Wiring loom for '54 Dominator 88

After all they both have rear lights ar the back and front lights at the front! They will both be Magneto ignition, same handlebar kill switch. Both be 6V. (but 6V or 12V does NOT affect the loom) There won't be extra parts added but the lights switch might have moved. after all the loom is only there to connect all the electrical bits up, so if any part moves then the loom has to 'chase' it. Such a 6 V loom will NOT have any fuse (good idea to add one). The original wiring will probably not have a stop light, another good item idea to have. I do a wiring kit but of course my kit is in post 1963 colours (another good idea) Some of the original 1954 colours might not be available. Your choice.

I think the only difference between 1954 and '55 that can affect the wiring is that the earlier bike has the short rear mudguard, and the '55 has a long guard with hinged rear section.  The lamp itself is the same Lucas 525.  I think it was during 1956 that the instrument panel attached to the fork crown was dropped, and instead a panel in the top of the headlamp shell was adopted. This will affect the wiring loom. The early featherbed Dominators had the kill button on the left side of the tool tray (move it to the handlebar, your trousers will appreciate it if your throttle jams wide open - twice so far for me), and they did have a stop lamp.  I would add an earth wire from the headlamp shell to the main frame somewhere - the standard loom assumes that electricity will be happy to pass through the greased head races and balls..  Paul

Very good reply Paul, actually pin points some of the slight differences between 'standard' and a few mods to make life easier/safer. Adding the earth wire, moving the kill switch, adding a stop light etc. Some times the 'all original/standard' situation will be not doing you any good. After all 90% of this forum is dealing with 'old bikes' but making them a bit more 21st century compliant to use etc. (I don't mean trying to make then ULEZ compliant though!!) And another thing, most of our mechanical bits and even painted bits can stand 'time' although 'metal worm' can be a nuisance some times, (on tin ware) but NOS wiring is NOT a very good idea. A loom that has been lying about unused for 'say' 20 years will have started to tarnish, you will not make very good new connections. So this makes most of the wiring on our old bikes 'not fit for purpose!'

I used the 1955-56 "Lucas" branded harness on my 1953 Model 88 recently. The harness fitted perfectly and the colours matched the original 1953 Lucas diagram. The only difference is the harness was wired to fit a stop-tail light and the 1953 harness only a rear brake light. As a stop light is mandatory down here in Oz it was the perfect solution.