Gear indication...

[Guest]

I recently started having problem with the gear indicator lights....1st shows...blank for 2nd...34 shows for 3rd and 4th and 5 shows for 5th....what gives? Any help for a novice? Mike here

[posplayr]

The gear indicator operates off of 6 separate ground once each for , 1,N,2,3,4,5. Check To make sure that there is contact made for 2. The wire from the indicator (check the colors in the manual) should ground when in 2nd gear. You can check at the transmission if you can not find it and if it is not there then maybe something broke inside/

[Steve]

If you could give us some help, it would be nice, too. WHAT BIKE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT???

As posplayr mentioned, there is a switch that connects each bulb to a gound when that gear is selected. That switch is near your gearshift lever. Pull the cover off, you will see the selector switch cover with a bundle of wires coming out of it. Remove that cover carefully, there is likely a spring and some small bits in there. Clean the contacts, it's possible there is some crud in there, or one of the contacts might be broken loose, which is why 3 and 4 come on at the same time.

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[ROAD RIDER]

If you could give us some help, it would be nice, too. WHAT BIKE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT???

As posplayr mentioned, there is a switch that connects each bulb to a gound when that gear is selected. That switch is near your gearshift lever. Pull the cover off, you will see the selector switch cover with a bundle of wires coming out of it. Remove that cover carefully, there is likely a spring and some small bits in there. Clean the contacts, it's possible there is some crud in there, or one of the contacts might be broken loose, which is why 3 and 4 come on at the same time.

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THANKS FOR ANSWERING. This is a 1983 GS850 G. I am original owner and have never had ANY mechanical problems. I wanted to sell the bike this year but now I find this problem. I am certainly no guru at this. In fact I do not own a manual for repairs.BUT...I pulled the shift lever and cover. Before I go messin' further...I see small black item with two phillips screws...a thick black wire ( assuming that houses the 6 wires) coming from the sensor. I can't see where the fat black wire goes other than toward the center and up. So do I start with the 2 Philips and clean the small part? If that doesn't fix it...Then I replace the part? Thanks for your help. Mike

[JTGS850GL]

The selector switch looks like this:


The center contact is common and the ones surrounding it are the individual gear indicators. If you remove it using those two screws be aware that the center contact and side contacts are a spring loaded pin like seen on the left of the picture. Also be aware that the source of the problem may be a melted contact at the connector end of the harness.