Fuses

[fredheiler@aol.com]

At the risk of covering old ground again, does anyone know why /2 and early /5 motorcycles have no fuses? I've restored two /2 bikes and a '71 R75; in all three cases, I installed a circuit breaker between the battery positive post and the harness. Mounted inconspicuously beside the battery, the circuit breaker protects everything. Anyone know a better way?

 

[pauls1150]

They prob'ly figgered that the undersize wires would protect the more expensive stuff...

A main breaker is OK (as long as the vibration doesn't prematurely kill it, or it's not an older Harley breaker);
better could be separate fuses, one for the ignition system and one for the lighting system.

 

[beemerguru]

At the risk of covering old ground again, does anyone know why /2 and early /5 motorcycles have no fuses? I've restored two /2 bikes and a '71 R75; in all three cases, I installed a circuit breaker between the battery positive post and the harness. Mounted inconspicuously beside the battery, the circuit breaker protects everything. Anyone know a better way?

/2 had 6V simple wiring and no starter. As long as the wires are still flexible and not frayed, they'll last 30 years unless the current owner decides to tweak the system. Open the headlight shell and see a couple of wire nuts or wads of electrical tape under the gas tank... Automatically replace the main harness.

Some owners and restorations added a couple fuse holders inside the /5 headlight shell. Changing over to LED headlight and the LED tail light insert reduced the load on the circuits. LED in the bar end turn signals also helps.