25-cent zip tie killed my $9999 Triple

[R100Pilot]

So, me an' Gimpy The Redhead took the bonnie in to get an estimate (thing rides great, and I actually prefer the "custom" bend on the left side of the bar to the stock bend of the right). Went in back to visit der speedy with the service manager.

There's a perfect stripe of bare wire right where someone, during assembly, pulled a zip tie too tight, binding the wires and causing the insulation to rub through.

He said they had the same problem with a Vespa scooter where the wires were secured with a zip tie.

So... ya might wanna check the zippies on yer trippies.

[milqster]

Was it the tie right at the ignition cylinder? I was thinking that one looked really tight on mine. I have overtightened them myself and caused problems before, so I always tend to eyeball them.

[R100Pilot]

That would be the one.

Really cleaned the wires off good. I'll get a pitcher of it if they still have it layin' around when I go back.

[Eldercanuck]

Bloody 'ell...it's always the little things. Good to hear they've found the problem, and that it is a simple one that shouldn't keep you from your Speedy for much longer. You had the rest of us pretty worried there!

[Devious2XS]

Many of the zipties on my S3 have been replaced. I wasn't impressed with the way they were routed. It doesn't surprize me that this could cause an issue.

[Goffe]

I just noticed a crack in the sheathing near the zip tie at a kink. Why does Triumph do a 180 with the wiring as it leaves the ignition cylinder? Just to secure it with a zip tie? What should I do about the crack? Wrap some electrical tape around it?

[Joemomma]

FWIW, I always use friction tape in place of zip-ties on my dirt bikes, & have taken to using it when building gear racks that are used on the road ( I still use zip-ties for installs that don't move). It doesn't gum up like e-tape, is easy to remove in case of repair or modification, & it won't rub through the wire harness.
I consider it a cross-polination of vocation/advocation.