Headlight won't come on!? Help!

hey everyone, last night before heading to work I noticed my headlight wouldn't turn on... My blinkers, brake light and panel all light up fine but the headlight wasn't lit... Is there things I can do to check what's wrong with it? It was working fine night before so I don't think it's broke ... Please and thank you!

Bike is a 83 650 maxim

 

Stupid question, bike was just warming up, does the motor need to be running for a certain amount of time for the headlight to turn on?

 

As soon as you turn the key to contact light should be on...What year and bike you have? Did you check the bulb? When you check the bulb clean the contacts too...a fine sand paper will do if you have those plugs that have "legs"...

 

Ohhh...I forget....check the fuse... in my bike (xj700 1985) is located behind the cover of the light panel...always give my some trouble...if the fuse is ok and not burnt...keep the contact key in on and move the fuse while is plugged to see if it make contact is some positions...that's what happened to me...the "legs" of the fuse wont make full contact with the fuse box because is was kind of loose.
Check that.

 

your headlight comes on when motor runs or starter spins fast enough to light it up. it gets its energy from the alternator to turn on a relay then stays on until key is shut off.

if you do not have one here is links to a wiring diagram

http://members.tripod.com/dave_jack/wiringdiag/d7a.jpg

http://members.tripod.com/dave_jack/wiringdiag/d7b.jpg

http://xjdiagrams.thundervalleypower.com/wiringdiag/d8.jpg list of components key

yellow bulb #21 is head light #51 is highbeam indicator #25 is high/low switch

 

what do you do in your house when a light doesn't come on?

 

do you have a multimeter?
if you do remove headlight start bike and check for 12 volts at the connector for the headlight black is ground yellow is high blueish is low beam. if you got 12 to 14 volts it is most likly your bulb. black wire is ground also if no volts check again using battery ground.
you can check the ohms across the bulb if no reading (open) its your bulb.
if no voltage at connector it could be your relay.
this assumes you have checked the fuse and wire leading to relay fuse 7 relay #22 on wire diagram and red/white wire.
voltage at relay then go to high low switch check for voltage on blueblack wire you should be able to check voltage at connector from switch blue wire and yellow wire.

 

@ivana92: You have a '82 maxim and the light should come on when you press the start button as 550 stated (when the motor runs or the starter spins fast enough for it to latch).

@Polock: I pull the wiring and replace the switch.

Gary H.

 

Ivana.... On the 650 it WON'T come on as soon as you turn the key, nor the split second you touch the button..... As someone else said--- the engine must spin fast enough for the "latch" to engage the headlight. I weak battery can turn the engine over quite a bit but still not fast enough to engage. Usually, the light will come on as soon as the engine actually fires. The 700 is different----their headlight comes on as the key is turned.

 

Go to

sleep

 

And now for the side track where people post what they do with the lights off...
I bump into stuff.

 

WHISKEY AND BACON!

 

You bump into whiskey and bacon?

 

You don't?

 

Good one