[bsteinma]

Hello,

I recently joined the forum because I was looking for information on installing a lowering kit. However, I am currently faced with another issue preventing me from getting the bike out on the road. Luckily we are starting to get more bad weather in the midwest (so much for spring) and I can't really ride it anyway.

So here's the issue. I took the bike out of storage about a week ago, it started right up, but the headlight failed to come on. After running for a few minutes it came on long enough for me to ride it home. Well it sat about a day and I went to check it again and the headlight would not come on again. I've checked just about everything and have come to conclude that there is a loose wire somewhere between the dimmer switch and fuse. I ruled the headlight bulb out, the dimmer switch isn't getting any power, the fuse is good and giving out power. The wire coming from the fuse splits to go to the headlight and taillight. The tail light works, so I suspect the problem is somewhere in the segment from there to the dimmer switch.

I bought a pocket circuit tester and have begun trying to find this spot in the wire, but am starting to realize it is going to be a huge pain to tape these wires back up (any tips on that would be great). Also, I wasn't expecting to have to remove as many parts to get to these wires but looks like I might have to remove the battery housing, which is in turn blocked by my exhaust. I already have my seats and tank removed. Does anyone know where I might find this portion of the wire. I was hoping it wouldn't be far from the fus itself but I've stripped about 12" of electrical tape and still haven't gotten to it and now the bundle of wires is going down and behind the battery housing. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. This is my first bike and I don't plan on taking it to a shop to get this taken care of. Especially when I've already spent the time to rule most things out. Whether I find it right away or not, I should be able to take advantage of having these parts off to give my bike a thorough cleaning.

Also, are there any better shop manuals than the one produced by Yamaha in 1997. I have found this online and it's not the most detailed and I'd like to know how to remove certain things that aren't even mentioned in the manual.

Thank You,
bsteinma

 

[DMTJOY]

Hi, welcome the the forum.
Here are some things to try
1.is both the hi and low out on the headlight? if yes check for voltage at the dimmer switch blue w/black stripe wire. This wire comes from the fuse.
2. does the hi beam indicator light work? this gets its power after the the dimmer switch, and has its own ground.
3.of the 3 wires at the headlight one is ground. Unplug the light and only one should have continuity with an omh meter, should be black wire. or try a jumper between light socket (blackwire) and ground with light plugged in and power on.
4. There is a connector I think it is below the tank near the ignition switch.
I have a maint manual for the 1100, it is for the europe model but most of it is the same. The bad part I can't upload the file it is to large for here. I could email it to you if you want.
hope this helps

 

[linerdave]

Headlight

Bsteima,
Not sure I understood, but I would not trim back insolation to trouble shoot. The tape tends to come off when the glue gets warm. You might be able to slip a probe into the back of a connector enough to get a voltage reading. Maybe a sharp probe would poke through with a small enoughhole to mostly heal over.

Here is a link to a manual maybe it will be better.

http://www.sloneservices.com/SilverBack/Other-Stuff/V-StarShopManual99-07.pdf

Good luck
Dave

 

[bsteinma]

Thanks DMTJOY and linerdave for the manuals and advice. It turns out there wasn't anything wrong with the headlight and I just learned more about the motorcycle by taking things apart (even though none of it was necessary).

Best,
bsteinma

 

[DMTJOY]

Glad to hear nothing was wrong. Love those kinds of fixes.