Reminder about headlights and switches!

Ladies and Gents,

First, Happy New Year!

Second...reminder that I'm getting older (aren't we all?) and forgetting more...which leads to interesting diagnosing paths!

The 89 Blue Beastie decided not to clutch last week. So I figured I would bleed the system. Well...as usual..some idiot (me) screwed one of the master screws on to tight and of course, I needed to make a new slot in the screw to get it off. After bleeding a few strokes...noticed nothing but fluid coming out...so went to look at the teeny hole in the MC...and it was plugged. "E" guitar string cleared that up and clutch was now good again. (reminder to me...change the fluid again soon.)

Put everything back together and started her up. Headlight came on for a split second then nothing. Wha? Went for a quick ride and clutch now good but headlight and dash lights not on. Checked the fuses...good. So pulled out the schematics and traced the wires. What could be common with the headlight and dash lights?? Found 2 things....the RLU and the start switch. Start Switch? What the heck does that have to do with the dash lights? Decided to check out the RLU jumpers...thinking maybe all that banging on the bars to "make a new screw slot" might have jarred loose a jumper. Started taking the front end apart when something started nagging my feeble brain. Seriously. Like "why are you doing this dummy?"

So...I stopped. Walked around and sat on the bike. Started it a few times...no light. Then it dawned on me. Memory finally started working and I remembered reading about the start switch not coming back out all the way will keep the headlight off. So I reached over and pulled back on the start switch....boom! Headlight and dashlights on! Contact cleaner to the rescue! Boy did I feel dumb!!

So this post is a reminder to myself and the forum that the start switch does shut off the headlight and dash lights (at least on my 89!!) so check there first if they don't work but bike runs fine!

Ugh...getting old sucks...but the alternative isn't an option!

Did I say Happy New Year!!??

Done that one. There is a good write-up about cleaning them things. And there are some Very little parts in there that like to jump out and hide!!

Been there, done that and spent many 'happy' hours looking for one of those itty bitty parts, and then found it on the workbench.

Yup!!

The whole idea behind disabling the headlight (and dash lights) is so that the starter motor gets as much energy from the battery as possible!!

Only one positive thing comes out of finally finding any of those itty-bitty parts is that you can end up with a clean shop!

Update...

Well...the cleaning I did on the start switch worked for a while. But now the start switch has a "bump" in the travel, making it harder to push in than normal.

My first guess is it's gotta something broken in there or something is not where it should be as something is getting in the way of the movement in both directions. Right at the beginning of the switch's travel too.

I downloaded Gary's @dingy PDF breakdown of the assembly (Thanks Gary for great writeup and pics) and guess I'll be tackling this in the near future. Beans...I wanted to ride to Rio Rice for eats this week. Maybe I can take a chance and go! Fat chance??!!