Silly electrical problems

[caberguy]

Okay, since I've had my '77 750B I've never been able to get the signals working right. In about April I took off my hard bags which had the rear signals built in. I rode the bike for a few months with no signals attached in the rear (yes, yes, illegal and potentially dangerous, but they weren't working anyway). A couple of weeks ago I started blowing fuses when I turned the bars hard left and backed into a parking space. I replaced both the front and rear signals (though they still aren't working right), and now I'm having a problem where I put my key in the ignition and turn it to on and nothing lights up, but I haven't blown a fuse since then. Then I fiddle around with it, put the kick stand back down, usually turn the bars hard left, and then it lights back up, and starts. Also occasionally when I'm riding it and come to a stop it cuts out, and even if it doesn't cut out the lights fade noticably, then I do the stand down, bars left rutine again and it tends to work again. As of yet I've not been stuck anywhere for long, but I'm getting concerned. I've tried to straighten out the wiring but haven't really had any luck, and the manual isn't really much help. It seems like I'm having a ground problem, but I really don't know, I'm much better with the mech stuff than the electrical.

Does anybody have a magic bullet for this, or do I have to just work through all the wiring?

[chiphead]

It's possible you have a short in the main harness that runs from the instrument cluster and headlight unit over the frame head and under the tank. If the harness is improperly routed, it may have gotten pinched between the fork stops and triple tree. Inspect it carefully and look for signs of compression and or tears.
Or it could be the ignition switch beginning to deteriorate internally.
Did the bike ever have a fairing on it?

[caberguy]

Yeah, when I got the bike it had a jacked up Windjammer on it, why?

[chiphead]

Yeah, when I got the bike it had a jacked up Windjammer on it, why?

I've seen way to many butcher job fairing installations. Sometimes in order to make things work/fit, the main harness that comes out from under the tank and runs to the headlight gets moved/repositioned/stretched and then it gets caught between the triple trees and the fork stops that are part of the frame. That thing about turning the bars to the left and the bike dying sounds like you're shorting out something in the harness.
Or I could be just sucking wind!:-\"

[caberguy]

Now I'm finding that when the power cuts out the only reliable way to get my bike started again is to get off the bike and put the side stand down... doesn't work when I'm sitting on it. Grrr, Stupid electrical problems. I love my 750, and I have no desire to get rid of it, but I was planning on taking it on a camping trip this weekend. Now I'm going to have to foot the bill to put gas in my Jeep... kinda makes me want to buy a newer bike. It's funny how little problems keep popping up on 29 year old bikes.