2017 500 RR-S upgrade to the 2019 RR-S harness'

[Ben500RS]

In the spring/summer of 2018, I had replaced my front harness due to so many of the wires having been compromised from all the strain on the harness. Once replaced, all was well until . . .

This past winter. I install a 2018 Camso DTS 129 kit and the bike is ridden in the snow all winter. Several times this past winter, after starting the bike using a Weego portable jumpstart pack(JS12), any time I'd start riding and I'd have to stop shortly after, the bike would not start up on its own and no amount of kicking it would get the bike re-lit. I'd have to use the jump pack.

This spring, while doing a lot of slow riding with the family and again, having to stop and re-start, the bike would not fire up and I'd have to kick the bike but thankfully, as the weather was warm, the bike would light and I'd be on my way but, it was happening all summer when slow-riding in warmer or hot weather.

Another member, danketchpel, had sourced a 2019 RR-S harness and was told that the cold crimped ground wires were upgraded and perhaps the most important part, the three diodes/capacitors have been eliminated and he had found that the voltage getting to the battery had improved. I had found, this past weekend as I had ordered a new front and main harness, that there is an additional ground wire in the middle of the main/rear harness and when I finally got it all installed and started the bike, miracle of miracles, my voltage was instantly at 13.9-14.0V.

After three days of riding to and from work, with the Motominded mounted Baja Designs Squadron Pro-OFF and the fan not running, I see from 13.9 to 14.2V and sometimes it will spike to 14.3V once the bike is warmed off and nothing else is running. This afternoon I got home and the AGM battery voltage was at 13.5V. All the voltage readings are taken from the Trail Tech Voyager.

If I turn the headlight on the voltage drops to 13.4 to 13.5V. If the headlight is on and the fan also kicks on, the voltage drops down to 12.8 to 13.0V.

The harness swap is truly plug and play. There is no way to plug anything in the wrong place as all the connectors are keyed and will not plug into any other place and the lengths of each harness connection will only reach where there is a connector. It is only at the front junction behind the headlight where there are two connections that could be swapped but if one simply looks at the colors of the wires, the orange wired male harness goes to the orange wired female connector.

The only thing one needs to do is add a short length of ground wire to the ignition coil ground wire as the 2019 ignition coil has been moved and the 2019 harness wire will not reach the 2017 ignition coil ground wire location.


Prior to this swap, the most voltage I would see would be 13.4 to 13.5V. This was with no headlight and no fan. With the headlight on the voltage would drop to 12.8V and if the fan would kick on it would drop to 11.8 to 12.0V.

I did clean up the frame ground by the rear of the fuel tank as well as the ignition coil ground while I was at it but so far, so good with this new, upgraded 2019 harness. I will be keeping an eye on the voltage as I'm now obsessed with watching the voltage while riding and if it goes down at all, I'll know that something is going on with the cold crimps in the bundles and address them if necessary.

[Deck1]

Ben, how did this work out long term? I have new harnesses on the way for my 2016. I had changed the front harness late 2018, but checking part number against 2019 parts, it appears to be a 2018 part. My problems haven't been as severe as yours but still a pain and a blight on otherwise great bike.

[pscook]

Ben, how did this work out long term? I have new harnesses on the way for my 2016. I had changed the front harness late 2018, but checking part number against 2019 parts, it appears to be a 2018 part. My problems haven't been as severe as yours but still a pain and a blight on otherwise great bike.

I have a 2016 430. Can you provide the part numbers and total cost for the harness upgrades?

Thanks!

[Cruiser]

Also interested in the harness Information, I have a 2016 350rr and suspect dome harness issues.

[Deck1]

Ben, how did this work out long term? I have new harnesses on the way for my 2016. I had changed the front harness late 2018, but checking part number against 2019 parts, it appears to be a 2018 part. My problems haven't been as severe as yours but still a pain and a blight on otherwise great bike.

I have a 2016 430. Can you provide the part numbers and total cost for the harness upgrades?

Thanks!

As soon as I get them from Beta, I will get the part numbers. My dealer couldn't get an answer out of Beta USA if these harnesses will work on pre-2019 bikes. I am not sure yet if these are the same as 2019 harnesses that others have used here on prior bikes, or new number. I will be able to determine more when I get the harnesses and compare. In the meantime, check with your dealer and see if you can get an answer.