| Author | Message | ||
     Maximum |
So there I was, riding to work this morning, minding my own business, and as I pulled up behind a truck I noticed that my headlight went out when I down shifted. I thought "this is strange". It happen to both the low and the high beam. I first thought that there was a short being caused by some of my mods, and maybe the combination of my riding in heavy rain the day before. As I pulled up to a stop light I realized that it wasn't the changing of gears, but pulling the clutch which caused the lights to go out. This must have looked pretty strange to cars in front of me. When I got to work, I verified that it happened only when the clutch was pulled. I put the bike in neutral and the lights totally went out. So I figured that I would try to turn the key off and back on to see if the issue would reset. This is where things really got strange. When I turned the key on, the bike started! I tried it again and the bike started again without pressing the starter button. OK, maybe the third time is the charm, so I tried it again...with the same result. So while the bike was running I decided to press the starter button. Nothing seemed to happen, because the bike was already running, but all of the sudden the lights came back on and everything seemed to be back to normal. So the only thing that I can figure, is that the starter switch was stuck on, and while I was in gear it would only engage with the clutch pulled in, and when the starter engaged the lights would go out. When I parked the bike and put it in neutral, the starter engaged again causing the lights to go out. I did not hear the starter running during this process, so maybe electrically the system thought the starter was on, but it really was not, then it reset after I pressed the starter switch again. Pretty strange, huh? Anyone else every seen this one? | ||
| Davo |
The problems, though verified, seem unrelated as I remember them to appear on the wiring diagram. What mods do you have added and where do you pull current from? | ||
| Maximum |
The mod that I was concerned about was the jumper in the left hand switch housing to allow to low light to stay on during hi beam ops. I also ran an Autoswitch for my PIAA lights, which using the hi beam pulse to trigger. All the power for accessories runs from the battery except for the GPS and grip heaters, which tap into the front accessory power port. I really think, based upon my troubleshooting above, that it was just a sticky starter switch. The light do cut out when you hit the starter, but the starter only works when in neutral or when the clutch is pulled in. Anyway, things have been working normal since things reset yesterday. | ||
| Jmhinkle |
I think someone had this issue before and it was after being in a wet condition and attributed it to water in the starter button as well. I would pull the starter side apart and check for moisture and maybe put some switch grease in there. | ||
| Dirt |
Yep, I'm that someone. Headlight would go out every time I pulled the clutch in and it started up all by itself after I filled it up with gas. Also, my starter was spinning as I rode down the road and I could smell something burning (probably the starter). I rode the bike to work that morning in the rain and it started acting up on my way home that evening. Not sure if it was water related, but I couldn't duplicate the problem the next day after the bike had time to dry out. In fact, it hasn't acted that way since. I have had other electrical problems however. | ||
| Maximum |
Hey Dirt, it nice to not be alone! Misery likes company ya know.   Actually it wasn't that bad, but something to keep an eye on. Let me know if it shows up again with you. | ||
| Dirt |
I don't know what was more embarrassing, having the headlight flash on and off during rush hour traffic or the time that my tall windshield flew off on the interstate and hit me in the head. You've got to have humility to ride a Buell. | ||
| Dualbuelljohn |
Usually when you have one thing operate another, it turns out to be a loose ground. Operating the second item allows the 1st item current to flow through and to ground. The other possibility is water getting into a connector. | ||
| Crusty |
You've got to have humility to ride a Buell. I don't know about humility, but I've got sore jaw muscles from my Perma-grin!  |
