Wiring on a VTX 1800C/ motortrike kit?

[Chumbly]

I've been trying to install a wiring harness for a trailer on my 2002 VTX1800C/motortrike. In the process, the wiring to the trike (rear lights,etc.) got disconnected. Does anybody out there have the same kit/trike, and if they do, can you tell me, which color wires hook up to what?

 

[Luxo2r]

This is for a Champion kit but it shows the colors from the bike and with a meter you should be able to figure out the rest. Good luck

Al B

Installation Instructions

 

[Chumbly]

No such luck, LUXO... can't seem to find the ground (negative) wire on the kit add-on. So, I guess there are no 1800 vtx's out there with a motortrike kit on it? Also trying to figure out how to hook up trailer lights to this setup, as the LED's on the trike body (clearance), also flash with the signals, due to the five into four cross over plugs...(the trikes have five wires, and the trailers all have four wire lights), and I can't seem to find any five wire lights out there. I'm no slouch in the vehicle wiring department, but no idea what others with this problem are doing, and getting totally frustrated by this.

 

[THEREALTRIKKY]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Chumbly</strong>
<a href="showthread.php?p=168594#post168594" rel="nofollow"><img class="inlineimg" src="images/buttons/viewpost-right.png" alt="View Post" /></a>
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<div class="message">No such luck, LUXO... can't seem to find the ground (negative) wire on the kit add-on. So, I guess there are no 1800 vtx's out there with a motortrike kit on it? Also trying to figure out how to hook up trailer lights to this setup, as the LED's on the trike body (clearance), also flash with the signals, due to the five into four cross over plugs...(the trikes have five wires, and the trailers all have four wire lights), and I can't seem to find any five wire lights out there. I'm no slouch in the vehicle wiring department, but no idea what others with this problem are doing, and getting totally frustrated by this.</div>

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You have 2 separate "concerns" it seems.. The first being the trike kit, and wiring for it... From what I've seen and worked on, they follow Honda wiring code which is "backwards" from about every motorcycle out there (Honda uses green for the ground wire and black or brown for running lights). <br />
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As far as your trailer lights go.. You CAN NOT make a 5 wire system into a 4 wire without a converter box. You can buy a converter box from about any auto parts store, trailer shop, or even wal mart..

The converter box does essentially the same thing as a "run turn module" for the most part. These converters range anywhere from $30 - $100 depending on how many features you want it to have. <br />
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As a side note, I'd strongly recommend you run an in line fuse IN the trailer harness on the motorcycle side. This way, if you develop a short of problem with wiring, it will blow this fuse and leave the tail lights operational on the motorcycle instead of killing all of your lights on the back!<br />
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Hope that helps!

 

[Smoken'JOE]

The black/brown are the turns with another wire going to each side. Tie those together and you have a four wire plug.

 

[Luxo2r]

You can go right to the battery for the ground or a good frame location and get a trailer. Isolator, will take you from 5 wire to 4 wire for your trailer lights and gets the electrical hookup off the bike harness. Feel free to call me at 843 568 8195 if this doesn't make sense. I'll be converting a VTX 1800 to a trike in about a month.

 

[Luxo2r]

I would not use a foriegn car converter alone. it can put a strain on the bike wire harness and blow fuses or relays within the bikes harness. use in conjunction a wire harness trailer isolator, it will save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Something like this...<br />
<a href="http://www.motorcyclepartsmegastore.com/isolator-trailer-wire-harness-u-w-wiring-trailer-lights-simplifies-wireing-trailer.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=CNmaq6nn0LcCFWrl7AodCWgA6g" target="_blank">Isolator Trailer Wire Harness U/W Wiring Trailer Lights Simplifies Wireing Trailer</a>

 

[Chumbly]

Thanks...I just got back from holidays and will get into it again. Just want to add that I've already bought an isolating harness (I believe)from Kuryakyn, and it didn't work. It appeared like the current was still crossing over and screwing up my LED's... so I unplugged everything thinking I could figure it out, forgetting that the LED's don't ground onto the frame. The rest is history.<img src="images/smilies/gah.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Gah" class="inlineimg" />

 

[Chumbly]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>THEREALTRIKKY</strong>
<a href="showthread.php?p=168595#post168595" rel="nofollow"><img class="inlineimg" src="images/buttons/viewpost-right.png" alt="View Post" /></a>
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<div class="message">You have 2 separate "concerns" it seems.. The first being the trike kit, and wiring for it... From what I've seen and worked on, they follow Honda wiring code which is "backwards" from about every motorcycle out there (Honda uses green for the ground wire and black or brown for running lights). <br />
<br />
As far as your trailer lights go.. You CAN NOT make a 5 wire system into a 4 wire without a converter box. You can buy a converter box from about any auto parts store, trailer shop, or even wal mart.. The converter box does essentially the same thing as a "run turn module" for the most part. These converters range anywhere from $30 - $100 depending on how many features you want it to have. <br />
<br />
As a side note, I'd strongly recommend you run an in line fuse IN the trailer harness on the motorcycle side. This way, if you develop a short of problem with wiring, it will blow this fuse and leave the tail lights operational on the motorcycle instead of killing all of your lights on the back!<br />
<br />
Hope that helps!</div>

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</div>So, are you saying that the trike kit (motortrike) would be black=ground?

I can still figure out the bike wiring.<img src="images/smilies/shrug.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Shrug" class="inlineimg" />

 

[THEREALTRIKKY]

No, I'm saying they follow Honda wire color code, which would be green as ground.. BUT, in ANY wiring situation, ESPECIALLY if you're not sure of what wire does what, the best thing i've found, is to work one section at a time, so in the case of your tail lights, you'd unplug EVERY light on the back of the bike, and do them one at a time to eliminate any crossed signals due to other lights/wires. Also, a multimeter (or test light if you don't have a multimeter) can be your best friend. This gives you the ability to verify the installer connected the lights/wires correctly by testing them one by one, and making a note of what color does what if need be. <br />
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Once you have the first light figured out, do the same thing for the other lights. If you've been "fighting" a problem this long, take the extra few minutes and check every light this way on the back; don't assume they are all correctly, ESPECIALLY if someone has added extra lights.