Not a happy camper...

[Guest]

So, I climb upon the back of my '82 GS850L and decide to go for a cruise out in the country where I live. Bike is full of gas, fresh oil change, and a good attitude and I am set. What? No Turn signals, neutral light, light for side stand warning, or worst of all, brakelight!
Check the fuses w/ tester - all good!
Replace them anyway as I have been fooled before. No dice!
No ride for me! I pull the seat and look around. Nothing obvious... This bike has a new stator and rectifier about 6 months ago and a new clutch about 500 miles ago, So I am tired of turning wrenches and coughing up cash and just want to ride!
I cannot find the snafu! Have replaced every ugly or corroded connector and am now going thru the headlight bucket . What a mess! Makes Lucas look good! So far no luck. Even put in new lamps. I am about ready to take it to the dreaded bike shop and see if anybody has a line on these old electrics and can help. I have about 60 hours in this problem so far and it now lights the right rear blinker when I put on the brakes! Somewhere, I believe I have a some cooked and shorted wires that I cannot find and I know that slow and steady patience wins the race, but I am exhausted in spirit.
Any kind words or suggestions would be appreciated in this trying time!

[Anonymous]

I know that this may sound stupid but is your starter shorted out. It could be and it is grounding out the battery through the starter windings. The starter windings have just enough resistance to drain out the battery without letting it explode. It could also be the starter relay. Also, I know that on some bikes when you push the starter button, it drops out a relay to the rest of the electrical system and your '82 might just be new enough. I know that my '82 yamaha vision has all kinds of those ****////((( relays.
I hope that helps. This is the kind of problem that you really have to look at. Oh by the way, I know you checked the battery ground strap .... right.
Al

[AOD]

post this over in the technical forum, people should help you out then.

~Adam

[ozarkdrb]

Yeah... I am not really looking for tech help/ I KNOW eventually I will find what is smoked. I was just bummed and looking for encouragement and inspiration to stay patient and focused.
I am missing the best time around here to go riding!

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Yeah... I am not really looking for tech help/ I KNOW eventually I will find what is smoked. I was just bummed and looking for encouragement and inspiration to stay patient and focused.
I am missing the best time around here to go riding!

But if you put this in the tech section like Adam says,you might 'eventually' find it sooner.

[AOD]

on the bright-side, at least you didn't go out to your bike and see it laying on its side because some ass, or the wind, thought it'd be fun to knock it over. :x

[ozarkdrb]

OK!
Found where wire was cooked in headlight bucket!
A bit of wire, a bit of solder, and about two weeks of screwing around with this deal and I am back on the road with everything humming!
I am sooo happy!
Watch for me across the Ozarks!

[Anonymous]

Trust me when I tell you I have been there. So much so that one beautiful Saturday I sat in the garage and sobbed like a child. I had poured over two grand into this thing (got it for free thank God!)and countless hours it just wouldn't start and stay running. That was the day I think the fuse box melted after I'd spent $150 for an electrex regulator. I had about decided to put it out front for the trash man to collect on Monday morning. Trust me if I had owned a sledge hammer that morning I would have one huge hunk of japanese artwork out at the curb by afternoon. Instead I began looking for a "real motorcycle". One that I could start and ride and wouldn't take 3 hours to prep before I left on a ride. But more importantly one that would take me home. That's when I found my Kawasaki. Only after I bought it and coming to the reality that I didn't have to work on the Suzuki that I decided to play with troubleshooting the various maladies that plagued it. 6 months later and with the aid of one afternoon's worth of time of an electrician friend of mine, the old girl is still here, runs fine and reliable as hell. So take heart. If it doesn't come together, remember me, a man who didn't have sense enough to leave a piece of junk alone. A man who now has 2 great bikes and has the difficult task of trying to decide which one to ride when home. Life can be so difficult sometimes... But also rewarding!:roll:

[gremlin]

true story

rode my bike most of the winter, lost job monie tight. thougt of just storeing the bike till i got a new job but cheeper to ride than the truck.

well after paying insurance and getting plates desided to get a new battery since old one died. bike started riding ruff could only run at full throdle. cleaned carbs, then it started back fireing out of number 3 cyl. fought it for 3 months. desided to sell it. could not find ware the problem is coming from.
told a guy who drools over it all the time its for sell, he could not get the wife to let him buy it. he told a friend about the bike same problem with him.
one cool night i just sat there staring at the bike, going over every thing, every part test good. i am like what the heck lets switch fuel needle valves and check the o rings. bingo broken o ring and needle valve. it had a hair line crack running up the side. it desided to fall off when i took a close look at it.

25 bucks for a new carb kit. the bike is not for sell now. :P

[ozarkdrb]

It's nearly always the small stuff that throws me working on the Suzuki!
It is a fairly tough engine and tranny and I will not curse it as it has always brought me home. Sometimes w/o lights, but always got me there!
I have found that infinite patience is the key. The ability to walk away and cool-off while rethinking the problem always helps also. As I get older, I am better at staying cool!