The Proper Way to Install a Motorcycle Security System

Although this article is aimed at readers without prior electrical experience, a basic familiarity with electricity and mechanics is still required. In addition, West Coast Cycle makes no guarantees or warranties concerning the products being installed and provides this information “as is” and without charge. You must make sure the setup goes smoothly. West Coast Cycle makes no guarantees about the data’s relevance or timeliness. The onus of ensuring a successful installation always rests with the installer.

Since more than 70,000 motorbikes were stolen in 2005, we think it’s wise that you’ve decided to install an alarm system on your bike. There are a lot of wires, so the next issue is, “How am I going to install this?” What may appear to be an impossible task is relatively manageable, provided you have some mechanical aptitude. You’ll need to be able to use a digital multimeter to check the polarity of a wire. Don’t stress yourself out trying to figure out what’s wrong with your motorcycle if you don’t know what a multimeter is. Finally, you’ll need some standard tools to access the motorcycle’s wiring by removing a few panels and covers.

The process of accumulating data and resources.

The foundation of a successful installation is the data you collect. Information about the vehicle’s wiring colors, locations, and polarity may be found in several documents. You can find these charts almost anywhere; most won’t cost you anything. This data should be available in the service manual, at the dealer, or online for your motorcycle.

Preparing to Set Up the Alarm System.

The difference between success and leaving work for the weekend rests on your plan. The installation time can be cut by at least an hour and a half with only a few minutes of planning and preparation. Not enjoyable, but essential nonetheless. The first step is to compare the diagram for installing the bike alarm to the one for your motorcycle. First, you should decide which notice functions you need. (such as a keyless entry system or a remote starter)

Wiring Preparation.

The motorcycle’s (-) negative terminal must be disconnected before installation. As a result, there won’t be any electrical shorts or wasted battery life.

You can eliminate extra cables once you’ve decided which components to set up. Wires from the same plug are often twisted together and taped shut using black electrical tape. Don’t wrap all the wires together because they all go in different directions. When you’re done covering, video together the harnesses to make one lengthy pigtail out of all the unused wires. This prevents the cables from becoming tangled and frayed. It would be best to locate the wiring on your bike to which you will connect. Here’s a clue: most of your bike’s wires will retrace their paths from the ignition back to the bike’s center, where the fuse box will be. Opening the ignition key switch is the quickest way to access these wires; once you’ve found them, you can test them to ensure they’re the right ones. It would be best if you didn’t tinker with the wiring near the starter. Instead, work your way back toward the alarm’s mounting place by following the cable toward the bike’s fuse box or its central location. This will reduce the amount of time spent running cables. The more space you need to cover with wires, the more likely something will go wrong.

Panel Removal Serves as an Execution.

When you have the correct equipment, you won’t even break a sweat. Since specialty products can be helpful for future wiring work, we recommend considering them. To get started, take off the panels hiding your wiring. Don’t forget to keep track of where each clip and screw goes; leftovers are the worst.

The Alarm System’s Wiring.

After you’ve taken down the panels, you’ll need to find a secure place to install the primary alarm control unit. Worse visibility is preferable. A potential thief will find this extremely challenging to overcome. Modules are often attached to a support brace or a flat surface using a strap and adhesive pad. It’s essential to avoid placing the unit too close to the motor when installing it. We recommend keeping at least 12 inches away from the engine. Be sure to clean the area well with rubbing alcohol or a degreaser before applying the adhesive strip, if one is included with your alarm system. The space under the motorcycle’s seat is perfect for installing the alarm module. If you don’t mind giving up this room, the container for extra tools is another option.

Then, turn on the external antenna, siren, and LED display light. Mount your siren in a stealthy spot as well. Everything that needs to be plugged into the machine has been plugged in. If relays are required, they should be wired in first. Motorcycles with electronic gasoline ignition often do not need relays for alarm systems. However, relays are commonly used for remote starting applications. You probably won’t need any relays if your vehicle has no remote start. You can avoid a tangled mess of cables later if you remove these relays now. Connect your wires to their designated outlets once the relays have been wired. Before making any connections, you may want to read the article on verifying wire polarity found at

http://www.wcc-tech.com by West Coast Cycle. Before connecting cables, you should always check their functionality. There are a variety of methods for splicing the wires together. Electrical tape can be used to tape the wires together after joining. After soldering, you can apply tape or heat shrink. T-tap connectors can be used. However, they aren’t precisely ideal for permanent connections. While T-tap connectors are helpful for quick wires checks, they should be replaced with solder once you’ve confirmed that your security system is functioning correctly. Although it’s up to you, we advise soldering connections and applying heat shrink tubing. Make sure there is no stress or strain in the link.

Choosing the correct wiring.

Here’s how to find the correct wire, even if you have no idea what color it should be. In addition, a comprehensive article on our website’s technical help page explains how to use a multimeter to trace the correct wires.

The majority of motorbike security systems consist of the following five wires:

The Installation Harness’s ACC wire interfaces with the bike’s IGN / ACC wire at the ignition key switch. Find the wire in the bike’s harness that only has +12v when the key is ON; when the key is off, the wire should be completely dead. Tips 1 & 2 From the keyhole to the fuse box, along this cable. The ACC alarm wire can disable the fuel pump or the starter line if a factory immobilizer is installed on the motorcycle.

Cables for Engine Immobilizer: This standard security feature requires wires. This function allows you to remotely disable your motorcycle’s alarm system, like installing a second kill switch on your bike. This is the simplest of three methods for utilizing this function. Check out our site’s Frequently Asked Questions area for additional details on other forms of installing this function. The Kill Switch wire to the bike’s primary power source must be severed. After that, you’ll join one end of the severed wire to one of the immobilizer wires and the other end to the other. The function will operate in either direction when connected to the immobilizer wires.

After all your hard work, we felt you would appreciate having the most straightforward cables (power and ground) installed last. A power and ground cable are required for all alarm systems. Power and ground cables should be attached straight to the battery posts. Wrap-around clamps, terminal taps, or extension cables may be needed to facilitate connections at each battery terminal. A faulty alarm system is almost guaranteed to develop issues if improper connections are made.

You’ve just made your bike considerably more secure.

The setup process should be finished at this point. Open your alarm manual before reinstalling the motorcycle’s panels. Your alarm system’s presentation of its features is an excellent way to ensure proper installation. Take your time and do it right. You should deal with any problems right away. If your alarm malfunctions, ensure all connections are secure, and then consult the troubleshooting guide. If you didn’t, then you should be commended.

Jesse Frey runs West Coast Cycle.

Visit =>www.wcc-tech.com [http://www.wcc-tech.com] for details.

WARNING: West Coast Cycle strongly advises that only a qualified professional perform the installation. This wiring diagram is given “as is” without any guarantees or warranties concerning the installed devices. You must make sure the setup goes smoothly. West Coast Cycle makes no guarantees about the data’s relevance or timeliness. The onus of ensuring a successful installation always rests with the installer. Even if you rely on this advice and something goes wrong during installation, West Coast Cycle is not responsible. Do-it-yourself installations void all product warranties. West Coast Cycle assumes no liability for any harm that may befall the installer during installation. West Coast Cycle is not responsible for any damage incurred by the vehicle before, during, or after installation.

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