Dark Spark Plugs and Accessory Connections?

Greetings!
I just picked up an '07 ST1300 yesterday and I'll be tearing into it tomorrow for some fluid changing and to give her a general 'once over'. I'm riding her from Prescott, AZ to El Paso, TX on Wednesday morning. Heck of a way to introduce yourself to a new bike, eh?
Here's the base info: '07 ST13 with 10K miles on the clock and bone-stock.
First the plugs - Original owner changed spark plugs and the ones pulled out were really dark and somewhat sooty. I expected to see them nearly white, like most stock and modern bikes. I'll check the air filter tomorrow to see if any critters built a nest in there. The bike did come from Farmington, NM (5,000' + or -) but still, the FI should have adjusted for that. Is this a common thing?
Most bikes have a couple of places to tap into the harness to power up your electrical farkles but I'm looking at the OEM wiring diagram and I'm not seeing any. Are there any or should I just go to the battery? Need to set up my GPS and radar detector before the trip on Wed.
All the best,
Weazel

Re: FNG With Questions - Dark Spark Plugs and Accessory Connections?

The 1300 does have a place to pick power off, its on the left side low down . You can get a harness called a quartet harness.

As for the plugs, they could have been cleaned and refitted. 10K miles is nothing, my 1100 has had the same plugs for about 100k miles, and are still good. The modern unleaded fuels dont change the colour of the plugs thes days (except to black) the bike probably needs a good run to clean the cobwebs out.

Most of us use a fuze block to power accesories from but to get you home you can certainly tap right off the battery.

Re: FNG With Questions - Dark Spark Plugs and Accessory Connections?

Avtrician said:

The 1300 does have a place to pick power off, its on the left side low down . You can get a harness called a quartet harness.

Click to expand...

Yes it's a good place for power BUT, be careful... the wires are NOT of a proper gauge for high current items. No problem with a GPS.
The OEM cigar outlet had a 2-3a fuse off of the quartet harness.
As mentioned, many use a fuse block right off the battery or direct wire.

If I am not mistaken if the bike has Honda accessory heated grips and/or the Honda power outlet then it most likely has the Honda accessory quartet harness installed under the left middle cowl. This is the largest piece of fairing plastic on the left side of the bike. This is a Honda option and no dealer is likely to have it in stock if you need one today for the installation of the GPS and detector.

I think the easiest quickest way to get going on the trip is to direct wire off the battery, fused at the battery of course, and run power up to the two items. If you prefer switched power it can be tapped off a red/white wire coming out of the OEM fuse box labeled ACC. The fuse boxes are on the left side of the bike under the seat and left side cover shaped like a triangle. Two 8 mm bolts at the front then the gas tank lifts at a hinge at the rear after the tank is slid back into the "maintenance position" on the seat height adjuster. The wires can be run under the tank between the airbox and the frame.

This can be a hot bike and in hot weather tennis or running shoes can't stave off the heat that may come off the lower part of the engine through the fairing openings. I mention this only if you didn't plan on wearing boots on the ride home.

Thanx for the input, guys. I'll do a little checking and see if I can't find the plug on the left side. As for the spark plugs, I'll pull one and see what it looks like. I'm not sure when the spark plugs were changed, I just know that the ones that were in the glove box were damn near fouled.
Thanx again.
Weazel