350 Electric Ground to Frame?

[Stoneman]

I may be wrong but shouldn’t the battery have a wire on the negative post that grounds to the frame? I’ve never noticed one. The reason I ask, I was reinstalling the battery and I noticed two black wires connected to a single connector that were not connected to anything. I took the seat off to investigate and traced one to the rectifier/regulator. The wiring diagram shows such a wire connected to battery and RR, with a red wire leaving the RR. The second black wire went into a wire harness routed under the gas tank.

There’s no way these two connected blacks were attached to the battery which I disconnected yesterday. The bike has been running all spring and summer with those wires disconnected. I’ve attached them to the negative terminal and so far turning the ignition switch to all three on positions shows everything working as normal. I’m about to take a chance and start her up to see what happens.

Thanks for any advice.

Just trying to understand.

[68SR]

 Best ground from batt is a short one.
 If there isn't one you should add it, certainly won't hurt.

[BRT-GTR]

           The battery to frame ground connection is under the tank. It uses the rear frame bolt on the voltage regulator, I guess that is the black wire you see going under the tank. From what you say, sounds like your battery was not connected !!

      As long as the frame (as above), the battery negative terminal and the -ve terminal on the rectifer are all wired together, the electrical system will work correctly. Doesn't matter how the wires run.  If I remember correctly, the original black wiring from the -ve battery terminal doesn't quite match the arrangement shown on the wiring diagram.

     There is a second connection to the -ve terminal on the battery and that is the black/white wire coming up from the alternator, as shown on the wiring diagram.
      Hope this helps.

[Stoneman]

Thanks for the explanation BRT-GTR, it does help. I did ride the bike with all the wires connected to the battery and it seemed just the same as before. Guess I’m all good on this for now.
Steve