Looks so simple. What could possibly go wrong...
In a certain sense it was actually pretty much plug A back into A, B into B and so on. Some things need to get extended since the harness isn't going to be buried inside the engine bay now as much as before (probably all under the tank), but overall it seemed pretty straightforward.
And was really cool to see the lights come on, the turn signals, the neutral light... all up until that moment. That key step. I was staring her down, watching it. That starter button. And she was staring me down, too. A staring contest. Yep. And she won.
Dunno why then and still don't know yet why the starter isn't, well, starting. The relay clicks when I move the "run" button back and forth, so that part's as it should be. (I'm assuming) I had the tank off the bike but that should have any bearing on the electrical connections. I knew it wouldn't run without gas, but should at least make noise like it wants to run. I've been making noises about wanting to run for a long time now.
So, if there's one thing I've gotten in a habit of doing with this build, it's this; stop. Stop trying to figure something out and take a break. Step back. Go get a beer for cryin' out loud. So, after returning a few minutes later with said beer in had, grab a stool and just look at it. Trace the wires. use your head. And since I don't have years of mechanical engineering and/or electrical experience to draw upon the 'whys' and 'hows' things are the way they are, I try and use the common sense approach. Namely, if there is an unused bolt or screw sitting on the ground, something is going to eventually fall off.
[ Odd that I can't put that same common sense approach to other things in my life. But that's another blog for that stuff. I promised to keep it clean here. ]
It was at this point that I thought it would be helpful to plug the original instrument cluster in quickly just to check connections and confirm things. The next step will be to replicate those connections and wires with the new speedo and tachometer and lights, etc. So I have that part of this wiring scheme I can do, since I can't imagine these connections are wrong; they are working. And if I've learned anything about electricity on a bike, it's either working or not. It doesn't sorta work.
It's also sort of funny that, so far today anyway, the best advice I've received for correcting this starter issue (assuming it's all connected as it should be) is this- hit it with a hammer. That sometimes the solenoid will stick when it's been sitting for a while unused.
And that's a repair trick I can get behind.
So, get the starter starting, fill up the tank with some fresh gas and get to idle. That part is obviously the big part. Wiring up the headlight, signals, brake lights, instrument lights- all those will be fun and productive and exciting. Finally. Will feel like getting a new shirt or something. Something fresh and new. And working.
Working. That part is really key now.
And I've got 6 days left to solve it...
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