Headlights

[Sabie]

Starting the ST1300 at a motel a couple of mornings ago I had the following happen.

The bike was parked facing a wall so when I turned on the ignition key the headlights came on as usual. I started the bike as per normal and the bike fired and started all ok and normal.

After about 15 to 20 seconds (going through the normal warm up procedure) the headlights went out for about just under 10 seconds, just long enough to worry me. They came back on all ok and so far it hasn't happened again.

Any suggestions of what it may have been??? Is there a ticking time bomb of a fault waiting to happen?

[Sabie]

Have I stumped everyone???

Well it happened again tonight, but I think I may have found out what happening.

When the bike starts and you press the starter button this action "kills" the headlight to allow all the bike to start without the headlight drawing power.

It looks like the starter switch is just ever so slightly sticking as I let out the starter button causing the headlight to remain off.

So if you find this ever happening, check the starter button isn't still depressed. In my case it's like a millimetre...

[Shiney]

Great work figuring out the issue mate, and thanks for letting us know

I'll have to keep an eye out for this

[saaz]

May be some gunk build up so worth giving all the switches a spray at least once a year. It sounds like a similar issue to the ST1100 hi/lo switch gumming up.

[Biggles]

I missed seeing this one on April 4, or I could have replied that I was caught out the same way.  It's mentioned somewhere else in the Forum, because I recall I expressed anxiety that my starter motor had been engaged all the time but someone said it wouldn't have been.

[Sabie]

No, the starter motor wasn't engaged. The starter button wasn't depressed in not so you'd notice, it was more of wriggle for the headlight to come back on.

I'll service the switches when I get back home next week..

Thanks everyone

[Steve Epps]

Same thing has been happening to my bike as well, I just came onto the site to see if anybody else has had the problem and I see that I'm not alone, thanks for the advice, I will spray with some WD40
Best regards
Steve

[Biggles]

Same thing has been happening to my bike as well, I just came onto the site to see if anybody else has had the problem and I see that I'm not alone, thanks for the advice, I will spray with some WD40
Best regards
Steve

There ya go.  Benefiting from the stored wisdom already.  Worth the subscription, eh?

[Sabie]

Subscription???  I think I paid to much ... I didn't get any change out of my 2 cents worth...

Same thing has been happening to my bike as well, I just came onto the site to see if anybody else has had the problem and I see that I'm not alone, thanks for the advice, I will spray with some WD40
Best regards
Steve

There ya go.  Benefiting from the stored wisdom already.  Worth the subscription, eh?