Headlamp issue on Yamaha YBR125

[FraserG]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could advise.

Recently my headlamp on my bike has started playing up, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and sometimes (the worst times) it goes out while I'm riding home leaving me with just the little light (pilot light?). I've tried changing the bulb to no avail, so I was wondering if anyone could advise on something else to try before I take it in to be looked at?

Cheers

[Kingy]

I can lend you a hammer.

Sounds like a loose connection. Either light side or switch side. Can you trace the wiring?

[FraserG]

I'll have a try, though I'm unsure what I'll be looking for unless it's got a nice big sign saying "HI, I'M A LOOSE WIRE" I'll try taking the headlamp off next week when I've got some time and trace what I can

If not, I'll come asking about that hammer

[croweman]

Was going to say the same thing, might be a stretched wire depends where the feed comes from? Sometimes happens with steering I know older BMW GS 1200's were problematic for it affecting the ignition. Or could be your ignition on my old DT 125 the barrell would turn too far and would affect the lights and the bike wouldn't start.

[Christof]

It's not a faired bike so the connections should be easily reached. Have you had a play with the switch- does it feel like it is making a definite switch or does it feel like it could be gunked up?

[FraserG]

The switch feels fine, the headlamp itself doesn't come on when the engine starts like it should, only the 'pilot' light.

The battery is fully charged (I charged it earlier (I say charged, I plugged it in, went and got a drink, came back and found it was 'ready and maintaining')) so I don't think it's a battery lack of power issue.

While fiddling, it seems the electric start has also gone. It makes the noise like it's trying to start but then doesn't. Kick start works fine (thankfully, definite plus of the bike to the car when it doesn't want to start!). Could this be a linked issue or a separate one?

[croweman]

It sounds like the problem is your ignition, if it kicks and starts but wont start electrically but is turning over theres a short between the starter button and the spark plug might just be a loose fuse around your head lamp unit?

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Frazer found this on a yamaha owners club forum dont know if its any help seems to be a similar problem.

Hi guys forgive me for hijacking the thread but the op doesn't seem to be coming back and i have a similar problem with my ybr 125 07.



So i will try to be as thorough as possible, a few days back i went to start my bike after standing in my shed for a week and there was nothing no power at all when turning the key. Upon inspection i ruled out the fuse, battery, side stand cutoff etc, but the red + wire after the starter solenoid (i assume leads directly to the ignition barrel with a connector behind the headlight) wasn't registering anything on a multimeter i rewired some cable as a direct replacement after the starter solenoid where the spade connector fits in to the fuse box, then straight to the red wire connector behind the headlamp (leads to ignition) and voila the power came back on lights, horn even the electric start tries to turn it over.



But now i am getting an error 33 (3 slow 3 fast flashes) which according to haynes is an ignition fault... I don't want to start buying coils and ecu/cdi units without trying to narrow it down first, so any ideas or if there is a common cause to this error?

I should also mention that the indicators are not flashing when flicked on (they did work prior to this though) instead if i indicate right the front right comes on solid but not the rear right and the left only the rear comes on again solid and not the front :eusa_doh: is this a simple warning from the bike that there is a fault or is this another fault i should be looking at?



Lastly that red wire that i replaced ( the only one that comes out of the fusebox) do any ybr riders know if that goes straight to the ignition connector or does it branch off somewhere between ie off to the ecu/cdi or some such (perhaps that would explain both problems)? Cheers for any and all replies.

[FraserG]

Thanks Croweman I'll go have a look and report back

[Kingy]

Well?

Do you have a light now or are you still switching to 'involuntary ninja mode' ?

[FraserG]

It comes and goes now. It appears to be a dodgy earth wire, as when the light isn't work, both low and high beam are receiving voltages but the earth isn't returning anything. I've cleaned the earth connectors and now it comes on. Sometimes it doesn't, but a short sharp smack brings it back. Which is handy, given the fog we've had today!
During the winter (when I get my new house with a nice garage) I'll strip the wiring and see if I can do something to the earth.