Remote Control Ignition
by Wee Man

Ever wanted to score maximum Chip Shop points by having a remote control ignition fitted to your bike? But reckoned it would be too expensive or too difficult to fit? I thought that too, until I saw what the systems on the market consisted off and after a good look at my bikes wiring diagram, I decided to build my own system.

All the parts were bought from Maplin Electronics as they can be ordered over the phone, internet or one of Maplin’s many high street shops. This means all the parts are nice and easy to get hold of.

Fitting takes about 2 hours depending on what bike you fit it too. I fitted the system to my GSXR1100. The Remote Control Ignition system only has four wires to be connected up, so if you can wire a 13Amp plug you should be able to wire the system to your bike.

I chose to solder all connections, rather than use crimps. Mainly because soldering is far neater and less likely to fail on a dark rainy night in the middle of nowhere! It’s also worth remembering that your life might depend on how good a connection has been made, your ignition cutting out mid-corner due to a poor connection doesn’t bare thinking about. So try to solder all joints rather than use a cheap crimping tool and crimps. Cover all solder joints with heatshrink sleeving rather than insulating tape, as tape will move or unravel after a few weeks, causing BIG problems. If you are going to use crimps, make sure you use a good quality ratchet crimping tool and not the cheap kind you get for £2.99.

The fitting: Probably easier with the bikes bodywork removed. First choose a suitable location to mount the Remote Control Device (RCD). I chose the tailpiece of my Gixer, as it’s away from heat, condensation, moving parts and electrical interference. And also because it’s nice and easy to run the wires from the RCD along side the bikes loom for a more professional look.

Next identify where the ignition switch plugs into the loom. On a GSX-R1100, this is a green 4-way connector beside the coils under the petrol tank. It should have a red wire, orange wire, grey wire and brown wire if you have found the correct connector. Unplug the ignition switch from the loom, as you don’t need it anymore! I cut the 4-way socket off the ignition switch (make sure it’s the ignition switch connector you cut off and not the main looms!). Don’t cut the wires too close to the 4-way socket, as you need to be able to solder the two control wires from the RCD to them. Run the two control wires (grey wire and white wires) from the RCD to the ignition switch connector. I wrapped the two wires in insulating tape to protect them. Also makes it Look part of the bikes existing loom to help confuse thieves. I ran the wires along side the main loom, cable tying it every so often. Make sure the wires are away from heat and place’s they are likely to get trapped.

Once the grey and white control wires have been run up to the connector. You now need to solder the control wires to the 4-way socket you removed from the ignition switch.

The grey wire from the RCD solders to the red wire on the 4-way socket. On a GSX-R1100 the red wire on this connector is permanent 12-volt feed. Cover the joint with heatshrink sleeving and shrink to size. Solder the white wire from the RCD to the orange wire on the 4-way socket. Again covering the joint with heatshrink sleeving. The orange wire on a GSX-R1100 is the 12-volt return.

The two remaining wires on the 4-way socket, the brown wire and grey wire, should be soldered together. Again covering the joint with heatshrink sleeving. If you don’t join these two together you’ll have NO dash or side lights!! Now plug the 4-way socket back into the bike’s loom.

That’s the control side of the ignition wired, not too difficult was it?


The RCD now needs power. It needs a permanent positive 12 volt supply.
Easiest way of doing this is to the battery terminals using eyelet crimp connectors. The wires supplied with the RCD are very short and don’t have an inline fuse holder fitted. You MUST fit a fuse, for you and the bikes safety. The inline fuse holder should be fitted to the black wire with the white tracer. I fitted a blade fuse holder, as blade fuses can be bought at just about any garage if it blows. Also try to fit the fuse holder as close to the battery as possible.

At the same time you will probably want to lengthen the wires. Use good quality wire, which will cope with currents upto 5 amps. Use solder joints and heatshrink sleeving to attach the extensions to the RCD’s two power cables. I wrapped the two wires in insulating tape and run them beside the main loom again.

Crimp the eyelet crimps to the two power wires.

Make sure the crimp connections are secure. Then connect them to the battery. The black wire of the RCD connects to the battery negative and the black wire with white tracer of the RCD connects to the battery positive. Once this is done fit a 3Amp fuse in the fuse holder. The RCD will now have power and need to be programmed to recognise the remote control keyfob and more importantly set the output of the RCD to LATCHING. It must be set to latching; otherwise the bikes ignition will switch on then straight off again when the button on the keyfob is released! Full instructions on how to programme the RCD are provided with it and are straightforward to follow. Honest!

Last job is to test the RCD before refitting any bodywork back on the bike.
Press button on keyfob. The bike’s ignition should switch on. Now check bike starts and all other electrical items work e.g. sidelights, dip beam, main beam, horn etc.

Push the button again and the bike’s engine should switch off and the ignition goes dead. Now check all electrical items DON’T work when ignition is off. If all is okay, refit bodywork, making sure not to trap any wiring.

Job done. Now head off down the Chippie to earn those points.