Saber Cycle Honda Gold Wing Parts & Accessories

GL1200 Charging System Repair Harness

Note: Originally researched, developed and produced by Campbell's Electronics, this information is provided as courtesy advice only. DO NOT consult Saber Cycle for any further information. Questions?

GL1200 Charging System Harness™

The 1984-87 GL1200s suffer from several "incurable" complaints such as:

In 1989, I bought a GL1200A and shortly began to experience these problems. While under warranty, Honda "adjusted the carbs" three times to try to eliminate teh hesitation, but it did no good. On one occasion, the engine backfired and destroyed the in-dash clock!

I verified the root of the problem was electrical by examining the charging and ignition systems with an oscilloscope and at that point. Honda refused to discuss the problem. Several years later, I was asked to produce an inexpensive integrated CB system for the GL1200 and did so (See Wing World magazine, July '92). As a result, I discovered teh ignition noise often complained about.

I removed the factory noise filer from my stereo system and the noise was so bad, it covered up the sound on the stereo speakers. I also noticed the charging voltage would fluctuate between 12- 16 volts. Both problems were worse when the humidity was high. I found that by unplugging and reconnecting the voltage regulator plug, the charging voltage would stabilize (14.3 volts) for about two weeks and then act up again.

Suspecting the noise was coming from the ignition coils, I temporarily disconnected the black/white leads from the coils and poered them from the external power supply. The static was eliminated! I reconnected the coils and connected the oscilloscope to the black/white leads and discovered that when the coil was energized, the voltage at the B/W lead dropped to about 6 volts.

So, with the aid of a wiring diagram, I designed a wiring repair harness to correct for many bad connections in the charging and ignition systems. As a result of this harness and some careful engine tuning, the noise was gone 95% of the time and enough power was produced from the engine to leave a 60 foot black mark on the pavement in second gear!