Battery cables snipped

[jack ronner]

Finally found my stolen, uninsured, RT. I almost paid the tell-tale parking ticket automatically, but didn't recall getting it and knew I'd never parked in that part of town.  So I confirmed that the listed license plate was my stolen bike's and found it abandoned on the street (for two months!) 


The twit (who'd stolen my key),or some opportunist after it was abandoned, stole my soft bags and contents and my trunk - but left a $300 after-market windshield and my seats. Yet, for some reason, decided to steal my battery and couldn't deal with unscrewing the post bolts but rather cut all the cables and wires.  It appears that the cables don't conveniently join the harness through a connector, and that I'll have to scavenge the cut battery ends and try to join then up to the harness ends.  Is this the case?  It's almost not worth my time since, because of an accident prior to the theft, the other party's insurance may declare it a total.  Didn't the arsehole know how to use a wrench? 

[dirtrider]

11 hours ago, jack ronner said:

Finally found my stolen, uninsured, RT. I almost paid the tell-tale parking ticket automatically, but didn't recall getting it and knew I'd never parked in that part of town.  So I confirmed that the listed license plate was my stolen bike's and found it abandoned on the street (for two months!) 


The twit (who'd stolen my key),or some opportunist after it was abandoned, stole my soft bags and contents and my trunk - but left a $300 after-market windshield and my seats. Yet, for some reason, decided to steal my battery and couldn't deal with unscrewing the post bolts but rather cut all the cables and wires.  It appears that the cables don't conveniently join the harness through a connector, and that I'll have to scavenge the cut battery ends and try to join then up to the harness ends.  Is this the case?  It's almost not worth my time since, because of an accident prior to the theft, the other party's insurance may declare it a total.  Didn't the arsehole know how to use a wrench? 

 

Morning Jack

 

That is too bad as it makes a lot of work for you. 

 

You have some options from installing new cables to repairing yours.  Or, repair the ground cable & replace the (+) cable,  the (+) cable is easier to replace.

 

I have made longer battery cables, or spliced battery cables, on occasion but without a proper (large) crimping tool it is  not a secure repair.

 

I presume you have a 1200 hexhead bike (you posted in the hexhead forum?) If so then your battery cables are, I believe, 10mm.

 

The easy way to make a repair  would be to buy some short automotive (10.0mm) battery cables with eye rings on one end. Buy a red (+) & a black (-) cable. Then find some 10.0mm copper butt connectors (I usually make my own from short pieces of copper tubing). If you make your own then drill a small hole through one side of  the copper tube at about mid center (so you can get solder to flow in from the center) 

 

Then slide some (sealer type) thick heat shrink tubbing on the long part of the cut battery cables as well as over the cut smaller wires (keep the proper smaller wire polarity correct with the large cables).

 

Then strip back the outer insulation for about 1/2 the length of your large butt connector. Then do the same with smaller wires. 

 

Next cut the automotive cables to proper length from the eye ring end, then strip back the insulation of the automotive cables to about 1/2 the length of your large butt connectors. 

 

Next slide the original (stripped back)  cut battery cable, as well as the smaller wires, into one side of your large butt connector then slide the stripped back automotive cable into the other end of your large butt connector. Now you need the proper LARGE crimper tool to crimp the butt connector tight to the cables (do not rely on ONLY solder to make a proper connection)

 

Once both sides of the large butt connector is crimped then you need to solder the cables/wires in the butt connector (make sure that the heat shrink is a l-o-n-g ways from the solder joint or it will shrink to the cables in the wrong location from soldering heat.

 

Then slide the pre-installed  heat shrink over the (cooled) joint then use heat to shrink it in place.

 

Or, if there is an automotive electric business in your area they can probably do the above for you. 

 

 

[dirtrider]

3 hours ago, jack ronner said:

Finally found my stolen, uninsured, RT. I almost paid the tell-tale parking ticket automatically, but didn't recall getting it and knew I'd never parked in that part of town.  So I confirmed that the listed license plate was my stolen bike's and found it abandoned on the street (for two months!) 


