What is this black box, and this broken wire?

Drif10

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Jul 22, 2020
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Quebec
Just bought this 14 ES yesterday. Didn't see this on original inspection. Everything seems to work, but until tires come in so I can get a safety, I can't really ride it.

Under the seat:20200726_213935.jpg

The yellow wire:

20200726_213945.jpg

A source to buy a manual is probably my next question. :D

Thanks in advance!
 

BadNews

"Not properly socialized"
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Central Ohio, USA
I've recently repaired some bonafide mouse damage on my 2017, that doesn't look like mouse damage. Mice are not interested in cutting the copper, they mostly go after the insulation. That looks more like something with a rough edge was stashed under the seat and wore that wire through.
As far as what it controls: I have a non-ES, and I don't have that black box under my seat, so I'm thinking its something to do with the Electronic Suspension.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
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Ventura, CA
I've recently repaired some bonafide mouse damage on my 2017, that doesn't look like mouse damage. Mice are not interested in cutting the copper, they mostly go after the insulation. That looks more like something with a rough edge was stashed under the seat and wore that wire through.
As far as what it controls: I have a non-ES, and I don't have that black box under my seat, so I'm thinking its something to do with the Electronic Suspension.
Over on the Honda ST forums there are dozens of reports where mice have chewed through the insulation and all the way through the copper wiring on ST1300s. Typically the fuel injection harness is their favorite. Sometimes the copper wire is chewed away flush to the connector, making a simple slicing repair impossible.


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Sierra1

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Joshua TX
I'm in the BadNews camp on this one. My Jeep's wiring harness got ate up by squirrels, and I've seen other cars with mouse prints under the hood. But, there was always poop along with the prints, and chewed wires. I don't see either in this case. However the damage was done, it sucks ass; not what a person wants to find on a new purchase.

By the way, welcome from Texas.
 

yoyo

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Swansea UK
I have a non ES and don't have that box so again looks like a controller for the ES

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Gigitt

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Sydney Australia
Yellow wire goes to Rear Shock absorber assembly Stepper motor 4-pin plug #61
Fault code 93 - Stepping motor open or short circuit detected
 

Drif10

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Messages
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Location
Quebec
Yellow wire goes to Rear Shock absorber assembly Stepper motor 4-pin plug #61
Fault code 93 - Stepping motor open or short circuit detected
Thanks! It hadn't thrown a code, I think because it had one wire stand still connected, and I hadn't tried to change the setting yet.
 

Drif10

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Jul 22, 2020
Messages
136
Location
Quebec
To follow up:

Took off the seats, the height adjuster, the aluminum seat bracket, the SCU, and the plastic undertray.

Definitely mouse damage:

20200727_112836.jpg

Mouse turds, more chewed sheathing, even what looked to be dry cat food.

Cleaned it all up, spliced in a replacement wire, all good now:

20200727_124556.jpg

Thanks to all for the info. Much appreciated.
 

BadNews

"Not properly socialized"
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Yep, you must have some bad-ass species of mice in Stalingrad than we have here, chewing up copper and eating cat food!
 

Sierra1

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Cat food, dog food, anything they can drag back to their nest. Knew a guy, bike sat for a while. . . . they turned his air filter into a cozy little lair. "I hate meeces , to pieces!"
 

Dneprrider

Member
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Sep 21, 2020
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Nova Scotia
I second checking the air box. Here is what I found last year in one of my older bikes air filter intake after it sat for a couple years. Another time they chewed a few holes in the tonneau cover on my sidecar rig.
 

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