[greywolf]

I find it more of a pain to work around the body parts than to remove them. Remember the power wires need to run to the battery or a fuse block.

I think everybody ought to be familiar with getting the tanks off.
How do I remove the gas tank?

 

[Willdiesoon]

I never removed the plastics completely (didn't remove my crash bars), but it is easy enough to do and makes wiring much easier.

 

[chicago]

If memory serves me I only had to remove the side panels (and front bottom panel). Easy stuff. Then you can thread the wiring from the battery to the front of the bike.

 

[The Golden Monkey]

It's not hard to remove the fairing panels, and once you've done it the first time it goes much faster in the future. Also as greywolf mentioned, it's good to know how to remove the tank too.
That said, you can install the headlight relay kit (or other electrical accessories) without removing the tank or much plastic. Here's my step-by-step procedure lifted from another thread:

1. Remove the seat, and take off the black boomerangs below the front of the seat -- remove 1 screw and just pull it off.

2. Remove the small black crosspiece in front of the top of the tank. Release the plastic rivets holding it in place by pushing in the center part of each, then lifting the rivet out of the panel. Reset the rivets by pushing the center post back out, so it sticks up above the flange. To re-install, insert the rivet into the hole until the flange is flush, then push the center post down until it clicks into place, flush with the flange.

3. Remove all the fairing panel screws and fasteners behind about the midpoint of each panel. For each side, that's two screws along the top edge and one near the back. You can probably get away with leaving the ones that screw into the sides of the radiator, though it wouldn't hurt to loosen them some.

4. Unscrew the rear tank bolt (I think it's 14mm). Lift the rear of the tank about 3 inches or so (the front is hinged), and use the metal bracket under the tank bolt as a prop for the tank. It's designed for this -- one end has two flanges that fit into holes on either side of the bolt hole on the tank, the other fits into the bolt hole in the frame beneath.

The fairing pieces will spread apart to accommodate the tank lifting. You may need to help release some of the interconnected bits to allow them to spread more. Lift the tank slowly to make sure nothing gets caught.

5. Now there is nice little gap along the left side where you can run wires from the front, along the left of the tank then under its rear to the underseat area, where you can connect to the battery or fuse block. Run the wires through some flexible plastic wire loom (conduit) first, then thread it into place. It's tight but workable with good light and a bit of patience. I've done it several times now and it seems to be easier to feed the wire/conduit from the front to the rear rather than the other way around.

NOTE: the Eastern Beaver headlight relay kit doesn't need the wire loom, since it comes sheathed already. Also, though the left side has a bit more space available, the EB kit can be routed along the right side just fine. That's where I put mine, since the left side was pretty full with other stuff I had installed previously.

 

[Jimm]

What they said. Every time you remove the plastic it get a bit easier. Sooner or later you're going to have to change the air filtre which is hiding under the tank.

 

[Wee South]

Wire bundle

I'm lazy..............first I wrapped the wire bundle with electrical tape for added security to prevent chaffing, then I cut a clothes hangar and feed it under the gas tank/fairings, taped the wire bundle to the hangar and pulled it back to the battery, secured where I had access with plastic pull straps.............very easy. Next time I have the tank off I may secure it differently.

 

[PeteW]

Yes, for sure.

I wrapped some spiral wrap around the cables and simply pulled them though and tied the relays to one of the bits of metal that braces the front plastic.

If I ever do pull the plastics off I may tidy it up, but it wasn't difficult.

Peter

 

[Shooter]

FWIW...

..I installed the kit on my 2004 650 without removing the fairing. Only had to remove the side pod, which take 20 seconds. I used one of those claws that you use to pick up dropped screws to feed the wires through the fairing area.

Great mod, just do it.

 

[garandman]

I'm lazy..............first I wrapped the wire bundle with electrical tape for added security to prevent chaffing, then I cut a clothes hangar and feed it under the gas tank/fairings, taped the wire bundle to the hangar and pulled it back to the battery, secured where I had access with plastic pull straps.............very easy. Next time I have the tank off I may secure it differently.

I'm lazier still, added a 1/8" nylon cord as a pennant so next time I don't even need the coat hanger....

 

[JPK]

I'm lazy..............first I wrapped the wire bundle with electrical tape for added security to prevent chaffing, then I cut a clothes hangar and feed it under the gas tank/fairings, taped the wire bundle to the hangar and pulled it back to the battery, secured where I had access with plastic pull straps.............very easy. Next time I have the tank off I may secure it differently.

I did something similar. I used a 3' length of string trimmer cord (heavy plastic string) to thread through the frame to the battery, then taped the wires to it and pulled them through.

 

[Rick505]

Thanks everybody. I'm off to the hardware store for some unrelated things and then it's time to install the kit.

Thanks again.

Rick

 

[sdmdm8]

With another set of hand you can remove the tank without taking off the main fairing plastics.

Remove the middle pannel at the front of the tank held in place by the two push pin locks.

Remove the seat and side pannels.

Undo the bolts on the main fairing at the back rear, by the radiator and the two along the top.

A second set of hand can hold them back as you remove the tank (once you have undone the front and rear bolts, gas line etc).

I do it this way all the time, just take your time and be very gentle.

always works for me.

 

[Rick505]

Thanks again everyone. I ended up partially removing the front plastics, and installed the cable without any issues except where to tie up the relays. Initially I found a point above the radiator, slightly on the left side (as riding). Of course, the first time I moved the handle bars full left to lock the steering column it pulled the connector off the left headlight. OK, back to the drawing board....ended finding a place directly on the left cowling. Some sort of steel rod brace thing. Sorry, I'm too lazy to look at a parts diagram to identify the correct name. Full handlebar swing both directions, cable not tight, etc. Took it out for a ride all seemed OK. I did tape up the "spare" factory connector, using the silicon self sticking type tape, so it won't have a chance to short against anything. Of course, I failed to make a real before and after comparison of brightness. Just knowing I reduced the electrical load on the switches was really what I was after.

Thanks,

Rick

PS - Only lost two of the factory plastic push pin things I dropped on the garage floor. Luckily I had a couple in my tool box for some reason.

 

[DrPaul47]

I did same as WeeSouth, then when I had "Body by Tupperware" of I cleaned up wiring. Really did not need to do anything extra when body panels were off.

 

[sweetcreek]

Hey Shooter!!

What are you doing with a pic of my sister???