Simplifying the Harley-Davidson Electrical System: Eliminating Problems

Life seems increasingly complicated. We generally complicate it ourselves, induced by the established "system," which tries to convince us that we need more to be happy.
If we stop to think for a moment, we suddenly come to the conclusion that less is more, and this is something we can apply to every aspect of our lives. And on our motorcycles too.

Electricity, magic and voodoo
The electrical system of any motorized vehicle is one of the most unknown and feared aspects, both for DIY enthusiasts and even for experienced mechanics. There's a reason for this: humans, by nature, fear what they can't see or understand. But we're in the 21st century, and we should break this myth. Electricity is very precise; we can control it and even visualize (measure) it with the right instruments and knowledge.
I'm not going to base this article on a lecture about electrons and potential differences (we'll talk about that another time). It's enough to understand that electricity "travels" through conductive wires just like water through pipes, so it's essential that these pipes are in good condition to prevent leaks. The connections of any electrical system are its weak point, and if they're in good condition, everything will work properly.

Simplifying our lives
Imagine if you could tear out all the wiring from your motorcycle and build an electrical system yourself from scratch, with just a few wires. This system would be able to power the engine and essential lights, and since you built it yourself (and it's simple), it would allow you to diagnose any fault very quickly and easily.
Do you like the idea? Let's put it into practice.

From scratch
Before we begin, I remind you again that it is vitally important to pay attention to the connections; they must be made conscientiously, without rushing.
We assume that the motorcycle does not have any cables and works with a carburetor (electronic injection requires a lot of wiring).
The chassis is a “fat” cable: Every time you see this symbol:

Indicates that the cable is connected to the negative terminal of the battery. If we connect the negative battery cable directly to the chassis, we're making it part of the electrical system, and all electricity will return through it, saving us all the return cables!

We start with the ignition key, which has 3 positions: all off, all on, and all on + lights.

We continue with the lighthouse.

Next we wire the rear light.

The next step is the horn.

Then the ignition.

We continue with the starter motor.

And we finish the work with the charging system.

Ending
It should be noted that these diagrams are guidelines and may vary depending on the components, but they have been used for several decades until today in choppers around the world, facilitating diagnosis and maintenance, simplifying our passion for 2 wheels.
Diagrams are also useful for understanding how different electrical circuits work, as they allow us to isolate the connections of each component and understand how they work. Minimalism in its purest form.

Frank Burguera

#harleymechanics