Topic: Hot wiring 750 with switch under tank.

[754]

 Having trouble on the road.
 Switch is suspect. .sometimes when you wiggle it, neutral light gets brighter, then it starts easy.
 After running a bit and you try the lights at speeds, it stumbles, but then they go on and work if revs are up.
Tried crossing the red and black wire, neutral is still dim, and I dont think lights can go on.
Do I need to connect a third wire to run lights?

When neutral is dim, it gets brighter if you turn kill switch off.
So I am able to bump start it, if there is a bit of a hill.
Or sometime turn kill off, then flick it on at bottom of kicking stroke, then it will fire.
Of course if you wiggle the switch, sometimes it gets bright and kickstarts... more often though it stays faintly lit.

 So I got a room in Ontario Oregon, i will get up early, if it starts I go.
Really looks like switch..? .

[PeWe]

Yes, it seems to be contact problem in the switch.
If switch is old and broken. Cut the wires close to the switch and connect them all together.
Red is power from battery.
When my switch broke in the 80's I replaced the key switch with another switch without key hidden under tank. It must cope with 12V/15A just for sure since that is max the fuse will cut.

If you are lucky, a sohc guy living close to your hotel will meet up with you and bring a better switch.
Which switch is it? Round earlier to K2 connection or later squared?

[scottly]

If you have a solid connection between the black and red wires at the switch plug, and you still have the same syptoms, it rules out the switch. Sounds like you have a bad connection somewhere; check the main fuse holder.
You may need a third wire for the taillight, but not the headlight or brake light.

[754]

Maybe  fuse could be an issue.
 I blew one before I left, could not find cause. Died as I turned into yard with brakes on....I cleaned contacts, replaced fuse. Then it workec
 When it died on me today the first time I had come off the hi way , 60 mile run, died as I stopped at a Stop sign.
 When I pulled sidecover, there was a little lump of solder outside the fuse, i turned it and it seemed to work.

[scottly]

 When I pulled sidecover, there was a little lump of solder outside the fuse,

Red flag!!

[Bodi]

Yeah. The fuse clips were plated, probably zinc, and that plating is probanly gone. Contact resistance goes up, causing heat, melting the wire connection solder and causing fuse failure as well ... fuses work by heat after all.
First remove your fusebox (unplug it or disconnect the battery to avoid sparks), pry the back plate off, and check the solder joints. Probably one or more will be dry, the wire loose on thd solder tab.
If this is all OK, check the bullet connections and plug connections, special attentoin to the kill switch and key switch.
It could also be a weak ground connection for tge battery but the symptoms and the solder blob where it should not be point to the fuseholders.

[754]

Well I am 500 miles  further, 30 miles to the border.
 A bit tricky to start, but push starts fine.
 Will put Battery on charger tonite.

[754]

Thanks guys, made it home by dark..

[PeWe]

Have you found out what caused the problem?

[754]

 Battery is not taking a charge, just got the new one in tonight.

[PeWe]

Only battery?
Not bad connections, switches, fuse holder?

When my bike's battery failed during a touring. Headlight stopped work under ~4000rpm and blinkers started to glow. I had not switched blinkers on. Bad surprise when enter a corner on a  country road just after sunset. Not really dark, but light was needed to see. I had to keep the rpm up.  Battery had lost one cell.