[byonk]

imported post

Rode my 1993 Honda Goldwing Aspencade last night for about 300 miles. Got home and was manuvering it into a parking space when I turned the handlebars left to the handlebar stop to get into a tight space. I noticed that at that point my cruise light on the dash came on and then off after I turned a little to the right. At that point my headligt was fine. I turned the handlebars to the left again to the stop and at that time my cruise light came on again and the headlight went out and has not come on again since. I checked the obvious fuses in the fuse box. Tried the hi and low beams to see if there was any headlight at all. Nothing. Not sure where to look from here. Any ideas?

 

[englishted]

imported post

Two things to check would be the starter button and the wires were they wrap around the steering neck.

 

[lordbradley71]

imported post

My starter button made my light go out all the time---I cleaned my starter button contacts using the how-to article and now it works B-E-A-UTIFUL!

 

[redwing52]

imported post

Ditto...I am betting wiring though as you were not using the start button. Especially considering you were trurning the bars and that might twist the wires.

 

[byonk]

imported post

Thanks for all your theories. I just put a new starter switch in a few months ago. I tried moving the wires around the front of the steering neck to check for shorts. Nothing jumped out at me and then I decided to reenact what I was doing when the headlight went out. I did have the reverse lever up and was pressing on the starter switch to reverse so the switch was a good guess. This time I started the bike and pulled up the reverse lever and when I did the headlight came on. When I pushed it down again the headlight went out. It does this every time I do this. It must have something to do with the reverse lever. Maybe a wiring short or some kind of switch. Any more ideas on this with this new information? As always I appreciate any help you can give. Thanks

 

[DaveO430]

imported post

The reverse lever switch bypasses the starter switch to turn on the headlights when reversing. The problem must be between the #12 fuse, through the start switch and to the splice where it connects to the wire from the reverse switch. There is a connector C57 (9 pin red) in the right side of the fairing behind the marker light. A brown/red wire.

 

[grambo]

imported post

there is a big connector behind the rt knee panel and i had head light on/off problems until i cleaned up this big connector...otherwise got to be your repair affiliated

 

[Derek Hackett]

imported post

had a simular problem on a 1100, only to strip down everything and put back together without success. At the begining a friendly winger said its probably the starter swich! thinking he knew nothing ignored him. 3 hours later same chap said "any joy?" resonding with a "No" he leant accross and flicked the starter and hey presto! Head Light. He explained how the system disengages the headlight when cranking the engine to allow max power to help with start up. I believe that my 1500 does this as well and also on reversing. Have a go at flicking the switch a couple of times. Hope this helps, Derek

 

[byonk]

imported post

Thanks Derek, I tore apart the bike today and checked the fuses again, checked the connectors that Dave and Grambo told me to check. Pulled connectors apart, cleaned with solvent/connector cleaner, replaced the dielectric grease, put them back together and still had no luck. I checked the reverse switch and found it a little loose but other than that it looked ok. Not sure if this may be something worth replacing at this point or not. Just put a new starter and switch on the bike about a year ago. Jiggled the switch and didn't get anything from the headlight. I think I will start with replacing the switch again and see if this gives me the results I am looking for. It seems the simplest and cheapest to try. (something peculiar happened when I tried to start the bike today after working on it for a while. It tried to start and then nothing for a few tries at the starter. It turned over but did not start. It usually starts right up. It has always run really well. Through my persistence I finally got it to start up. Makes me think it may be a short in the switch. May have received a bad one.) Thanks to you all for your help on this, I really do appreciate it. If there is anything else any of you come up with please let me know. Thanks again all.