Slow Death

[Ashley]

Slowly another winter is killing my bike, not the Harley FXSTC but the 650 Yamaha Dragstar. This is its third winter and it gets ridden for work, so most days, in the cold, the damp, the rain, the sleet, with the grit and road salt. The engine is fine, the frame is fine, bits of the chrome are going but that is not a big issue. Slowly the electrics are failing as salt, and road and weather conditions, erode the connections. The lights are failing, bulbs blowing a times, but more annoying is that sometimes random lights refuse to work. Two weeks ago the indicators and rear light stopped working for a day. Last week the parking lights stopped working. Today the parking light returned to operational and the headlight stopped working. Given this happened after 5pm, at work, it was dark and I needed to get home, I was not impressed.

Oddly, despite dipped beam not working, a quick check revealed that the main beam was working fine. I know it is rather antisocial to ride home in darkness on main beam but it is a lot better than riding in darkness with no headlight, and not illegal. I guess some guys in cages might have sore eyes, oh well, consider it pay back for when I've been following you and you gave me a face full of your screen wash.

With the faulty electrics being intermittent they will almost certainly be a problem to fix. I'm tempted to simply replace the entire wiring loom and ignition switch, fuse boxes, the lot. The rest of the bike seems to be standing up to the state of London roads and conditions so it would be a shame to not fix the problem, and a lot less expensive than replacing the bike.

[WEINERDOGBONE]

I had an old Goldwing that suffered the same fate. It came down to rewiring the bike or replacing it. I replaced it because I didn't think I had the technical proficiency to do the work. I sold it cheap to a guy who did the work and still rides it today.

I don't know what the market price is for an older bike where you live. Around here, the small displacment Japaense bikes can be bought for about $1,000 in good shape. With our economy in the tank, I have seen some prices even lower. Maybe you should sample the market a bit before you decide. JMHO.

[Sarge7]

Do a little shopping in both departments- Look at some bike ads and check around for a mech. who does that kind of work then make the call.

[pasadenajim]

Sometimes, it's simply better to replace the bike. Even if you love her.... Sad but true.

[DickF]

My guess is that most of your electrical problems are caused by corrosion in the bulb sockets rather than wire damage.

I suggest that you go to your local auto parts store and get a tube of dielectric grease. Thoroughly clean the sockets and bulb bases... a pencil eraser makes a good tool to burnish the contacts in the socket) and fill the socket with the grease and insert the bulb.

Can't see the advantage of buying another bike and then submit it to the same environment.