. Then after that you could add your new bars, secure the wiring to the bars with minimal modification ala 1979 up, or drill the bars and put the wiring through the bars as was stock. Maybe pain in the ass, but looks clean and works great with a little additional effort.

LOL, ok now I see! The PO looks like he may have did some wiring and the wires coming out of the centre of the handlebars is totally wrapped in electric tape. This is why I never saw any connectors. I'll have to unwrap the electrical tape to take a look.

Thank you very much for your help, you probably saved me a lot of work and headaches.

leave the wires outside of the bars and check to make sure there are no bad places in them now, I had hell with mine until I reran the wires out side of the bars

Will definitely do that. I hate dealing with wiring so I'll make sure everything is working before final installation. I'll be leaving them outside the new bars too.

Thanks for the help.

Thanks again guys. Took a further look at it tonight and disconnected the wires on the correct end this time I got the right hand side out and the left hand about a quarter out. The left hand is quite a bit more difficult and I never had enough time to finish it.

The wiring though is quite a mess. The PO must have done a fair bit of "changes". A lot of the wire colours don't match up since he must have used some of his own wires to fix things. Lots of electrical tape used too! I may end up removing all the tape and cleaning it up a bit.

Another question. When you guys run your wires outside the bars to you wrap them in anything? The plastic cover thats over them when they are in the bars doesn't look the best and I'd like to have something a bit cleaner looking. Anything out there?

Try getting some shrink wrap, radio shack should carry it.