Common wire

[Neill C]

Hi. I'm rewiring my bike but I'm struggling to find where to connect the black common wire on to the starter solenoid.  The solenoid has a terminal for the battery, a terminal for the starter motor, a red and yellow cable for the starter button and a red and green wire. The wiring diagram doesn't show the red and green wire coming off the solenoid just the black common and the red and yellow wire so I'm struggling to see where to connect the black wire on the harness to in order to power it up. Help!!!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Are you talking about the black wire with the 6mm end bolt eye fitting - if so iirc that goes under the live feed from the battery.
The starter motor cable only fits on the other side of the solenoid. Some solenoids only have one wire as the other is internal.

Are you using the original loom & solenoid?

On mine Yellow/Red trace was the solenoid wire into the loom with small Black for the second solenoid wire see downloadable manual on this site.

Attached might help as a general guide.

[Neill C]

It's the original solenoid but I'm wiring  a new loom myself. It's the black common wire that powers the horn, switches, oil and neutral lights. I've tried attach a photo of the wiring diagram for a cb550  but can't seem to do it.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Might be slightly different as mine is a 500.
Did you take any photos before removing the old loom might be worth comparing - all those things you mention are powered by the black bolted on wire on my 500.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

When I was wiring my 500 I used an extra blade fuse in line with the positive terminal using a 5 amp fuse with the starter cable wires left off until the end. That way you don't burn out any wiring. I only blew 2 fuses!

[Neill C]

No I didn't take photos as I thought the wiring diagram would be enough. I'm starting to think that the solenoid isn't original and that it doesn't need to be powered from the black cable. I think it might get its power from the battery terminal internally. The red and green wire on the diagram feeds the clutch lever switch so it might have something to do with that.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

If the black cable is paired in a short sheath with the Yellow/Red wire from the solenoid I think the black is power from a loom feed from the ignition side with the starter button earthing the solenoid. It depends on how the starter button is wired in the right bar switch. I believe the button normally earths the solenoid.

Easy enough to check the solenoid is working as you can hear it click.

[Neill C]

Thanks. I'll try that

[Bryanj]

It depends on exactly which bike it is please specify as there are two different ways it works and youcan dodamage if you do it wrong

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

If you loosen the right bar switch clamp you should be able see the various wires inside the switch and work out if the starter  button is a simple earth or if it sends power to the solenoid when depressed.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It's the original solenoid but I'm wiring  a new loom myself. It's the black common wire that powers the horn, switches, oil and neutral lights. I've tried attach a photo of the wiring diagram for a cb550  but can't seem to do it.

Not sure what you mean by "I'm wiring a new loom myself" are you fitting a replacement new loom, repairing your existing loom or making a complete replacement loom yourself ?

Are you using the right wiring diagram for your particular build version of the 550?