I would check the kill switch/run switch! Light dim with no power usually happens when you try to power the bike with the switch on.

 

ok. if you dont know how to read a wiring schematic, let me know..but you need to start from the beginning on the schematic and trace the circuit with your multi-meter..i had this exact issue it was a pita, but the only thing wrong was a open wire. none of the components were bad..

so dont go thinking you have major problems until you've done the basics..dont buy any parts until that part has been proven suspect through your checks..the service manual can be tricky, but EVERYTHING is in there..the info is spread out all over the place, but the flow charts will send you in the right direction


What??? Im just going to assume that you have never worked on this problem and are throwing statements out there to get post numbers..the start button is a single throw double pole switch. one normally open and one normally closed. the headlight runs through this switch on the normally closed side. when you push the button, the headlight side opens while the starter solenoid side closes. so no.."Light dim with no power usually happens when you try to power the bike with the switch on." is incorrect..the headlight will light and dim whether there is power to the kill/run or not...

 

I am newbie so which end of the connectors should I be checking for continuity? Male or female? Can you give me an example on the side side stand switch?

 

well does the side stand light operate on the dash? Im not sure about the connectors, if they are consistent with a component or harness sides being either male of female..just unplug it and you will be able to tell. you'll need to have the seat and tank off. where it connects is in front of the battery. the connector is a 3 pin, green connector. unplug it, and whichever side does NOT route into the main harness is the side you want to check.

i wouldnt start there though. i would follow the flow chart in the manual..but if you want to start from beginning to end, i would check battery voltage. if you have 12v then disconnect the headlight plug. (to save power while the ignition is on.) then i would start checking downstream voltage..the easiest way would be to alligator clip the negative to ground or negative battery. make sure your multimeter is set to dcv higher than 12v. turn the ignition on and then place the positive on the solder of the black wire in the kill/run switch. if you have 12v, make sure the switch is on run and check for 12v on the solder of the bl/w in that switch. if you have it, move on to checking for 12v on the bl/w wire in the starter switch, then on the y/r wire on the other side of the starter switch while pressing the switch in..etc etc etc..just follow the service manual..if you have power at one point, but not the next, you know something is going on between those 2 points..

 

I tested the two wires that connect on the right handle directly underneath the brake fluid container. The black/white was the same voltage as the battery. The solid black was at 1.61 volts.

 

so you have 12v on the battery. did you mean to say that you had 12v on the solid black, and 1.61 on the black white? because it would be impossible to go from 12v to 1.61, and then back up to 12v..the bl/w is downstream of the black..

batt bl bl/w
12 12 1.61
12 1.61 12

the top line of numbers would be normal, (for a bad or dirty switch) but see how the bottom line of numbers would be impossible? try checking it again making sure you have good contact on the bl wire's solder joint..

 

Are you sure you aren't testing the brake light switch?

What is the battery voltage at the battery while pressing the start button like you would be starting it?

 

Black/white - .33v
Black/red - 10.33v
Black 10.2v
Black/brown - 10.2v

 

Yes I was testing the wrong switch. When I press start the voltage does nothing at all. The voltage is at 12v. The battery was replaced about a year ago also.

 

well it appears you only have 10v, did you actually hook the meter up to your battery? it doesnt take much to drain them down when turning the bike on and off and on and off..did you disconnect the headlight like i suggested..

also, was the run/kill set you run when you tested the bl/w wire?

the only reason im asking AGAIN about the battery voltage is because the other wires are reading 10v, and these wires should be showing the battery voltage.there is nothing that would cause a 2v drop between the battery and those wires..they should be reading almost the same as the battery..

the bl/b wire doesnt matter, that is for the brake lights, the bl/r wire is for the headlight, at this point the only wires that matter are the bl and bl/w that are connected to the run/kill switch..
if you retest and the bl/w matches the bl, then you will want to test the y/r while pushing the start button..

if the bl/w does not match the bl wire with the switch set to run, then i would start inspecting that switch. the bl/w should read next to nothing when set to stop, because the switch is opening that connection..when set to run, it is closing the connection and should pass all of the voltage on to the bl/w wire..the switch contacts could be dirty, corroded, or the solder joint may be loose..