New 1995 ST1100 Project Wiring Issues

[andrew24]

Hello all!
Picked up this Honda St1100 and here with the question of what electric systems can be bypassed as I had purchased this ride without headlights and there seems to be a few missing connections as seen in these photos.
Ordered a manual and wanted to get some insight while it's on the way as am charging battery for another attempt at getting the starter going.
In neutral gear, I attempted to start the engine with nothing at all but a fast click sound. I see Demo engines running on YouTube without wiring harness and am looking to see if I can do similar, like no headlights or turn signals, no dash, no break lights, Just for the reason of getting running and maybe bobber it out and just make stand alone systems for the rest even if so it be ghetto, sounds worst that it might be... Any help please

 

[Uncle Phil]

Either the Clymer Manual or the Haynes Manual has color coded wiring diagrams in their ST1100 versions.
That will help you a lot in getting it sorted.

 

[kiltman]

I suggest checking the main relay. It’s on the left side of the bike just above the footpeg, usually there’s a spare green 30 amp fuse in a holder on the rubber cap. Remove the cap to expose the red connector. Open the red connector and check to see if the connector is melted at the terminals. Then check the 6 wire white connector to the voltage regulator/rectifier. Pull it apart and see if it has issues,
Spray WD40 or contact cleaner into the stop switch, and rock the switch a few times, do the same with the highbeam switch on the left.
Check your battery terminals, to make sure they are tight,
Check the main ground on the loom, it is most likely bolted to the frame via the grab handle on the left side of the bike or it may be attached to the pannier rail behind the grab handle.

 

[andrew24]

Hello all!
Picked up this Honda St1100 and here with the question of what electric systems can be bypassed as I had purchased this ride without headlights and there seems to be a few missing connections as seen in these photos.
Ordered a manual and wanted to get some insight while it's on the way as am charging battery for another attempt at getting the starter going.
In neutral gear, I attempted to start the engine with nothing at all but a fast click sound. I see Demo engines running on YouTube without wiring harness and am looking to see if I can do similar, like no headlights or turn signals, no dash, no break lights, Just for the reason of getting running and maybe bobber it out and just make stand alone systems for the rest even if so it be ghetto, sounds worst that it might be... Any help ple

I suggest checking the main relay. It’s on the left side of the bike just above the footpeg, usually there’s a spare green 30 amp fuse in a holder on the rubber cap. Remove the cap to expose the red connector. Open the red connector and check to see if the connector is melted at the terminals. Then check the 6 wire white connector to the voltage regulator/rectifier. Pull it apart and see if it has issues,
Spray WD40 or contact cleaner into the stop switch, and rock the switch a few times, do the same with the highbeam switch on the left.
Check your battery terminals, to make sure they are tight,
Check the main ground on the loom, it is most likely bolted to the frame via the grab handle on the left side of the bike or it may be attached to the pannier rail behind the grab handle.

Ok I'm seeing a lot of videos with people got burned out that main relay to where they bypass it "red wire bypassing" on the YouTube and Facebook comments, completely new to this ride.
It has no lights other then dash glow MAYBE (cause nothing turns on) and rear light, just got the battery fully charged up and I'll see about that one in the morning when I get back at it.

 

[andrew24]

Ok I'm seeing a lot of videos with people got burned out that main relay to where they bypass it "red wire bypassing" on the YouTube and Facebook comments, completely new to this ride.
It has no lights other then dash glow MAYBE (cause nothing turns on) and rear light, just got the battery fully charged up and I'll see about that one in the morning when I get back at it.

Also do any of you know if there is a thread in here I can get a link to with wiring? Having issues navigating this site

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Also do any of you know if there is a thread in here I can get a link to with wiring? Having issues navigating this site

See the attached. You didn't state whether it is ABS of not so I attached both.

 

[kiltman]

Ok I'm seeing a lot of videos with people got burned out that main relay to where they bypass it "red wire bypassing" on the YouTube and Facebook comments, completely new to this ride.
It has no lights other then dash glow MAYBE (cause nothing turns on) and rear light, just got the battery fully charged up and I'll see about that one in the morning when I get back at it.

At the moment I wouldn’t worry about bypassing it. Start with keeping the original wiring first, so a problem can be isolated. If the connector is burned out, you can replace the connector with female spade connectors. If the red wire in that connector is burned, splice in a replacement red wire.
In the meantime You can get H4 bulbs from an auto store and plug them into the headlight sockets to see if they light up, this will only cost you a few dollars.
If you don’t have a multimeter, then acquire one, a cheap $12 one will do for trouble shooting. Without load and just measuring the battery with no load you should read between 12volts to about 13 volts. With the key on you might see just over 11 volts, if you have less than that it will just click.
Given this is a 1995 model, there’s a good chance it still has a 28 amp oil cooled alternator. If you see oil leaking where the five wires ( 3 yellow, 1 black, 1 white) come out, or evidence of oil drips on the ground under the alternator, Let’s put a stop to this exercise right now, ‘cause if you wish to continue to have a running machine, you will need to invest in the 40 amp upgrade. That upgrade is about $500 and a weekends work over a case of 2/4.

 

[Larry Fine]

I recommend a test probe for troubleshooting. Start with checking for power at the fuses.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

See the attached. You didn't state whether it is ABS of not so I attached both.

You’re welcome.

Edit: http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?topic=3908.0

 

[Andrew Shadow]

For?

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

For?

