What factory electrical fixes can't wait?

[exwifeschewtoy]

I have a 2005 VFR800 non abs with 7400 miles. I am not sure about whether or not anything proactive has been done to my bike to fix any know factory related weakness that exist on my generation bike. I usually have a wait and see attitude but after seeing the amount of posts related to electrical issues, I am a little concerned. All I know is that the previous owner said that he sprayed the connectors with some sort of aide to help them stay intact....Dialectric spray possibly?  Sounded unlikely since there are a ton of connections on a bike like this but who knows. Can someone tell me which fixes are imperative and which can wait. I have seen the VFRness on a site that sells a few other items as well but that is the only stuff I have seen to provide fixes for factory stuff.  I don't like the idea of poking around in a bike that runs just fine unless I am gambling hard core by having that approach.  

 

Thanks

Joel. 

[airwalk]

Mount a voltmeter, might save getting frustratingly stranded someday. Put differently, an early warning device/provision.

won’t, however, fix any problems!

[mello dude]

Agree - your bike is low mile enough that I wouldnt address a problem thats not there - for now. But yes, highly recommend adding a voltmeter up front on the bike so you can watch the health of your charging system. - There is a thread on - show us your voltmeter mount, thats very good. Do a search... 

[exwifeschewtoy]

ok, so from the sound of it I can at least wait until winter down time to add the vfrness,  but a voltmeter would be wise now. Anything in particular a voltmeter will read when something is wrong?  will it bounce all over the place or what? 

thanks

Joel

 

 

[Cogswell]

From 2002 through 2005 model years VFR's were subject to a wiring harness recall.  IIRC it was to address a grounding issue.  Go to this website and plug in your VIN number to see if it's been done.  If not, it's probably a good idea.  From 2006 on 6th gens received an updated wiring harness and there is no recall on those years.  

 

http://powersports.honda.com/recalls.aspx

 

Mostly low voltage is your nemesis regarding the charging system.  You can get away with mid to high 13's, but around 14.2 is better.  My '08 runs at that voltage pretty much all the time.  Also, declining voltage as rpm's rise is a telltale sign that something is amiss.  That happened with my 5th gen.  A new R/R cured that problem   I wired my meter through a relay so that there's no draw with the key off. 

[exwifeschewtoy]

Thanks cogswell... I will order the voltmeter off ebay tonight and pick up some electrical stuff.  I have a shift gear indicator to mount as well so the timing is right. 

I will grab my vinn off the bike and find out if it has been done as soon as it is light out. My garage lighting needs work. 

thanks a bunch guys. 

Joel

[Grum]

Just for info, you can purchase cheap as chips from e-bay, a 3 wire digital voltmeter. 2 wires to the battery, the third is a power source for the voltmeter from any switched 12v. Supply eg. Tail light power. The benefit. - No Relay required and powers up when Ignition is On.

Post Edit - Forgot to mention, they are fully sealed, waterproof.

 

[exwifeschewtoy]

thanks Grom....will do. 

Joel

I hope it can be cut into the black part instead of my fairing. Doesn't look like there is enough room in the little black area and it doesn't look quite flat. I see others have put it there. I will work it out. 

 

[Rice]

If you are not too electrically challenged, you can do the following now or after issues begin. 

1.  Voltmeter, as everyone said

2.  Cut plug and solder connections between your stator and RR

3.  Add ground from RR directly to frame on one of RR mounting points

4.  Cut and cap off the blue monitor wire (do search) and run a new one directly to the battery terminal. 

 

I have done steps 2 through 4 many years ago after my stator burned up and never had any issues since. Never even bothered to install the voltmeter 😉

[exwifeschewtoy]

On 5/8/2018 at 6:31 PM, Cogswell said:

From 2002 through 2005 model years VFR's were subject to a wiring harness recall.  IIRC it was to address a grounding issue.  Go to this website and plug in your VIN number to see if it's been done.  If not, it's probably a good idea.  From 2006 on 6th gens received an updated wiring harness and there is no recall on those years.  

 

http://powersports.honda.com/recalls.aspx

 

Mostly low voltage is your nemesis regarding the charging system.  You can get away with mid to high 13's, but around 14.2 is better.  My '08 runs at that voltage pretty much all the time.  Also, declining voltage as rpm's rise is a telltale sign that something is amiss.  That happened with my 5th gen.  A new R/R cured that problem   I wired my meter through a relay so that there's no draw with the key off. 

