Saddlebag side navigation lights now working


Information and questions on GL1500 Goldwings (1988-2000)
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arivers333
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2023 10:38 am
Location: United States
Motorcycle: 1989 GL1500

Saddlebag side navigation lights now working

Post by arivers333 »



Good morning/afternoon everyone...

I'm new to the forum as you can imagine. I recently purchased a 1989 GL1500, the bike only had 45k miles on and cosmetically was almost perfect (passenger backrest was tearing up but got it replaced with a new one) The only issue with the bike when I bought it was the carburetors, they were as dirty and I could tell the previous owner(s) had already taken them apart and did not do a good job of it, so I got them off the bike following videos and a shop manual I acquired and sent them to be rebuilt, the experience was worth every penny cause the bike runs like a dream now (don't even need the choke like when I first got it) The mechanic who got it fixed, which only works on GW fixed some common issues know for that year and replaced all gaskets and the diaphragms, I also did all fluids, including the brake fluid and final drive and now is smooth as it could be. Mind you this is my first GW so I was very proud of myself for being able to put that mess back together :)

Ok, sorry about the bit of history there...now to the issue at hand. I took the seat off when doing all this and the previous owner was a chrome accessories lover for sure, he had all kinds of bars, lights, whistles and weird cheap looking staff on it, so as you can imagine the amount of cables was enormous and not very organized so I went ahead and started cutting and organizing and for some reason the cables that come out of your saddlebags for the side navigation lights stopped working, I was able to figure out the rest but no luck with these. So the question is: I'm not familiar or good for that matter while reading electrical diagrams, I even found a colored copy but I'm unable to see where the wires are connected to. Can anyone please either dumb down the schematic for me or show me pics on your GW showing where these cables connect to? Thanks guys.

Stay safe!


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Andy Cote
Posts: 1073
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 11:38 am
Location: Windham, ME
Motorcycle: 2015 Goldwing, basic black

Re: Saddlebag side navigation lights now working

Post by Andy Cote »

Welcome to the forum. Where are you from?

Are you referring to the side cases/panniers/saddlebag lid red lights? Won't be one the wiring diagrams. Originally they were shipped as reflectors. Honda offered light kits as did several aftermarket companies. The aftermarket wiring can go anywhere the installer felt like so it's a hunt and seek process. The Honda lights are worse. They used a step down transformer. PITA to work on or fix.

If they are not working, some guys have heated the assembly up to soften the glue, separated the halves and installed new 12v LED strips inside the light fixtures. You can also just cut the wires out and leave the fixtures alone as reflectors only.
2015 Goldwing, basic black

Previously: GL1200 standard, GL1200 Interstate, GL1500 Goldwing, GL1500 Valkyrie Standard, 2000 Valkyrie Interstate, many other Hondas
arivers333
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2023 10:38 am
Location: United States
Motorcycle: 1989 GL1500

Re: Saddlebag side navigation lights now working

Post by arivers333 »

Hi Andy!

Wow thank you so much for the quick response. I’m from South Florida, Homestead are right before getting to the entrance to the Florida keys. Yeah, the panniers/saddlebag lights are the ones I’m referring to. That’s good to know, realized that when I go to work on it in the morning around 4am, the trunk lights are on but not those, I’m sure they have bulbs in them cause there are wires on the inside of the pannier itself. I guess I could go the LED route if it starts messing with my me (it will continue to bother me im sure :) or maybe getting some friends together and try to figure it out. Thanks for the help and I hope you have a wonderful day!
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Rambozo
Posts: 2499
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 8:36 pm
Location: Disneyland
Motorcycle: 1992 GL1500 Aspencade
Ducati Monster

Re: Saddlebag side navigation lights now working

Post by Rambozo »

As was mentioned, if these are the Hondaline lights, they are electroluminescent strips that by now are pretty much guaranteed to be dead. If you follow the wires they will go to a high voltage driver box. If they are light bulbs they are replaceable and just need to be hooked up to power. There are factory plugs to power them, but as your bike has been molested, you never know what you will find.
This topic has a bunch of conversion options.
viewtopic.php?p=263005#p263005
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Andy Cote
Posts: 1073
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2011 11:38 am
Location: Windham, ME
Motorcycle: 2015 Goldwing, basic black

Re: Saddlebag side navigation lights now working

Post by Andy Cote »

BTW, the lights on the side of the trunk are also added. The reflector fixtures on all GL1500 had holes in them for bulb sockets but the US bikes did not have the harness or sockets. Honda and aftermarket quickly made the harness available. Easy plug and play with common incandescent bulbs.

The orange reflectors on either side of the fairing were also set up to take a socket. Plug n' Play Kits are available to upgrade these reflectors to lights. There are also kits to make these lights turn off when the directionals are turned on. Similar to some older Chevys, the side running lights alternate with the front lights as turn signals.


2015 Goldwing, basic black

Previously: GL1200 standard, GL1200 Interstate, GL1500 Goldwing, GL1500 Valkyrie Standard, 2000 Valkyrie Interstate, many other Hondas
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