removing ehc completely

Coolbreezin

Active Member
Hey all. Im looking to remove my ehc altogether. Ive had a points kit in for about a year now. I have low beam, idiot lights, speedo, odometer & brake lights working now. I do not have turn signals or tach. If I was to completely remove the ehc, would it interfere with the operation of what I do have working or negatively impact what I need to get working? Earlier a gentleman told me to wire my tach to the coil. So that part will be done when I get an aftermarket tach. Any advice or ideas?
 

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
Hey all. Im looking to remove my ehc altogether. Ive had a points kit in for about a year now. I have low beam, idiot lights, speedo, odometer & brake lights working now. I do not have turn signals or tach. If I was to completely remove the ehc, would it interfere with the operation of what I do have working or negatively impact what I need to get working? Earlier a gentleman told me to wire my tach to the coil. So that part will be done when I get an aftermarket tach. Any advice or ideas?
The big problem you will have is the BD controls. They won't work with Harley style wiring. To take out the ECH you will need to install 2 breakers and rewire the bike. You will also need new bars and Harley style controls. You will lose your starter button, brake lights, turn signals and spedo without the ehc.
 

Coolbreezin

Active Member
My starter button failed a couple years ago. Been slamming it since then thanks to Curtis. I ultimately plan on changing my bars so I have no electronics up there at all. I want to wire my turn signals straight to the battery with a switch, Breakers make them flash?
My speedo & odometer work, my tach doesnt.
Do you have a schematic for a 2005 Ridgeback? That would greatly help me.
 

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
My starter button failed a couple years ago. Been slamming it since then thanks to Curtis. I ultimately plan on changing my bars so I have no electronics up there at all. I want to wire my turn signals straight to the battery with a switch, Breakers make them flash?
My speedo & odometer work, my tach doesnt.
Do you have a schematic for a 2005 Ridgeback? That would greatly help me.
At this point I don't know what the ECH is doing.... You can't just wire the turn signals to the battery. The Ech works them or with a Harley a flasher controller works them. If I were you I'd just rip every wire out, get new bars and Harley controls and a brake, signal and run light controller like this : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Run-Brake-T...ash=item27cc41bc65:g:aMYAAOxyOM5RbYHE&vxp=mtr

for all your lights.
 

Coolbreezin

Active Member
Im not understanding why the turn signals cannot be hooked to the battery. See attached diagram. I would go from battery to flasher to switch to light. I dont want to involve my ignition.
turn-signal-wiring.jpg
 

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
Your handlebar switches would have to send a 12v signal to the controller. Right now your BD controls only send a ground signal. If you want to do it right then do it right not Rube Goldberg style. You will only have more problems down the road... If you have all the parts it would take you about 8 hrs with beer breaks to do a total rewire and have it done right. All the parts including bars and controls will cost around $600. That's a small price to pay for reliability.

The BD setup is TOTALLY different from a Harley setup and much more complicated. You can't piece and part things out and have them work.
 

Bdm4ever

Well-Known Member
Troop Supporter
I recommend you review the service manual for your bike. Most of the electrical runs though the EHC and they are all grounded.
In case you don't have it here is the Manual. It help me understand all of the EHC operations and replace the EHC.

Good luck and keep us up to date on how it's going. I'd be interested in a new handle bar as well for my K9. Safe Trails.. :chopper:
 

Coolbreezin

Active Member
I recommend you review the service manual for your bike. Most of the electrical runs though the EHC and they are all grounded.
In case you don't have it here is the Manual. It help me understand all of the EHC operations and replace the EHC.

Good luck and keep us up to date on how it's going. I'd be interested in a new handle bar as well for my K9. Safe Trails.. :chopper:
Got the manual. Thank you. Ill figure it out and let yall know.
 

Coolbreezin

Active Member
Found this in the PDF manual for my bike. It says to not hook tach to coil, but to the ignition module. Dumb question, the ignition module connects to the coils? If someone has a picture, that would help. Thank you.tach instructions.jpg
 

Coolbreezin

Active Member
Thank you for the offer. Im planning on using aftermarket buttons as my turn and hi beam switches. Placing them under the tank area.
I just dont understand why the tach wire cannot be hooked to the coil? Everything Ive read says hook to coil. So I need to know where the ignition module is on my scooter.
 

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the offer. Im planning on using aftermarket buttons as my turn and hi beam switches. Placing them under the tank area.
I just dont understand why the tach wire cannot be hooked to the coil? Everything Ive read says hook to coil. So I need to know where the ignition module is on my scooter.
You know, many, many years ago I bought a Fatboy that had been rewired very poorly. Every time I took it out it would break down and I'd spend hrs on the side of the road. I kept patching it and patching it. One day right before my birthday an older biker buddy of mine showed up with wires, breakers, beer and said "Happy birthday" We proceeded to strip every wire from the bike and rewire it. It took about 6 hrs with beer breaks and that bike never broke down again because of electrics. A lesson well learned.

Do it right one way or the other. I love innovation but there comes a point when it just doesn't make sense. Putting switches under the tank? If that was a good idea they would be there to begin with. All you are going to do is make more problems for yourself my friend and spend a lot of time doing it. If you ever want to sell it, it will devalue the bike by at least a thousand dollars.

Buy a kit from Doc to keep all your controls or a kit from Scooters to old school it. Either way it's done right and you can enjoy your beautiful bike. I know I do... Since old skool re-wiring it, it has never given me a bit of trouble in 9k miles...

This is just my 2 cents (all I have left after Obummer) but take it for what it's worth. Ah and Woodbutcher, don't delete this because I know you don't have more than 2 cents either....
 
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Coolbreezin

Active Member
Thank you all for yr input and guidance. However, what makes these kits so great? Also, why would my switches mounted under my tank (and out of sight) be any worse then them being on the bars like every other motorcycle ever made since the dawn of time. Im going for a clean clutter free look on the bars. Ive found a bank of small buttons built onto a plastic stick (if you will). But Im not spending $300+ for it. For that kind of money I could have something made completely custom.
 

Big Tex

Member
Your handlebar switches would have to send a 12v signal to the controller. Right now your BD controls only send a ground signal. If you want to do it right then do it right not Rube Goldberg style. You will only have more problems down the road... If you have all the parts it would take you about 8 hrs with beer breaks to do a total rewire and have it done right. All the parts including bars and controls will cost around $600. That's a small price to pay for reliability.

The BD setup is TOTALLY different from a Harley setup and much more complicated. You can't piece and part things out and have them work.

So what are these parts to do a rewire and where do I get them. My K9 is a wiring nightmare of issues and I'm fed up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bigkelk9

Well-Known Member
I got rid of everything big dog on my bike, and yes I installed new controls and a new gauge with a tach and all that good stuff.. best thing I coulda done.. everywhere I go where there is BD owners they love the setup and it's been flawless.
 

bigkelk9

Well-Known Member
So what are these parts to do a rewire and where do I get them. My K9 is a wiring nightmare of issues and I'm fed up.


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I got a complete wiring kit.. it's been a few years but it's a lot less wires then bdm and a lot less of a mess.. just look around ebay.. that's where I got mine from.. jegs also offers one
 

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
So what are these parts to do a rewire and where do I get them. My K9 is a wiring nightmare of issues and I'm fed up.


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Well if you want to keep your controls then buy a docs kit: I don't know the address

If you want to old school it then:

https://scootersperformance.com/scooters-custom-builder-wiring-harness-basic-chopper-harness.html

If you old school it you will need to buy new bars and controls which should cost you around $400 and the kit $200... The same price as docs but you eliminate the ECH and all the problems...
 
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