[Richard230]

Here is an article published by Motorcycle.com regarding splicing and soldering wires that you might find interesting and useful:

http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/mo-wrenching-how-to-properly-splice-wires

[REpozer]

Good tip for soldering. I need to purchase some Posi Lock. Connectors.

[tooseevee]

Good tip for soldering. I need to purchase some Posi Lock. Connectors.

            Yes, they are "good stuff". I've used Posi-Taps and the butt connectors (I forget the name). They're an excellent little doobie. If it's a place where you don't want a "lump", a nice solder joint and Shrink-Tube is still the best.

             PS: I made a list this summer of "good stuff" after 78 years (79 in March). There are about 12 things on it (even duct tape is cheap crap now).

[gizzo]

I've never heard of Posi Locks. They look good. Pretty expensive though. Soldering is cheap...

[tooseevee]

I've never heard of Posi Locks. They look good. Pretty expensive though. Soldering is cheap...

           Yes, maybe they are, but there isn't a much easier, more positive, simple way to tap into an existing, in place, hot wire that you'd rather not cut and solder and then try to wrap. Plus some of the Enfield wires are like spider web and it can be a bitch splicing, etc., them. The wire is thinner than hair.

            You should try a few Posi-Taps. They're OK and I'm also a "you should solder that" guy. Posi-Taps are for those special times when they just 'work good' for that particular job. Another drawback is they make a big lump in your carefully wrapped harness. 

[Arizoni]

Some may disagree but I think soldering wiring on a motorcycle is asking for trouble.

In its newly made condition, copper wire is in its soft, annealed condition.  It bends easily and is quite resistant to vibration.

If left alone, the annealed copper will stay soft and flexible.

Copper does have one interesting property that many aren't aware of.
If it is bent, it starts to harden.  If bent back and forth repeatedly, it hardens even more.

Hard things not only resist bending but they are brittle and when subjected to more bending they break due to fatigue.

Getting back to soldering, although it creates an excellent electrical bond, the solder on the wire forms a stiff, hard to bend area that stops abruptly precisely where the solder ends. 

If the wire is subjected to vibration it will be forced to move back and forth a small amount at a high rate of speed.

The soft unsoldered wire will "go with the flow" but where it meets the soldered area which won't bend, the copper wire will do all of the bending.
That will harden the wire at that point and as I mentioned, the hardened wire will become brittle and break.

No, this breaking won't happen immediately but it can happen surprisingly soon after the joint was soldered.

This is one of the prime reasons soldered joints are rarely if ever found in a automotive or motorcycle wiring harness (unless the Indians made it  ).

[mattsz]

The soft unsoldered wire will "go with the flow" but where it meets the soldered area which won't bend, the copper wire will do all of the bending.
That will harden the wire at that point and as I mentioned, the hardened wire will become brittle and break.

I would think the same is true for a crimped-on connector, like the bullet-connectors often seen - once you clamp down on that collar, the wire strands are locked together.

Do the Posi-Lock / Posi-Tap connectors crimp onto the wires?

[tooseevee]

Do the Posi-Lock / Posi-Tap connectors crimp onto the wires?

            No. An accurately placed little screw drills into the exact center of the wire and traps it solidly making contact. The other types use other configs of threaded pins. The insulation itself is also tightly gripped so the copper is not pulled on if the wire is pulled on.

             All the various types of these things are VERY accurately made. I think there are better explanations than mine on their website.

[Chasfield]

Soldered connections can work if proper strain relief is included - heat shrink tubing, push on rubber terminal covers and cable ties to support the wires. Never expect solder to provide mechanical support, it will alway let you down. I alway minimally apply solder to crimp connectors so that it doesn't wick up the wire, then I finish off with shrink wrap having discarded the hard plastic sleeve that comes with the connector.

I also wear belt and braces with trousers that have an elasticated wasteband.

 

[ROVERMAN]

Agree with Arizona here. I repair car wiring on a daily basis and almost never solder anymore. We use the correct size (very important) heat shrinkable crimps with the correct crimp tool that does not pierce the plastic. Then we back up with a heat shrink cover. Many of the wires we use are 22 to 24 gauge which has 0.50 mm cross section copper, those are very small, works for us.
Roverman.