My 550 scored a knockdown on me yesterday.
I reinstalled the bags, made up a new positive battery cable (the old one was black had the wrong size terminal on the battery side) and installed a new end on the battery side of the ground (the one on it interfered with the side cover) and hooked up the headlight, which worked fine. What didn't work were any of my running lights except the tail light (the brake light also worked). Out comes the multimeter and I am not getting any power out of the switch at the brown wire that feeds the running lights, although I do get power in the parking position. This may be a combo of an already failing switch compounded by my efforts to be thorough as I had disassembled it the other day to check for loose spade terminals and to clean the contacts. At any rate I pulled the switch and checked for continuity through it and it isn't there.
Fortunately I happen to have a complete brand new ignition switch assembly for a F/77-78 K bike that I bought a couple years ago for my project bike, unfortunately I left it at my sister's last week when I trailered the bike up to the shop because I didn't think I needed it. So I drove down late last night and grabbed it along with a couple other useful items (like my tappet clearance tool). Unfortunately the shop is closed today and tomorrow, so Saturday morning at 10am I will be installing the switch.
Bottom line is rather than leaving Saturday morning as I intended, early Saturday afternoon hopefully, but early evening is a real possibility. Even if the repair goes smoothly I still need to change the oil then ride home to pack the saddlebags and load up. I can do prep work tonight, but until I have the bike at home and start putting gear in/on it I won't know how well everything will fit. I had planned to hit the National MC Museum in Anamosa, IA on the way out, but will have to skip that. I will also put in more highway time and less 2 lanes to shave time.
But never fear, I will be in Dolores on Tuesday as planned come hell or high water.
