I took the exhaust off the bike

I couldn't stand it anymore.

I haven't touched the bike in a little while, this is supposed to be a winter project.  I've been on the web all week looking at things I can put on the bike, bars, gauges, seats, headlamps...and so on.

I took the exhaust off the bike, it has a Frankenpipes on it.  Stock front into Kawasaki canons.  NO CROSSOVER PIPE.  Everywhere I read that taking the thing off robs you of horsepower, so out to the donor bike I go.   The stock mufflers are rotten, nothing left just a shell.  The front pipes are seized into the crossover pipe.

CX500 crossover pipe

So I started playing with the wiring.  I don't have the best memory so I tag everything.  Soon I end up with something that looks like this.

This bike was well taken care of.  I don't have to fight with any of the nuts or bolts.  After the initial crack everything comes off with fingers only.

And I guess that before zip ties they used waxed thread of some sort.  this picture isn't great but you can see the craftmanship in the ties.  I feel awfull cutting them but I don't have a choice.

Next I removed the tail section. 

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I follow the wiring to the front.  The gauge bracket comes off.  I'll be damned, all the wires go into the headlamp assembly.  Fine, I crack that open.  COOL, a sealed glass headlamp.  I havent seen one of those in long time.

Holy @#$$%^.  All I find is psychedelic spaghetti.  Check this out. 

All this is jammed through a one inch hole,  it's like a demented puzzle.  I twist, disconnect some, twist some more,  curse a little, and before I take the wire cutters to it I give up... for now.