[TunaRider]

I recently purchased a '97 916 which the previous owner neglected. I've gotten it all caught up on maintenance that the PO just didn't do (cam belts and the like). Anyway, upon reassembling the bike, I realized I didn't know where two of the wires belonged. Both of them appear to be grounding wires (attach with a bolt or nut). One of them comes from the underside of the bike which per the service manual goes to the starter solenoid in front of the battery. The other I cannot find in my service manual, which is for '94 and '95 bikes, apparently. It comes up from the wiring harness that plugs into the regulator. As mentioned earlier, it fastens someplace with a nut or bolt, but I cannot determine where it should be connected. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TunaRider]

Yeah, I would have taken a picture but I'm currently at work. Also, your picture isn't loading for me.

 

[TunaRider]

One of the black grounding wires goes from the battery to the motor, right behind the crank case breather. Another ground wire goes to the voltage regulator and fuse box.

If you've got 2 loose connections one is red (starter fuse) one is black (ground wire) that makes sense to me.

I figured out one of them. It was the starter motor cable as annotated in the image that mattjw916 posted. The other one that I can't figure out comes up from the wiring harness that plugs into the regulator. I'll see if I can get a picture of it when I get home from work. I don't see it on the page matt posted.

 

[TunaRider]

Alright, here is a picture of the wire in question. Number 1 is the wire I'm not sure about. Number 2 is the ground that attaches to the regulator. Number 3 is the wire from the starter to the starter solenoid. I marked the last 2 as references to make sure they weren't mistaken for the wire (number 1) in question since there seems to be some confusion about which one I'm talking about. As you'll notice, it comes up from the bundle of wires that includes the charging system (these wires are unplugged because they're fried ) and the wires that plug into the regulator. I can't figure out what it (number 1) is supposed to go to.

 

[TunaRider]

No ideas on this one?

 

[TunaRider]

The big thick one labeled #1 should go to the regulator connector, thats good. The one labeled #3, that one looks like the starter motor terminal to me. Ducati usually puts a bit of red around the neck of that and as you can see, its silver from it having gone missing. Follow the cable with your finger and find out where it goes. The #2 labeled cable goes to the battery tender connector, its not a factory part.

As stated before, the #2 wire is the ground for the regulator. Are you sure it isn't a factory part? It was attached to the left bolt that mounts the regulator to the aluminum backing plate. I know #1 goes to the regulator, but what I'm wondering is what the OTHER end of it goes to. The end that the bolt runs through that is free in the picture is the one I'm confused about. You were right about #3. It runs from the starter to the starter solenoid.

Thanks for the help thus far.

 

[TunaRider]

IDK what the confusion is...

#1 and #2 screw onto the metal plate thats dead center in your image. That plate joins them with the motor ground, which is probably whats already attached to that plate. That plate t hen screws onto the battery ground terminal. You don't have to use it, its just more convenient. #3 goes to the positive side and it looks like your missing another positive connection, I don't see the metal plate for the positive side hanging around anywhere.

Yeah, #2 was attached to the regulator itself via the left-most bolt that holds the regulator to the backing plate. I assumed it was a ground wire. I'll buy that #1 is supposed to be bolted to the negative terminal. That would put 3 wires on the negative side, though. Is that right? #3 leads from the starter to the starter solenoid. There is already another wire from the starter solenoid to the positive side of the battery just out of the picture.

Sorry, I know the picture isn't very good. It was taken with my phone and I was holding the battery box just to the right of the image (you can see the regulator on the right side hanging down).