-----Original Message-----
From: Mike <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sunday, September 26, 1999 9:28 PM
Subject: Tail Lights Problem
Mike
With the ignition ON (bike not necessarily running) check either or both
circuits for voltage against ground with a volt meter (I'd start at the
sockets). Then recheck in the PARK position. I'm thinking two
possibilities: 1) there is corrosion which partially blocks conduction -
more things drawing current in ON than in PARK - so there isn't enough
current flow through the bulbs to light the filament and you'll get
significanly low voltage like 5 or 6 volts rather than 12 or 13. If you
don't have a voltmeter, take the tailight lens off & look for a very dim
yellow / red glow in the filament like a run down flashlight. 2) you have a
bad connector, contact, etc., in the ignition switch. Looking at the wiring
diagram it looks like there are separate wires for the lights in ON and
PARK, so 2 is a real possibility.
Something that can drive you nuts is a broken wire, which does not
necessarily have to show any damage. A friend had one in the fuel pump
circuit of a Honda interceptor. Pump & bike would just quit. Often it
would restart & run fine till next time.
One other thing I've seen on my old '75 Honda 750-4. The connector at the
fuse block was a poor enough connection that it generated heat in the end
of the fuse. It would occasionally get hot enough to melt the solder off
the end of the fuse. If you just looked at the fuse it looked fine but if
you removed it one of the little metal ends would stay in the holder.
Little sandpaper and a new fuse & everything was fine but it took several
hours to find the first time.
Hope some of this helps
Bill
<snip>
my tail lights are completely out. No brakes lights either. However, after
I got home last night and was locking the forks, I went beyond lock to
"park" on the ignition, and noticed that the damn tail light bulbs work
(when the bike is in "park").
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