I checked my vinn on the site you listed, and it said no active recall for this vinn. I looked up my year and model and it said one recall factory wiring harness.....so am I to believe that mine was fixed by this or did it not affect all 2005 models. I would hope it would have shown that mine was already fixed and show a date. 

 

Here is the stuff I was gonna buy to do preventative stuff. 

1. VFRness with accessory fuse panel.

2. 6th gen blue connector fix 

3. R&R terminal repair kit  - replaces both stator and harness connectors. 

 

Is this a good plan or is some or all of this not necessary?

 

I was going to wait but if I have to wire in a 12 volt meter I might as well do this stuff too.....won't take me very long anyway, and then I will be done with it. 

Joel

[Cogswell]

2 hours ago, exwifeschewtoy said:

I checked my vinn on the site you listed, and it said no active recall for this vinn. I looked up my year and model and it said one recall factory wiring harness.....so am I to believe that mine was fixed by this or did it not affect all 2005 models. I would hope it would have shown that mine was already fixed and show a date. 

 

Here is the stuff I was gonna buy to do preventative stuff. 

1. VFRness with accessory fuse panel.

2. 6th gen blue connector fix 

3. R&R terminal repair kit  - replaces both stator and harness connectors. 

 

Is this a good plan or is some or all of this not necessary?

 

I was going to wait but if I have to wire in a 12 volt meter I might as well do this stuff too.....won't take me very long anyway, and then I will be done with it. 

Joel

 

You can read through this thread and find out more about the recall.  2005 models were part of it.

 

https://www.vfrdiscussion.com/index.php?/forums/topic/35937-safety-recall/

 

If it's been done there may be a tag or sticker somewhere indicating such.  Another thing to possibly do is to call a dealer and read them your VIN - they should be able to check on the status.  If you're going to get the VFRness with the fuse panel, then you'll have switched power using a relay - that's how I connected my voltmeter. 

 

 

[exwifeschewtoy]

thanks Cogswell

Joel

[Auspanglish]

On 5/9/2018 at 5:47 AM, exwifeschewtoy said:

thanks Grom....will do. 

Joel

I hope it can be cut into the black part instead of my fairing. Doesn't look like there is enough room in the little black area and it doesn't look quite flat. I see others have put it there. I will work it out. 

 

Just use double sided adhesive velcro strips and put it where you like. You can also fab a small strip of aluminium into a bracketwith a hole and use any old bolt and the velcro stops to fix it to the aluminium bracket.

[Auspanglish]

Do the ground bus connector elimination fix. It's crappier than the air rifles at the fair and fries stators at will

 

Also do the green wire fix on the big blue connector near left radiator.

 

The VFRness may help but I've still seen the electrics fail with one in place. All kudos to Josh though.

 

If just replacing sections of wire and connectors, cut back far enough till you find healthy pink wire or you're defeating the purpose, and you'll want to know how to solder properly otherwise same boat.

 

The vin  in some countries is a metal plaque on the chassis and when a recall is done they leave like a crimp mark as if striking with a chisel on that metal plaque

 

 I highly recommend the waterproof digital voltmeter that sanjoh offers on ADVmonster

[exwifeschewtoy]

Thanks Auspanglish. Now to find a post with detailed directions. I have descent skills with wiring from my car stereo days but to look at the electrical on this bike, it is a little intimidating. I am only as good as the directions I follow. 

thanks

Joel

and thanks to everyone else too. I found all the posts had value.  I went with cigarette lighter adapters. I got two of them. I can put a 12volt meter with usb plug in one and leave the other one for my radar detector or gps. I can wire it directly to the battery and when I am not going to use the bike for a couple of days just unplug the meter and no battery drain. I hope it reads good set up this way. The reviews were excellent for the meter. If not I am only out 10 bucks.  I plan on making a couple of small holes in the side of the black plastic area just below where a lot of you guys drill with a hole saw and drop the unit into the black front corner area. Imay still drill in this small corner too but I don't have any hole saw bits. I think a 1 1/8" is the size bit needed. For now I  will zip tie it twice near that spot with heavy duty zip ties and see how stable it is, and use a bit of velcro to help make it stable too. It needs to be tight enough to withstand me plugging the meter into and out of it. I doubt whether I will need to unplug it the whole riding season as I am not likely to go more than a day or two without riding and these things aren't supposed to draw much power at all. I don't even own a car so you can see that it is my vehicle of choice.