[Superchuck]

Great, thanks very much- I think I'm finally starting to understand this craziness.  (about time, right!?) 

Anyway, just to clarify because I'm not sure I was reading the white wire's voltage properly before...

The the KEY in my pocket, ie: not in the bike, and ignition off, the white wire reads 0.00 Ohms (when tested against my bike's ground aka: frame).  When I turn the ignition on, that white wire now reads 12v with in the same experiment.

Does this mean it's a ground wire, or is it still acting crazy?  Either way, I think i'm good to go, and will hopefully try mounting it up this weekend.

Thanks,

Chuck

[barenekd]

The white vs blue wire depends on how your starter button is set up. Some bikes have the starter button set up as a ground connection, so when you push the button the circuit is completed to ground. You would hook the white wire to the solenoid. You need a four connector solenoid to do this, as you need to run another wire to the starter button. The blue wire is setup to have the starter button before the solenoid, so the button completes the circuit to the solenoid and on to ground. Since the ground is through the mounting tabs, you are either going to have to mount the solenoid to the bike via the tabs, or run a wire from a tab to a suitable gound.
As in another post, just insulate the end of the white wire and stow it someplace.

[jartist]

With the key on and the blue gives you 12v when you press the button and no volts when you don't it's likely the one you want to hook up.  With the key off and in you're pocket try to test the resistance between the blue and the frame.  If it stays at infinity ohms when you press the button and when you release the button it's the one you want and just leave off the white and tape it up.

If the resistance on the blue goes from infinity to zero ohms when you press the button (key still off) then it's wired like bare says and you need to re-wire the switch to use a three pole solenoid. 

I've still got my money on the blue as power from switch and white ground.

[Superchuck]

Excellent, you guys are most helpful.  I'll try getting it all wired up again soon and let you know the verdict.

Many thanks,
Chuck

[barenekd]

the white wire is a hot Wire!!! Do not use it for ground!!!! You'll fry some wire and possibly parts!

Bare

[jartist]

If it IS in fact a hot but he got o ohms to ground with it.  It's hard to do the multimeter thing without actually being there.  Regardless, I'm instructing to further investigate if the blue is a switched path to ground through the start button or if it is a switched hot lead.  Multimeters can get strange readings like if you're testing resistance with a wire with current or when you get very small feedback voltages on grounds when testing voltage.  Like Bare says don't use the white for a ground unless you know what it is which is why it should be taped up even if it's not used.

[Arizoni]

As I recall,  a earlier post said that with the ignition key turned on, the blue wire was at zero volts until the starter button was pressed.  Then, with the button pressed it was showing 12 volts to ground.

Of course it doesn't hurt to check it one more time to be certain.

[barenekd]

OK, the white wire could be picking up some residual voltage from somewhere. It's pretty easy to check. With the key on touch the wire to a ground, engine fine, bolt head or something. If it sparks, it's not residual and it's not a ground wire. If it does nothing, it may have been the ground wire for the solenoid and could be attached to the mounting pad.
Bare