Side lights/ ignition

[Ian J Hartley]

The front and rear side lights go off

That’s looking like your fault is in the bikes wiring. if it’s not the ignition switch giving a high resistance, then I would look at the wiring harness to the switch.

You live in a coastal region and the bike lives outside. I would suspect corrosion which is giving a high resistance. It might be worth having a look in and around the ignition harness connector. It’s orange in colour and located under the fuel tank at the headstock left hand side. It’s the point at which power from the battery goes up to the ignition switch and back. So corrosion or something could be bypassing your switch with enough voltage to give you dim lights.

Ian

The connector is an 8 way in two rows of 4. The battery power is on pin 2 (red) and the lights are on pin 7 (grey). They are next to one another so it is possible for corrosion or something to bridge the gap between the two pins. Separate the connector and have a good look.

If you can’t find anything obvious, then do a resistance check on the ignition switch harness from that connector.

Just for clarity. Had you pulled the fuse and your lights had stayed dim, then the fault would lie with your add ons.

 

[bowie]

That’s looking like your fault is in the bikes wiring. if it’s not the ignition switch giving a high resistance, then I would look at the wiring harness to the switch.

You live in a coastal region and the bike lives outside. I would suspect corrosion which is giving a high resistance. It might be worth having a look in and around the ignition harness connector. It’s orange in colour and located under the fuel tank at the headstock left hand side. It’s the point at which power from the battery goes up to the ignition switch and back. So corrosion or something could be bypassing your switch with enough voltage to give you dim lights.

Ian

Thanks, the bike has been outside for years an years and never had a problem, I fitted one of the connectors with the orange end about 6 months ago, I think it could be the ignition switch

 

[Ian J Hartley]

Thanks, the bike has been outside for years an years and never had a problem, I fitted one of the connectors with the orange end about 6 months ago, I think it could be the ignition switch

That’s the one. It’s the most likely cause of your problem. What can also happen is the insulation can wear away between two wires, which then corrode and touch with a high resistance. Once you have the connector disconnected with the ignition switch off, there should be no continuity between any of the pins. Any resistance between pins 2 and 7 would indicate the cause of your problem.

The other likely place is the connector at the bottom of the ignition switch.

As you’ve fitted it recently, then you know how to disconnect it.

Ian