The twit (who'd stolen my key),or some opportunist after it was abandoned, stole my soft bags and contents and my trunk - but left a $300 after-market windshield and my seats. Yet, for some reason, decided to steal my battery and couldn't deal with unscrewing the post bolts but rather cut all the cables and wires.  It appears that the cables don't conveniently join the harness through a connector, and that I'll have to scavenge the cut battery ends and try to join then up to the harness ends.  Is this the case?  It's almost not worth my time since, because of an accident prior to the theft, the other party's insurance may declare it a total.  Didn't the arsehole know how to use a wrench? 

 

More___

 

You can also buy a battery cable splice kit like pictured below, (check Amazon) if you have access to Amazon where you live. 

 

 

[jack ronner]

Gee, O Oracular One, couldn't you have been a bit more specific?  And perhaps you could help me with my taxes?  Wow.  You even made it idiot-proof for me, and with DIAGRAMS!!  

Much appreciated.  One clarification, tho':  you mentioned replacing the cable. Does this mean that they are individually replaceable without having to tear out the whole harness?  They appear to merge into the wrapped bundle of the harness, and not end in a convenient plug connector after a short distance.  In any event, thanks for the reply which exceeded all expectations.

[dirtrider]

14 minutes ago, jack ronner said:

 One clarification, tho':  you mentioned replacing the cable. Does this mean that they are individually replaceable without having to tear out the whole harness?  They appear to merge into the wrapped bundle of the harness, and not end in a convenient plug connector after a short distance.  In any event, thanks for the reply which exceeded all expectations.

 

Afternoon Jack 

 

(exactly) what year & model are you working with?

[jack ronner]

Sorry;  it's a 2005 RT.  On another forum I belong to, I persuaded the administrators to include under the name and stats box your year and model.  Maybe I'll do the same here.

 

I see you're from Ohio.  Last summer I did a 10,000 mile circuit of the lower 48 and up to Quebec.  One of my goals was to hit W.  Virginia, Maine and N. Dakota.  That would have completed the full set of all lower 48 states on the bike.  Only later did I realize that I haven't visited Ohio on the bike!!  In '72, on my emigration to California, my Bonneville broke down 12 miles short of Ohio, and I turned around and went back home rather than risk getting stranded again (I had it shipped by air for free since I'd worked for an air freight company for a year after college).  I'll have to remedy that omission one of these years.

 

BTW, have you noticed that there are no obviously long distance, laden to the gunnels, tourers that don't have mostly gray hair on the roads these days?  Especially BMW riders (tho' I guess you have to be older to afford one nowadays).  And, if you have any problems with lower back issues, or if you have problems flat-footing the RT as I do, I have some low-ech mods that could help if you're interested.   Thanks again.

[dirtrider]

21 minutes ago, jack ronner said:

Sorry;  it's a 2005 RT.  

 

Afternoon Jack

 

On your 2005 1200 RT the positive battery cable is incorporated into the main wire harness  (but it doesn't need to stay there).

 

You can just cut you old  cable off where it enters & exits the wire harness then run a new one along the outside of the harness using a few zip ties to hold it there.

 

You can buy different length battery cables with ring terminals on each end (or have a local welding shop build you one to your specific length). 

 

You will need to accurately measure the length that you need. Probably use a piece of non stretching rope or a piece of thin rubber hose to route along where you need it to run then measure that. 

 

 

[lkraus]

55 minutes ago, jack ronner said:

Sorry;  it's a 2005 RT.  On another forum I belong to, I persuaded the administrators to include under the name and stats box your year and model.  Maybe I'll do the same here...

 

I don't think the new forum software allows that, but we work around that by adding signatures to our posts.  In the upper right hand corner, click the downward pointing arrow next to your user name, select Account Settings, and then Signature.  You can create your own signature from there.  It's helpful if it includes your general location and year/model of your bike(s).  Make sure View Signatures? is turned on.   Signatures do not appear if the browser window is too narrow or on a phone.