After getting the clutch lever replaced at a shop, the bike fails to turn over or start until the lefthand assembly is moved or jiggled. This leads me to think the clutch wiring has poor contact or is loose. The previous owner had installed a clutch toggle so he could rest his hand at lights. Somehow the problem fixed itself after I fumbled with the wiring for a while. After this assembly was opened and replaced because of looseness, the problem came back. Any suggestions on the specifics of how to fix this would be helpful.

Also the bright-beam LED no longer turns on. It was working last night. I doubt the LED has gone out, I think it's the same wiring. I don't want to go back to the shop for this, I'd rather fix it myself. Any suggestions?

Kyle

What model year is your bike?  The first several years had a low-tech slide switch arrangement inside the lever assembly.  (starwalt has photos somewhere.)  Since at least '96 the switch has been a self-contained unit that's more reliable ... as long as it's installed the right way around.

From your description, I'm guessing that you have an "early" model.  I'm not sure whether a "later" switch can be installed with an earlier lever ... anyone?

EDIT: Found one of starwalt's photos ... HERE.  For more info, do a

Search for:  clutch switch    by user:   starwalt[/list]

Both locations of interest are easy to get at.  There's no reason that you can't investigate this yourself.  Suggest an hour, a set of Metric wrenches, a phillips screwdriver, a multi-meter (continuity & voltage) and the original incandescent bulb will go a long way to helping you figure out what's up.

I've had both pieces apart before.  Just make sure you expect bits to fall down (catch'em) and use logic to identify what the matter may be.  Could easily be poor contact for both. 

Let us know what you find.

The old ones slide and wear and what not ... PITA ...
New ones sometimes pop loose ... and another PITA and never seem to go back in right ... however when its loose ... it thinks the clutch is in ... so you dont have that no start scene ... you ahve a start even if in gear scene ... so if you have 1/2 an iota of sense you'd be cool with the new style.
Cool.
Srinath.

It's a 2004. Any info on the new configuration would be appreciated. Oddly, the part that seemingly needs to be jiggled to start the bike is not the clutch lever itself, but the assembly housing the turnsignal and light switches. Maybe this is a misperception on my part.

Additionally, from the previous owner there's protruding connectors coming out the bottom of the clutch assembly where he had his clutch switch.

And as for the LED light failure, does this wiring connect to the left hand handlebar assembly?

Kyle

Quote from: indywar360 on July 26, 2006, 02:01:21 PM
It's a 2004. ...And as for the LED light failure, does this wiring connect to the left hand handlebar assembly?

OK Kyle, unless someone replaced your Hi Beam lamp with an LED, you DO NOT have an LED in the panel. The stock configuration is a push-in-base light bulb. They do have a tendency to burn out as they may be on quite a bit if you always run with high beam on.

The Hi Beam circuitry does not connect through the left handlebar control group. Its wiring is part of the instrument cluster group. On a 2003+ model, there is a single cable with two plugs on the end. One plug is a 6 pin, the other is a 3 pin. The Suz manual also indicates a Yellow single wire connector that is the Hi Beam lead to your panel lamp.

I could scan some pages from the Suz manual, but hopefully someone with an '04  could take some pics for you.

Thanks for the replies, guys, you rock. I took apart the clutch lever assembly today and the plastic tab that moves back and forth under the clutch handle looked a little sheared. I'll replace that part and if that fixes the no-start problem then I guess it wasn't the wiring itself.

And as for the bright-light indicator bulb, I'll replace that too and see what happens.

Thanks again.

Kyle

On the topic of the high-beam indicator bulb, it was the first one that went on my dashboard also.  After a gauge bulb went out, I decided to swap out the whole lot with LED's.  Wrote about it in my Dashboard is now All LED thread.

There's also a LED FAQ with links to other threads.

One point -- the High-Beam bulb is the weakest intensity for a good reason -- I intend to buy a single-LED 194 bulb some time in the future so it is not as intense when on in the blackness of the night.  Egaeus and Suzuki engineers ultimately convinced me -- need something less intense there.

Glad you're on your way to fixing it yourself.  It's great to be the master of your domain.   

My high beam bulb went out within a few weeks of me buying my bike. But the other day, it came on momentarily. So mine's loose, is my assumption. I'm not gonna bother taking everythign apart to tighten it until I'm ready to swap in LEDs.

Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on July 27, 2006, 04:28:26 AM
My high beam bulb went out within a few weeks of me buying my bike. But the other day, it came on momentarily. So mine's loose, is my assumption.

The Secret lives of Light Bulbs

Another probability is that the filament in the bulb is broken and makes momentary contact with its other half. Some welding takes place, but in reality Love takes places in the form of electron flow and you see the resulting action as light. 

This relationship lasts until either a severe bump in the road severs the connection or you turn the bike off and the two lovers cool down. They then separate until the next cycle or one is so removed from the other that they never get together again. 

And that, folks, is how little light bulbs are made. 

<sigh> That's a romantic engineer's view on the love life of a small filament lamp.

Geez. I need to get riding and get off the computer. 

There's no way to know what's wrong until you open'er up.  Starwalt is usually right.