anyone know what exactly a positive ground on a motorcycle is?

 

Ground is defined as the reference point of zero voltage. Most times it is the negative side of a DC power supply in a PNP type of circuit. In an NPN type of circuit which you are referring to the positive side of the DC power supply would be connected to ground. Hope this helps.

 

yeah just figured it out i think,.. thanks for the help that helps explain it.. so basically on my bike.. i gotta run positive to the frame... and negative to everything else.. damn thats weird

 

It's wierd I know. It's a little bit different way of thinking. Just make sure the bike and the componenets are both positive grounds first. All should be fine though and work out for you. What are you installing by the way.

 

its on a 1974 Triumph Bonneville 750.. the battery went dead and when going to replace it i noticed that the negative wire was broke.. so i figured it was a negative ground and hooked it to the frame.. couldnt figure out why it wasnt working like that.. So i went on a triumph forum and they just told me it was a positive ground.. so i guess i gotta find out where that negative cable broke off from.. it looked like it could have been hooked to the frame and that sounded the most reasonable.. but i guess i was wrong. This is the first i have heard of a negative ground.. well let you guys know how things go.. thanks for you help skid!

 

That makes sense now I forgot about your 74 Triumph. Back in 74 positive grounds were fairly common. Now most all bikes and automobiles are negative ground.

 

Yeah, some older British cars were like that too.
We can thank Lucas, "The Prince of Darkness" for that one...LOL