82 Maxim XJ1100 Dark Knight Build

So what if I told you I read that on the weekend and shaved the coating off the orange wire right by the coil and still nothing at the gage? Maybe I'm completely lost but I thought for sure that would solve the issue but it didn't. However maybe I need to power off the gage and restart it with the connection made to ensure continuity. I will keep you gents posted tonight. Thanks for the help!

 

It is possible that the gauge has the power and ground tied internally, however I suspect you need to view the tachometer section of the gauge as a separate assembly. I would also suspect that they would be separate as one portion of the gauge needs a constant power source to maintain setup parameters, and the tachometer can use switched power and only have power when the key is on. Therefore, you will need to connect the power and ground for the tachometer. You could verify with a DMM to see if the wires connect internally and you may need to experiment a bit to see what you need to maintain the setting on the gauge parameters.

 

Yes that gauge needs a constant power (directly from battery) a key on power source and a ground for the basic function. After that each compent (lights, tach, etc) just plug in.

 

So I have constant power right from the battery, a keyed power, which is why the gage only turns on with the key turn and a separate ground wire into the gage itself. However for some reason the tach refuses to budge with any connection I had fed it to date. Seems like something isn't functioning properly and I will troubleshoot again tonight.

 

It should be noted that every other function on this gage works perfectly. blinkers, memory, fuel gage, neutral, high beam low beam, backlight. Literally everything works yet the tach function remains at 0 unchanged.

 

Does it sweep left to right and then back to zero when keyed on? If not, it simply might be defective.

 

Alright so I kept thinking about what you guys were saying with where to connect the wire. After I don't know how many failed attempts we have success. I tapped into orange wire way at the back for the pickup coil not the ignition coil.

The bike sounds and looks complete finally. Minus the silly computer mount I need to make.

 

looking pretty tight, man!

 

NICE!

So glad to hear you got that to work! All good to get riding?


Now I can grab one of those safely and get rid of my old, melty, decaying cluster

 

Yes I am insuring and registering today !
As for the gage yes it works, if you want a hand when you;re doing it just let me know as it can be a bit painful at times.

 

So my insurance company says my bike should have a 17 digit vin and all I can find is the 9 or 10 digit one on the front of the frame?? Are they wrong and this is the only one or is it hidden somewhere??

 

There should be a sticker on the center of the frame neck with the VIN#. A partial VIN is also stamped there.
Go here if you only have the partial VIN and it will give you the full 17 digit number
http://www.dissingermoto.com/

 

I've been through this too. They are wrong.

Yamaha had an extension allowing them to continue with the shorty vins longer than with cars, and they also produced a lot of 82 bikes in 1980 and 81.

Show them the frame stamp, it IS the correct VIN and no, you should not have a long one. You'll go through this again come registration time, but when they actually enter the VIN it'll come up and work as it IS a legit VIN.

 

Most insurance agents are simply unaware of how that worked out in the early 80's with motorcycles - and have likely seen 82's with long VIN's as some manufacturers got on the long VIN's faster, and other 82 model year bikes where actually manufactured in 1982.

They may try to convince you you need to contact the Ministry of transportation to get a VIN assigned - you don't. It's $500, and it's totally unnecessary.

It took me a lot of phone calls and running around to confirm this, but it's indeed the case. Have the insurance people insure it with the vin stamped on the right side of the neck (and probably also the right side engine case), as it is. You'll then be able to register it.

 

Here in the US 1980 was the year they converted to 17 digit VIN #s. True there are many bikes made pre 1980. It was common to issue a title for the year it was sold. Entirely possible to have a pre 1980 bike with a 1981 ,2 3, etc title. I have one. My xs11 was manufactured in 1979 but was sold in 1980 so it has a 1980 title and a short VIN#. I don't know the Canada laws but the XJ11 was only made in 1982 . If that bike was made for the US market it will have a 17 digit VIN.

 

All three of my '82 XJ's have short vins, and all three exist in Alberta's registry (though one is marked salvage, of course). It was no problem at all to register, but everyone I spoke to balked at first until I had them just do it - ultimately, the insurance folks don't care if you have "the wrong vin" as it doesn't impact them at all, and the registry folks just punch the VIN into the computer and it either comes up or doesn't - you can't register a bike with an invalid VIN, so if the VIN on the neck works (and all three of mine do, all '82's with short VIN's) you're golden.

It's kind of a pain dealing with the various agents who don't know what they're talking about, but that's just par for the course with 35 year old machines.

 

no problem
https://www.harborfreight.com/36-piece-14-in-steel-letternumber-stamping-set-60671.html

 

Add someone who can add your newly stamped VIN to the registry service's VIN database and you're golden

I get that was a joke, but for the curious:

In Canada, it's all about whether that VIN is in the national database or not. If it's not, you have to either import the vehicle from another country (oh, so much fun) or get it assigned a VIN ($500). All vehicles made for sale in Canada already exist in the database (going back a very long time anyways). This is done when the vehicle is manufactured.

So, stamping only has value if you're stamping a valid pre-existing VIN. This has some applications if you have a garage full of old non-running(but not salvage) bikes and have a flexible moral compass.

I should note that we don't have titles here. Vehicle registration is basically a title, but isn't something you transfer, nor that you can have unless the vehicle is currently insured. Here in Alberta, ownership of a vehicle can be very uncertain

 

That is awesome! I also see why everyone shops there now. Those prices are so cheap its crazy!!!

 

...........i like that phrase
although your name stamped on the frame, under the tank, would make the RCMP's job easy if the bike was stolen
or even better right next to the vin