I installed the poly riser bushings today and all went well until I tightened up the right side with the ground wire that connects the riser bolt to the triple tree, I assume to provide a ground path to the the handlebars. The star lock washer was turning as I tightened the bolt, and my attempt to stop it from turning busted it. I made a new one but wonder if it's really necessary. I doubt MoCo would spend even $1 to install something unnecessary though.

Does anything get it's ground path through the frame, I hope not.

Put on the Gerbings heated gloves and put on 30 miles in 37-40 degrees. Nice.

B

PS. Not sure I detect any difference in the feel, but had heavy hot gloves on.

 

yes i think you need it when i was playing around changing bars /clocks various things my alarm started giving me trouble but stopped once i re-attached earth to triple trees

cheers lee

 

Mine broke when I changed risers two years ago. I meant to fix it, I still might someday, but it hasn't seemed to make any difference at all.

 

Me too, I'v been meaning to get around to it, though...............

I think it's part of the lightening arrester circuit.

DougJ

 

What wire

 

probably dictated by the DOT.

without it - your bars are "floating" relative to the rest of the bike.
off hand - I can't think of how this would cause a problem - unless some type of switch attached to the bars used them as a a return to battery negative.

nothin in the stock switching is configured this way - maybe an aftermarket switch - but no issues with stock.

i think if you get struck by lightning - you're pretty much f'd anyway!

 

2nd your logic on the potential for floating, but don't see that happening. I f-ed up my wire 9 months ago and haven't had it on since with no problems. This includes changing out the headlight which uses the triple tree as the ground source. If the bars/forks were floating, then the light wouldn't have worked. So much for proofing that the ground strap is required. It more than likely is as you say, a secondary ground path to meet DOT requirements.

 

I am sure it's precautionary, just in case. Probably of no value 99.999999% of the time. I guess we all would wish it was there when the headlight suddenly quit working on a nigh ride and no moonlight.

DougJ

 

Could someone without the ground wire use an ohm-meter to see if the frame to handlebars are electrically connected with close to 0 ohms?

 

While you can get a ground from the head bearings, clutch cable and throttle cables it is not an accepted practice to do so. A seperate ground is the best method to eliminate these other sources of ground that could at times become intermittant.
Ron