Headlight won't work?

woods · 07-06-2004, 10:22 PM

Ok I'm having a problem with my headlight on my 1989 CBR 600. My headlight doesn’t work. The only way I can get my headlight to turn on is hold the starter bottom in just a little bit. This will work if the engine is running and I will hold the starter button in just far enough so it doesn’t try to start the engine again. And it will also work when the engine is off and the key is in the on position. And I will hold the starter button in just far enough in not to start the engine. So when I release my thumb off the start buton the headlight will go out.And on the very rare occasion I can wiggle the handle bars and it will stay on for a short time, but my headlight will always work if I hold the starter button in just a little bit. All the other light work it’s just the headlight that doesn’t work. If any one can help me out on this I will really appreciate it.

Thanks

Noltez · 07-07-2004, 11:33 PM

You've already done 90% of the work. You've narrowed the problem down to a bad connection in the headlight switch assembly. You can either take it apart and attempt to repair the bad connection (50/50 chance it'll work), or head down to the local stealership and order a new switch assembly. I just checked, there are none available on eBay. Good news is I found it on bikebandit.com

http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit...name=CBR6 00F

You'll probably have to copy-paste that. Anyhow, it's item number five, with a listed price of $78... not too bad for brand new.

Good luck!

woods · 07-08-2004, 03:04 AM

I got this answer from a different Message Board.You think this might be the problem?

You have a blown or misconnected relay.
There is a small relay designed to turn off your headlights, and on some bikes other things as well, when you use the starter. This helps send more power to the starter. It would seem that either there is a bad connection somewhere within the relay, or it has been wired incorrectly. Unless you have been working on your bikes electrical system it has probably corroded internaly and needs to be replaced. I'm also betting that it's not your starter relay because the bike seems to otherwise work properly.

If someone has been pokeing around your bike then they may have simply misconnected the wires to the relay. There are several poles on relays and it's common for one or another not to be used, especialy if its not an OEM relay. If whoever wired it connected to the wrong pole, your headlight would be 'on' when it is supossed to be 'off', and vise versa.

It's dead simple to fix once you get at the relay. Either you buy the overpriced honda part for god knows how much, or you go to an electronics store and spend five bucks on a new one. But it will probably be cheaper to buy the honda one if you don't have the wire tools and supplys needed to do a good job of it. I'll try and find out where the thing is mounted on your bike, but I am betting that it's behind the instument cluster. Wherever it is it should be the black box connected to your headlight if you want to trace the wire.