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Sept. 17, 2009 8:33 p.m. confuZion3 SuperDork

Good news everyone! After I just got my 2008 Lightning back from the Buell guys, I found yet another electrical issue! Now, the headlights are berkeleyed up.

It started with the high-beam. That bulb stopped working. OK, I didn't have time to disassemble the headlights to change the bulb until last weekend. The funny thing is, suddenly, the high beam started working again (before I even took it apart to change it)! Yeah, but immediately, the low beam stopped working. This bulb burnt out. OK, so I swapped in a new low beam and voila! They both work. Well, they did for five minutes. Now the bike blows low beam bulbs for fun.

I'm thinking that this isn't Buell's fault. My brother modified the bike extensively. Among the modifications: "Xenon HID" knockoff bulbs. Yeah, they're bright enough. But I bet they're not the right bulbs or their build quality is low. I replaced the knockoff bulb with another knockoff bulb that he had still in the package here at home too. I'll try new bulbs.

Any other ideas? Maybe there's a short somewhere? It wouldn't be the first short on this bike.
Sept. 17, 2009 9:22 p.m. alex HalfDork

Bulbs first, like you said. The electrical system to the lights should be easy to troubleshoot: power goes to the handlebar switch, then to the lights. It's not uncommon for the subharness to the headlights/guages to be routed improperly and pinched by the forks, etc.

Here's your excuse to buy the shop manual and go over the electrical schematics.
Sept. 17, 2009 9:33 p.m. benzbaron Reader

I just addressed an issue with my buell blast where the stupid headlights stopped working. I cleaned the connection at the back of the bulb, but the issue was the connection between the headlight and wiring harness one of the wires started to break at the back. The connection on the blast is a 3 prong connection from the back of the headlight into the harness. You don't have to pull the headlight the wires are behing the whole fixture. It eventually broke and the hi beams wouldn't work. Well I tried to solder the wire back into the 3 prong connector but you cannot get solder into the connection. Well I said to hell with it I need the lights working because I'm going up to street vibes. I cut the bad connection out and wired around the 3 prong connector.

I've had to wire a couple things on this damned bike. The only issue now is the speedo is picky about whether or not it wants to work.

Good luck and if you would like I could take some pictures tomorrow so you see what the problem area looked like on the blast. I don't know how similar the lightning is to the blast but i'm sure they used the same crappy parts.
Sept. 18, 2009 10:48 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Get a new connector at the autoparts store, BB. It's a standard automotive part. Put new spade connectors on the wires, clean everything on the bulb pins really well, coat with grease. It's a fairly common failure point. Usually, the connector gets dirty, which means the resistance goes up, which means heat is generated, which melts the plug.

confuZion3, I'd try sticking a Genuine H.D. bulb in there. I haven't priced one lately, but I hear they are not that expensive. And clean the plug I mentioned and add some grease. Also make sure the spade connectors inside the plug fit tight against the bulb pins, or pinch them a bit with some needle nose pliers.
Sept. 18, 2009 4:06 p.m. benzbaron Reader

The connector failed at where the wires go into the connection. I guess it was kinked or something and all the vibrations from the blast caused one wire to break at the back of the connection.

I'm going to take care of the problem the "right" way when I get back from Reno in a week. This is the second electrical connection I've had fail. Buell used a 3 prong connection for the rear taillight and I guess I accidently took it off and that damned thing wouldn't fit back in. I tried forcing it, cursing it, but the thing never worked again longer than 10min. Buell used it's own connector on that and I don't think they sell it at HD so I said to hell with it again, cut the offensive part out and wired it with good old female prongs which fit to the male tailight connection. It isn't perfect or pretty but if buell had used a decent connection to begin with i wouldn't have had to rewire it.
Sept. 19, 2009 10:09 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Keep Aggie Rigging your Blast it it will eventually look like this:
Sept. 19, 2009 3:30 p.m. benzbaron Reader

That is pretty wierd and cool at the same time. I guess I don't have the right to call my bike a rat until it looks like that. Love the open primary but what if you wear baggy pants?
Sept. 19, 2009 3:38 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

That's not the primary. That's the final drive. And you don't wear baggy pants when riding a chopper.
Sept. 19, 2009 3:59 p.m. benzbaron Reader

Thanks for the info Doc, I'm no expert as many already know. I think I'll keep the belt drive. Why they'd put a blast engine in that is beyond me and a straight pipe is way too damn loud even for me with an empty muffler. I fired my bike without a muffler and almost went deaf.
Sept. 19, 2009 5:24 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Eh. It's not that loud. Now, a 103 with open drag pipes, cam, etc., that's starting to push the envelope. Here's sort of a "Double Blast," so to speak, with fuel injection and open drag pipes. 883 CC.
Loud pipes save lives.
Sept. 19, 2009 8:27 p.m. confuZion3 SuperDork

Dr. Hess wrote:

confuZion3, I'd try sticking a Genuine H.D. bulb in there. I haven't priced one lately, but I hear they are not that expensive. And clean the plug I mentioned and add some grease. Also make sure the spade connectors inside the plug fit tight against the bulb pins, or pinch them a bit with some needle nose pliers.

Yup. I went to the dealer today after my ride today to try to get some bulbs. Now both lights are out. It's too bad I went home before I went to the dealer. By the time I grabbed the Miata and blasted over there (no pun intended there) they were just closing shop and the parts dept. was locked up. (I live two blocks from the dealer. )
Sept. 19, 2009 8:28 p.m. confuZion3 SuperDork

If it blows those bulbs too, I still have a warranty on the thing. They told me on their way out that they'd look at it for me. If there's a short, I want them to find it. I hate tracing wires.
Sept. 19, 2009 8:43 p.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

It's probably a bad connection on the back of the bulb. That will eat a bulb. Clean the connectors real well. Take the plug apart. You put a probe down in the plastic part and press down the little catchy thingie on the spade part and the spade part will come out the back. Then clean the spade real well and crimp it a little tighter (but not so tight that it won't fit on the bulb). Then put some grease on it.
Sept. 19, 2009 10:09 p.m. confuZion3 SuperDork

Thanks, Doc. I'll do this tomorrow. Sundays are for working on fast sports cars and motorcycles in this household!
Oct. 4, 2009 4:23 p.m. confuZion3 SuperDork

I put on some Phillips H7s thinking that some standard H7 bulbs would solve the problem. They blew too. Turns out, I had bulbs with the wrong wattage. My brother brought home the Harley Davidson bulbs that came with the bike (he switched them at his workplace when he still owned the bike). I put them on today and rode all day. No problems.

Sometimes, it's more simple than it seems, right?