2009 Road King Classic

History: Several months after adding my 16" PYO Monkey Bars, I realized that my headlight was not working in the low beam setting. Also a problem with the left turn signal. Took it back to the shop that installed the bars and they, after much checking, were able to locate a short in the internal wiring and get the lights working . . . at least long enough for me to pass the safety inspection. About a week later, however, headlight was once again not working in low beam setting (high beam worked fine). Left turn signal worked intermittently.

It comes time to register the bike again, and I once again must pass a safety inspection. The lights must be fixed. I decide that rather than going back to the same place, I ought to try it myself. I get the wires out, find the short, re-solder the connection, and pull the wires back through the bars. It appeared that the headlight problem was fixed, but there was a short somewhere else. I can't remember what the new short was. I pulled the wires back out, found the new short, re-pulled the wires and, now . . .

Current situation: My headlight does not illuminate at all, either in the low beam or high beam setting. I have had the lamp checked. It's good. I've check the fuse. It's good. I've tested the continuity from the switch to the housing. It's good. Have I failed to connect something? What would now be causing the headlight not to illuminate at all? Tailights come one. Left turn signal works.

 

Here's a little more information about what (little) I know:

The switch has three wires: blue, yellow, and white.
The headlamp housing has three wires: yellow, black, and white.

Here's what my continuity tester does:

When connected to the blue wire at the switch, with the switch in the "Hi Beam" position: Illuminates only when touched to the headlamp housing where the white wire connects.

When connected to the blue wire at the switch, with the switch in the "Low Beam" position: Illuminates when touched to the headlamp housing where the yellow wire connects, and where the black wire connects. Also connects when touched to ground on bike frame.

When connected to the yellow wire at the switch, regardless of switch position: Illuminates when touched to the headlamp housing where the yellow wire connects, and where the black wire connects. Also illuminates when touched to ground on bike frame.

When connected to the white wire at the switch, regardless of switch position: Illuminates when touched to any connection on the headlamp housing and when touched to ground on the bike frame.

 

The situation is different now than it was this morning, and not better. Now -- nothing on the left side works: no left turn signal, no high or low beam, no horn, no cruise control. On the right side, the run switch and the ignition switch both still work, but not the right turn signal.

I have removed, inspected, and replaced (the same) lighting relay, headlamp fuse, and lighting fuse. I took the lighting relay over to my dealer, hoping they could either test it or replace it. The guy at the parts counter said they couldn't test it and that if my turn signals and tail lights were working, there was nothing wrong with the lighting relay. I therefore brought it home and put it back in. Other than that, I can't think of anything else I've done, besides more tests.

I picked up a multi-meter and tested for voltage at the headlamp housing -- nothing (not surprising). I have twelve volts in the blue wire at the left handlebar plug (both sides) and nothing at the switch. I re-tested the continuity and it appears that my earlier continuity test of that wire was erroneous. There is a short in that wire. Grrr . . .

I guess that means removing the wires . . . again . . . fixing the short . . . again . . . and pulling the wires . . . again. At this point I am inclined to take it to the dealer and let them do it. I just cannot seem to get the wires pulled without shorting out one or more of them. The part that really confuses me, still, is why the other controls (turn signal, etc.) worked this morning but don't work now.

Any ideas??