help - no tail lights

[richardb, austin]

Argh! Motersickle electrics! Bulbs are good. The '94 V12 with 98,000 mile, starts & runs. At the brown, 7 pin connector at the ignition switch pigtail, there's no voltage on the red tail light wire whether the connector is plugged together or not (yes, with the ignition switch on). Both the main circuit, white wires are hot. I'm thinking that either the red wire is broken at the ign sw, or worse, the sw is bad internally but I want to test the wiring downstream from the brn connector. For a test, can I jumper the white wire to the red wire with the ignition disconnected - to see if the wiring from brown connector to the lights is good without frying something? Any other suggestions besides the one where I save the tail light bulbs & use them in a new bike? I'm really dreading R&Ring that ign sw.

[ghostler]

Argh! Motersickle electrics! Bulbs are good. The '94 V12 with 98,000 mile, starts & runs. At the brown, 7 pin connector at the ignition switch pigtail, there's no voltage on the red tail light wire whether the connector is plugged together or not (yes, with the ignition switch on). Both the main circuit, white wires are hot. I'm thinking that either the red wire is broken at the ign sw, or worse, the sw is bad internally but I want to test the wiring downstream from the brn connector. For a test, can I jumper the white wire to the red wire with the ignition disconnected - to see if the wiring from brown connector to the lights is good without frying something? Any other suggestions besides the one where I save the tail light bulbs & use them in a new bike? I'm really dreading R&Ring that ign sw.

I wouldn't blame the electrics. Something most likely simple is going on.

White/Black (W/Bk) wire is switched on from the main relay when ignition switch is on. W/Bk wire provides power to the fuse block "Ignition" 10 Amp fuse, which then powers the Brown (Br) wire. With ignition switch ON, Br wire through ignition switch supplies power to Red (R) wire. No power at Br wire at ignition switch Check Ignition Fuse, if good check for power at fuse terminal. Nothing? Check main relay.

Wiring diagram:
ZG1200-A1 Main Wiring Diagram 15-3

Diagram lacks the cruise control module wiring, but other than that is typical.

Weak link is the fuse and I'd check that first. Usually, I've found it's the simple things that cause issues.

[cushman eagle]

You might want to check for a broken wire in the ignition switch pigtail.The PO of my bike had jumped around two breaks on mine and I jumped around two more.My last winter service was rewiring my ignition switch pigtail.I added about one inch of length and did not tie it fast close to the steering head, so turning the front wheel does not cause a sharp bend in the wire.

[richardb, austin]

Thanks both of you. I'm taking today off from wrenching & going shooting instead.

[debron]

Richard, don't shoot the XII!!

[richardb, austin]

Update. This caught me out of ammo so I'm ok with not shooting the V. Tracked it down to the ignition switch - either the sw itself or more likely, a break in the pigtail of wire on the switch. I have an aux (lower center) tail light powered from elsewhere so I'm good for le moment. Thanks for the input - even from you Ron.

[ghostler]

Update. This caught me out of ammo so I'm ok with not shooting the V. Tracked it down to the ignition switch - either the sw itself or more likely, a break in the pigtail of wire on the switch. I have an aux (lower center) tail light powered from elsewhere so I'm good for le moment. Thanks for the input - even from you Ron.

Good you've isolated it.

I had a situation on another motorcycle where I lost both stop and tail light. Looked at the bulb, both elements looked good, solid with no breaks in the filaments. Traced wires all the way back, found nothing. Lo and behold, after scratching my head, checked with my VOM, both good looking elements of the bulb were bad. That was a first.
Sometimes things aren't what they seem to be.

[richardb, austin]

ahhhh, if only.

[ghostler]

ahhhh, if only.

If life were easy, there'd be no challenges. Good thing these bikes don't have a master computer.

[cushman eagle]

Yes, ghostler,I have seen bulbs and glass bodied fuses that look good,but are open internally.