dcarver
Well-known member
Crzy8, aka DeerSlayer, failed me again and left me stranded.
I've been working graveyard, so for my 1x week night off decided to visit my lady friend, have dinner, then ride back roads home. I've been consciously working on improving my night riding skills as night riding is something I used to really enjoy but over the years have been avoiding it more and more, for reasons unknown.
So there I am, heading east of Paso Robles on a very, very deserted section of road at approx 11 pm, when I realize I missed my turn. No biggie, just hang a Uee and get back on track. While making the Uee, full lock left, all lights left the building, just like Elvis.
Interesting thoughts x the mind..
1. Damn. Sure is dark out here. Cold too. Haven't seen a car for some time, but I have a small mag light (2 AA battery type) flashlight. OK, get to a safe spot and investigate. Tail, running, brake, turn, instrument cluster lights all work. Only the headlights are dead.
2. I'm running the Soltek Fuego HID lights, but they are dead too since they are tied into the low/high beam wiring circuit using a superduper trick relay that ties into the OEM lo/hi beam wiring. Maybe it would be better to isolate those two circuits so that if one fails, at least the other still works, just like my Harley Davidson does it.
2. Now I know why TurboDave and the IBA guyz always carry a big freaking flashlight with them. When broken down in the daaaarrrkk a small light isn't enough to troubleshoot with, not alone to ride home with. My AA mag-light and small visor light were not adequate to negotiate the ride home. It was all I could do to get back to 'town', approx 4 miles, where AAA could find me.
3. AAA rocks. Asked all the right questions; type of bike?, fairing?, bags?, sidecar? Within 30 minutes they were on the spot.
4. When a big diesel flat bed tow truck arrives to help you, the ones with the 20' bed that moves back then ramps down to the ground... Do NOT ride all the way to the top... You will slide down backwards, front brake locked, for what seems to be an eternity. Fortunately for me, I ride backwards every day and handled it, but it was s-k-e-t-c-h-e-y. The AAA guy couldn't believe I was a) stupid enough to ride to top, and B) able to make it back down without crashing..
While waiting for AAA, I removed the panel on the right lower side to access the fuses. Sure enough, the headlight fuse was blown. I didn't think it would work, but I tried anyway and replaced the 25A fuse with another. It blew immediately upon firing up the bike, so somewhere a dead short exists in the circuit.
The entire front end of this bike was recently put back together due to a deer strike and I'm pretty sure somewhere, a headlight wire has been pinched as it blew the initial fuse while at full left lock. So back to the dealer I go.
I'll post up with results should it be related to the super-duper whammydamn relay that works off the lo/hi beam OEM circuit.
I've been working graveyard, so for my 1x week night off decided to visit my lady friend, have dinner, then ride back roads home. I've been consciously working on improving my night riding skills as night riding is something I used to really enjoy but over the years have been avoiding it more and more, for reasons unknown.
So there I am, heading east of Paso Robles on a very, very deserted section of road at approx 11 pm, when I realize I missed my turn. No biggie, just hang a Uee and get back on track. While making the Uee, full lock left, all lights left the building, just like Elvis.
Interesting thoughts x the mind..
1. Damn. Sure is dark out here. Cold too. Haven't seen a car for some time, but I have a small mag light (2 AA battery type) flashlight. OK, get to a safe spot and investigate. Tail, running, brake, turn, instrument cluster lights all work. Only the headlights are dead.
2. I'm running the Soltek Fuego HID lights, but they are dead too since they are tied into the low/high beam wiring circuit using a superduper trick relay that ties into the OEM lo/hi beam wiring. Maybe it would be better to isolate those two circuits so that if one fails, at least the other still works, just like my Harley Davidson does it.
2. Now I know why TurboDave and the IBA guyz always carry a big freaking flashlight with them. When broken down in the daaaarrrkk a small light isn't enough to troubleshoot with, not alone to ride home with. My AA mag-light and small visor light were not adequate to negotiate the ride home. It was all I could do to get back to 'town', approx 4 miles, where AAA could find me.
3. AAA rocks. Asked all the right questions; type of bike?, fairing?, bags?, sidecar? Within 30 minutes they were on the spot.
4. When a big diesel flat bed tow truck arrives to help you, the ones with the 20' bed that moves back then ramps down to the ground... Do NOT ride all the way to the top... You will slide down backwards, front brake locked, for what seems to be an eternity. Fortunately for me, I ride backwards every day and handled it, but it was s-k-e-t-c-h-e-y. The AAA guy couldn't believe I was a) stupid enough to ride to top, and B) able to make it back down without crashing..
While waiting for AAA, I removed the panel on the right lower side to access the fuses. Sure enough, the headlight fuse was blown. I didn't think it would work, but I tried anyway and replaced the 25A fuse with another. It blew immediately upon firing up the bike, so somewhere a dead short exists in the circuit.
The entire front end of this bike was recently put back together due to a deer strike and I'm pretty sure somewhere, a headlight wire has been pinched as it blew the initial fuse while at full left lock. So back to the dealer I go.
I'll post up with results should it be related to the super-duper whammydamn relay that works off the lo/hi beam OEM circuit.
