battery question

[cobra407]

there are three wires that hook to the battery. i know which is the ground and the positive. but there is a third wire-- which side of the battery does this one go to? thanks peter

[Ed Miller]

Where is the other end of the third wire?  My hot wire connector has two wires coming out of it, a big one to the starter and a little one to someplace else.  But they both connect to the same terminal lug, so I'm not sure what you have.

[cobra407]

it sounds like there is one ground and two wires that run off the positive leed of the battery?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

There should be one BIG wire going from ground (back of transmission, normally) to the negative terminal.  
(be nice to that bolt on the transmission!  Don't want to strip those case threads)

There should be one BIG wire going from the starter to the positive terminal.  It is probably red under the black sheath.

There should be one small wire going from the wiring harness (starter relay) to the positive terminal.  It should also be red.

I don't know what year bike you have, but you should be able to find the wiring diagram here:
http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/electrical

Feel free to copy it to your computer.

[Bob_Roller]

If it is a smaller wire than the other two, it goes on the positive terminal, it powers all of the circuits of the bike, other than the starter .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

And of course, everything is susceptible to the whims of previous owners.

[cobra407]

thanks everyone!