I got on my bike today and the headlight was on then turned off as soon as i started moving, turned the bike off then back on did the same thing. i kept repeating for about 4 times, also even when i hit the high beam switch nothing would happen. around the 5th or 6th time of turning the bike off and on the lights stayed on.....I have an 05 cbr600rr....any thoughts?

 

It sounds like the bulb filament is on the verge of failing and maybe just making enough contact to work intermittently.

 

so you think i just need new bulbs? wouldnt at least one of the lights worked such as high beams when i switched em on or would both not work if one was failing?

 

Did the high beam side work just prior to this? That bulb may have been burned out for a while. The low beam bulb uses the same filament, whether the high beam switch is on or not.

If you have a multimeter you can check for +12V at the plugs to see if the problem is with the bulbs or not.

 

yea both bulbs have been working fine it was just yesterday...today i rode and they both worked...it rained a few days ago could that have anything to do with it? i would think everything would be sealed but i guess on a bike thats 7 years old rubber goes bad

 

I recently experienced a very similar problem with my headlights on my '06 f4i. Riding to work I noticed my headlight flicker. I had to ask myself if I really saw that, they didn't actually go out, they flickered just enough to see it, and only a couple times. The next morning I started my bike and no headlight, high or low beam. Took a few minutes to track it down but it turned out to be a wire had come lose from the starter switch, (looked like a cold solder joint from the factory). I re-soldered the wire on the switch and the headlights worked fine when I rode in to work around noon. Around 4:00 pm I cranked up the bike for my ride home and, once again, no headlight. When I got home I opened the switch housing, expecting to see that same wire lose again but it wasn't. I was kind of baffled by that. I turned the ignition on and stated wiggling wires and flipping the kill switch off and on, then sprayed some WD-40 into the starter switch to make sure it wasn't sticking. Then the high beam started working but still no low beam. Long story short, low beam bulb had burnt out while I was troubleshooting my lighting issue.
I guess what I'm saying is: check your starter switch to be sure it isn't sticking because if the button doesn't come all the way back out after you release it, your headlights won't work. Also, could be a loose or broken connection on the switch.

 

ahh i will def have to check the switch cuz the rubber seals and wiring look fine

 

Check the wiring leading up to the headlight. If you have a frayed wire, it might be grounding out when you turn the bars. That is a pretty busy area and if the wiring isn't routed properly it can pinch/bind/wear between the forks and frame.

Ern

 

yea it did it again today so i wiggled the wires near the lamp a bit and it started working =/

 

I have an 89 cbr600 f1. I just bought it and when i did buy it the headlights were definitely working, but I went down to start it up today and noticed i have no headlights or turn signals, but my tail light is still good. Any ideas?