Those are my images.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Those are my images.

You should add a signature and date line to them John- credit where credit is due.
I don't use the site that you linked to so I didn't know where they originally came from. I received them from a now deceased member of this forum.

Who is C.J. Turk? That is the only reference that I see in the corner of some of the drawings so I had no idea where they originated or who produced them.

 

[andrew24]

See the attached. You didn't state whether it is ABS of not so I attached bot it for $300 so there is no loss nor reason for it to be pretty

At the moment I wouldn’t worry about bypassing it. Start with keeping the original wiring first, so a problem can be isolated. If the connector is burned out, you can replace the connector with female spade connectors. If the red wire in that connector is burned, splice in a replacement red wire.
In the meantime You can get H4 bulbs from an auto store and plug them into the headlight sockets to see if they light up, this will only cost you a few dollars.
If you don’t have a multimeter, then acquire one, a cheap $12 one will do for trouble shooting. Without load and just measuring the battery with no load you should read between 12volts to about 13 volts. With the key on you might see just over 11 volts, if you have less than that it will just click.
Given this is a 1995 model, there’s a good chance it still has a 28 amp oil cooled alternator. If you see oil leaking where the five wires ( 3 yellow, 1 black, 1 white) come out, or evidence of oil drips on the ground under the alternator, Let’s put a stop to this exercise right now, ‘cause if you wish to continue to have a running machine, you will need to invest in the 40 amp upgrade. That upgrade is about $500 and a weekends work over a case of 2/4.

Yeah it's @#$&'d the wiring I don't know if I can bypass the lights and dash without the ignition computer knowing the voltage is off or something like that and I'll be starting the bike with a no-go from something of that type.
I want to get one of these going, I see lotta custom wiring systems on the YouTube station BikeDoctor and similar anyone know about making a stand alone system?

See the attached. You didn't state whether it is ABS of not so I attached both.

I am aiming at one of these stand-alone engine runner, you or anyone here know how to make one?

 

[Uncle Phil]

Yeah it's @#$&'d the wiring I don't know if I can bypass the lights and dash without the ignition computer knowing the voltage is off or something like that and I'll be starting the bike with a no-go from something of that type.
I want to get one of these going, I see lotta custom wiring systems on the YouTube station BikeDoctor and similar anyone know about making a stand alone system?

I am aiming at one of these stand-alone engine runner, you or anyone here know how to make one?

The ignition on the ST1100 is pretty simple - two plugs fire at a time with one being a 'wasted' fire (no compression on the cylinder).
I am not aware of any 'logic' in the ignition dealing with voltage being off - they'll run until the sparks gets too weak to burn the fuel.
Example of this is when the alternator fails and the bike is just running off the battery voltage.

BTW, I didn't see any provision for cooling the motor in the video which strikes me as bit strange.

 

[andrew24]

The ignition on the ST1100 is pretty simple - two plugs fire at a time with one being a 'wasted' fire (no compression on the cylinder).
I am not aware of any 'logic' in the ignition dealing with voltage being off - they'll run until the sparks gets too weak to burn the fuel.
Example of this is when the alternator fails and the bike is just running off the battery voltage.

BTW, I didn't see any provision for cooling the motor in the video which strikes me as bit strange.

Thanks, also I had just realized today that there are 4 black boxes as seen here on my harness for it (as well as component plugs that lead to nothing) one got sliced off for one reason or another by previous owner and need to just order a new harness.
I got that starter running and it felt like weak compression to be honest when I put my hand on the carb inlet when cranking the starter twice as powerful as one who sucking on palm of hand ... Gotta check the clearance of valves tomorrow, got my multimeter today and feeler gages tomorrow.

But yeah that wiring harness the ones one eBay, none of them have those 4 black boxes wired into the harness near the front end again one of them was removed which is where I believe the problem was, the starter solenoid looks fine, fuse fine, though am checking now with voltage reader.

 

[andrew24]

Ok it looks like the coolant temp gage or the fuel gage was sliced due to the three wires the ICM only runs to the speedometer and thermostat according to the schematics

 

[andrew24]

The ignition on the ST1100 is pretty simple - two plugs fire at a time with one being a 'wasted' fire (no compression on the cylinder).
I am not aware of any 'logic' in the ignition dealing with voltage being off - they'll run until the sparks gets too weak to burn the fuel.
Example of this is when the alternator fails and the bike is just running off the battery voltage.

BTW, I didn't see any provision for cooling the motor in the video which strikes me as bit strange.

Yeah there is some type of digital bypass if look closely though the person's who made the video say they placed two broken ST's the working parts into the demo motor for short runs or something like that. I gotta test ALL electric components and don't know where to start, thanks for all the help.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I wonder if you got an old police bike as they tend to do a lot of stuff to the wiring.
You may consider looking for a complete wiring harness on EBay as they are not usually very expensive.
You can completely remove/install the main wiring harness without disassembling the bike (done that twice).

 

[andrew24]

I wonder if you got an old police bike as they tend to do a lot of stuff to the wiring.
You may consider looking for a complete wiring harness on EBay as they are not usually very expensive.
You can completely remove/install the main wiring harness without disassembling the bike (done that twice).

Had a dead starter solinoid!
Difficult to work in a storage unit as being semi-new to restoring motorcycle.
Here's what I got going on lol just found solinoid on Amazon should have it in two days.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Hmm, I'm not aware of the ST1100 having a starter solenoid - but then I could be wrong.