Weird electrics problem

My electrics are being funny.

If I start the bike (01 SVS) with the lights on, the electrics will die when I thumb the starter - odo will go blank, neutral light will go off, engine turns over once and then dies etc - exactly like trying to start a bike with a battery that's on the way out. Turn the lights off and the bike starts fine, turn them on with the bike running and it's all fine.

Normally I'd presume the battery or the reg/rec are on the way out but they both got replaced a few months ago (March-ish).

The other weird thing is that when the lights are on, the high-beam indicator light on the dash is on. The lights are definitely dipped and flicking the switch gets the high beams on, with the dash light becoming brighter. Flick it back to dipped beams and the dash light dims but is still clearly on. This started exactly the same time the bike began to refuse to turn on if the lights were on.

The dash is a little busted anyway - the bulb lighting the odo and the speedo from 0-60/70 won't light up and has been replaced several times. The other bulbs in the dash work fine.

I'm wondering if there's a short somewhere that's causing this, given the weirdness with the high beam light being permanently on. It's too dark for me to strip off all the plastics and start hunting with a multimeter but if people have suggestions for the location of a possible short then I'm all ears!

edit: because someone's bound to ask, I have leads coming off the battery to power a heated vest and my mobile phone. Neither of them have been used for the last month and the ends of the leads are capped off. They're both fused anyway so I'd be skeptical that they're the cause.

[fizzwheel]

Best places to check for a short are

1. In and around the headstock
2. Check where the loom passes under the riders seat, the bolts are a little to long and the loom can rub on them and then create a short
3. Anywhere in and around the rear subframe.

as fiz said and id have a look around the switch gear too

[Spanner Man]

Good morning all.


First I would check the right hand switch & connector that joins the it to the loom. Corrosion/crud in there could be cause the starter button to short slightly.

It's always a good idea to start the engine with the lights off, As, it allows more power for the starter, & gives the battery/charging system an easier time.

While you're at it check the connector from the lefthand switch, & the connector to the instruments. Again, corrosion could cause a slight short which could cause your high beam indicator light to glow.


Cheers.