1977 Kawasaki 1000 LTD Battery Question....

[dennis in se pa]

Just bought a 1977 Kawasaki 1000 LTD with 549 miles on it! No battery installed. The battery positive and negative cable leads are obvious....but there is a thin black lead coming off of an electrical device behind the left side cover that I am not sure where it goes. Being black I am guessing it goes to ground/negative side of the battery. Anyone familiar with these old bikes?

[Nostril Cheese]

Take a picture of it.

[dennis in se pa]

4 pics - all of the same wire. Thanks...

[Nostril Cheese]

And none of them clearly shows where the wire connects to..

IIRC, power on Japanese stuff is black, brown is ground. Of course I could be wrong. That does appear to be a power lead to me, perhaps going to the starter.

[Nostril Cheese]

Here you go.. Goes to the positive lead.

[dennis in se pa]

Thanks. Wonder why it is black if it goes to a positive terminal? So that wire is from the starter relay. I appreciate the help.

[LakeCleElum]

It's a Negative wire. Ohm meter is your friend. Go through the carbs and tank. It's been sitting a lot.

[dennis in se pa]

"Carbs and tank" = yes. Changing the oil today, don't want to turn it over with 37 year old oil in it. Tank and carbs next. Someone else also said it is a negative wire. Then why does that diagram show it as connected to the positive terminal?

[Nostril Cheese]

Follow the black lead already there (not the wire in question). Where does it go to? Also check the white lead. Whichever goes to the chassis ground is negative.

[Nostril Cheese]

Looking at the pictures in more detail makes me think that the lead on the left side (looking towards front of bike) goes to the starter relay (that can looking thing on the upper left of the electrical board).

[Les Paul]

Not sure what difference there is but I have a 76 900 and it doesn't have that wire.

[dennis in se pa]

Here are some more pics...
It does not appear to be a relay, but rather a point of distribution....

[dennis in se pa]

While I agree the diagram clearly indicates the wire goes to positive, all reaponses from actual owners say it goes to the negative terminal.

[Hard-Deck]

First of all Brother, nice bike!
I cannot help w/ the wire, but I an a lifelong motorcyclist and member of VJMC: Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. Check rear brake shoe...just replace, delamination will hurt or kill you. Check old chain, valve clearance, bleed front brake...all at a minimum. Have fun!

[Mrmerlin]

if you still have doubts tape the wire and leave it disconnected,
and then see what system doesnt work.

as previously suggested ,Use the ohm meter to see if it is a ground

[gordner]

It will not ring to ground even if it is a ground wire since it is disconnected at what would be the ground side. Dollars to donuts that is a positive wire meant for the positive post of the battery. My 79 Yamaha is brown for grounds and has many black positives, and many yellow. Your black seems to join with yellows, I would not ground that wire.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by gordner

It will not ring to ground even if it is a ground wire since it is disconnected at what would be the ground side. Dollars to donuts that is a positive wire meant for the positive post of the battery. My 79 Yamaha is brown for grounds and has many black positives, and many yellow. Your black seems to join with yellows, I would not ground that wire.

See thats what I was thinking, black = positive, brown = negative.

The pictures arent all that clear to me. Could you get a clearer up-close shot of the "box" the lead plugs into? I zoomed in using photoshop, but the resolution isnt that great. I'm not sure if that thing is factory or not.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Snapper33

First of all Brother, nice bike!
I cannot help w/ the wire, but I an a lifelong motorcyclist and member of VJMC: Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. Check rear brake shoe...just replace, delamination will hurt or kill you. Check old chain, valve clearance, bleed front brake...all at a minimum. Have fun!

VERY good points.

[Hard-Deck]

Oh, I forgot another safety item. With those low miles, tires are surely original, and dangerous.

[dennis in se pa]

Here is the same pic as above with an arrow pointing to the end of the wire, and a circle showing where it connects to what some are calling a rectifier. My thought s are that someone on this board has a 77-78 1000 and can just go look at this and confirm where it connects. Connecting it to the wrong side would be a mistake, and I am getting opposing responses. Yes...and all the old stuff has to go.