Electrical gremlins GS425

[Guest]

So, it was raining the other day, riding home, lights and turn signals were working fine. About halfway home they stopped working and I could not get the headlight, tailight, turn signals, or horn to work. I pulled all of the switches apart and cleaned, shined and nothing. The kill switch still does its job and I have cluster lights but not speedo or tach. I have to bump start the bike and am pretty confused on where to even start. I have a new wiring harness, newish right and left controls, all contacts were gone through less than a year ago during final assembly and everything was working well until the rain. BTW, I only have one main fuse, checked it, changed it anyway and still nada.

[pete]

Do you still have the original glass fuse holder? First thing I'd do is swap that out for a blade style holder. My glass one had perished to the point of not working with a good fuse and they're notoriously bad...

Otherwise, all you can do is switch it on and start shaking areas of the harness until something flickers to life. The area you're shaking contains a dodgy connection of some sort...

[ikantbreave]

Thanks Pete,

I changed out the glass fuse holder during the rebuild to the blade type. I wasn't totally sure about the battery even though it showed 13.2V so I had it tested at Batteries Plus and it's fine they said. I used a continuity light, switched on the ignition and the light lit at the right switch when I pressed the start button but nothing happened, I have power to the headlight, turn signals and starter, it just won't do anything. Checked all connections and grounds again, shook the harness as you suggested and nothing. I have gear selection lights and absolutely nothing else. Started looking at a Ninja 650 because I need something reliable but I don't wanna give up on the GS. Way too much work into it.

[Eric]

Figured I'd bump this for you

I'm going to think about it and find a wiring diagram to look at to try and help, but I'm at work so it may take a bit.

[pete]

I can't recall now but have you got the clutch and/or sidestand safety switches on there? If so, bypass them and see how you go... otherwise potentially a dodgy starter solenoid. Again it's been a while since I saw this thread and I'm a little lazy to go back searching...

[Eric]

I'd suspect grounding issues. What did you have the negative side of your test light connected to when you found that there was power at the headlight, turn signals, and starter?

[ikantbreave]

Thanks guys, I clipped the continuity light to the fins on the engine. Thought that would be a good ground. Would the starter solenoid draw enough juice to keep everything from lighting but allow enough current to light the continuity light?

[ikantbreave]

Oh, and I dont have a clutch safety switch or side stand switch. Unless I'm supposed to but I've never seen them.

[ikantbreave]

Desperation bump. :/

[Thumper88]

I assume you've already got a wiring diagram:

https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=2370b62ddf9f0c6b&sc=documents&uc=3&id=2370B62DDF9F0C6B%211030#cid=2370B62DDF9F0C6B&id=2370B62DDF9F0C6B%211032&sc=documents

You said the gear indicator works but the horn doesn't? They run off of the same positive power wire, along with the turn signals, front and rear brake switch, etc...
This implies a grounding issue. The gear indicator provides a ground through the switch (mounted to the engine)...it has its own ground.
The other components are all grounded off that black/white wire. Find the grounding issue...or run a new ground wire/s
Try temporarily running a wire from the negative terminal of battery (or clipped to the engine) to the black/white wire at the headlight (can piggy back at the connector).