Wiring Accessories

I don't have any plans for accessories that would require an elaborate electrical harness for the 2016 Kawasaki KLR650 ... at this time ... and I'm not sure that the 194 watt peak output of bike will support much accessory farkling. However, I did need to get a couple things wired up. First was my GPS devices. Second, and actually more important, was a simple pigtail for powering my Slime Air Compressor, as shown below. With all the sand and mush we have in Florida, it's important to be able to air down the tires ... and then air them back up to get home. I've found simple battery tender quick connects work great for the Slime connector: $5.99 from an eBay Vendor.

Looking over the KLR650, the options for running wiring from the battery compartment up to the nose for the GPS were extremely limited. I removed the seat, side panels and top fairings to get a good look too, and didn't find much to work with.

However, there was a bundle of wiring from the front that seemed to run under the top of the tank along the frame. That would seem to be the place with the least likelihood for wires to burn up on the engine or muffler. I lifted the rear of the tank slightly and used the old fashioned ... but effective ... method of probing with a wire coat hanger. Ah, viola!

Once the path was established, I was able to fish my GPS harness back to the cavity under the seat. However, given what a pain in the rear that was, I also ran a spare and unused pigtail through and that will be available should I need power up in the front for other devices; maybe some lighting down the road. Always think ahead!!!!

Rather than have a spaghetti-like mess build up on the batter terminals, I purchased a simple Six-Gang Junction Block from the auto parts store and modified it slightly. Fuseblocks are better designed to function in this respect, but there was no room under the seat for a fuseblock. So as for the Junction Block, I dedicated three gangs for negative contact and three gangs for positive contact. I pulled out my model paints and painted the screw heads red=positive, black=negative. I then linked the three positive gangs together in a series with wire and connected that series to the positive terminal on the battery. Then the I linked the three negative gangs together in a series and connected that series to the negative battery terminal. That converted the junction block into a terminal block and I could connect my accessories directly to it. Lastly, I smeared non-conductive dialectic grease over the gangs and any conductive metal parts to protract them from shorting. Note that each accessory required a separate fuse.

The three positive gangs power my GPS, my Slime Air Compressor and the spare pigtail.

The compressor connector runs down the left frame as shown in the photo below. Not the best placement for that, as you'd usually want the connection on the side opposite the side stand for better access given how the bike leans to the left on the side stand; so, typically the connector would be more easily accessed on the right side. However, the battery and tail pipe placement made the left side the safer location so that's where it is. See photo below.

Everything works great. Now for some riding!