Neutral Indicator Light—Gremlin or Good Karma?

[Altritter]

Took Der Rittmeister off battery-tender life support yesterday and did a TCLOCKS on him. My heart sank when I turned on the switch and discovered that I had no right-turn indicator light (the audible nagger still worked) and no neutral indicator light. First ride in multiple months (due mostly to protracted scheduling delays in getting a series of eye surgeries, but also to crappy weather), and already I'm seeing a possible maintenance problem.

Totally discouraged, I took Rittmeister out early this morning, clocking ~45-50 miles. Felt really good, though my technique (such as is is) has regressed considerably from lack of practice. After riding about two miles I stopped at a light and, becoming bored by the light being red forever, I flipped the shifter up into neutral. Mirabile dictu, the neutral indicator light illuminated and worked perfectly the rest of the day. Right-turn light worked, also! Small victory: now I can maintain focus on the year's farkling priorities.

While I relish my good fortune, I'm puzzled about what happened. For security reasons regarding storage on the center stand, I left the bike in gear, figuring on a shift to neutral being about the first thing I would do at startup. Is it possible that several months of having the bike in gear caused the switch to stick until vibration, repeated shifting, or both, caused the switch to operate normally?  :-?

The day wasn't totally rosy, however. When I rolled into our driveway, I got a case of the dumba$$ and pulled a classic small-stature newbie trick: I put the bike on the center stand without ensuring that I would have good traction for both feet to push the bike off the stand later. The pavement fell away from my left foot, leaving me unable to exert enough leverage to roll the bike off the stand with only my right foot. Ultimate embarrassment—I was forced to ask my bike-hating spouse to give me a gentle shove on the rear cowling to get the bike (and me) off the center stand.  

[montmil]

Check the fuses and fuse holders for corrosion. Vibration from the ride may have "wiggled" them back to temporary operation.

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

The neutral switch most likely got stuck in the 'open' mode, due to being compressed by the shifting mechanism for an extended period of time.

I'd check the sockets for the turn directionals, if it's dirty ( corrosion, etc.), check the center contact, and see if it has been pushed down by being in contact with the base of the bulb.

Also check the bottom contact of the bulb, and see if the lead contact point where the spring tab on the socket contacts it, for a divot in the metal, or a general deformation of the area.

The turn directional switches do fail, I'm on my second replacement switch.

These bikes on average are 25 + years old, and things do go bad with age, not just usage.

I like to add this tidbit of information on lightbulbs, it was not in an automotive application, but still interesting none the less.

I had a 100w halogen light bulb in a kitchen, overhead light, it started going on and off, plus just flickering for an extended period of time.

I removed the bulb from that socket, and installed it in a table top lamp, and it worked fine for the time I had it in there.

Reinstalled the halogen bulb back in the original fixture, and sure enough it started 'acting up' again.

I spent many hours checking out the wiring in the house, it was a new construction home, so anything was possible.

Turned out to be a bad light bulb !!

I had a 'trouble light' that used an incandescent bulb, so I installed the halogen bulb , and when I rotated the light to where the bulb was pointed down, it became intermittent, when it was rotated 180 degrees, the bulb worked fine.

[Justin B.]

What Bob said.  My '81 R100 has the same issue with it's neutral switch every summer when I drag it out of moth-balls.  After a few rides it frees up and starts functioning normally.

This bike had not been ridden for several years when I bought it and it took several months with new fresh lube and daily riding to get it to function even intermittently.  After a couple of months it's worked just fine for the past few years.

[Bob_Roller]

The neutral switches are not the most robust in design and construction, I installed a new switch when I had my transmission overhauled recently.

It's got at best 2,000 miles on it, and in the morning when I first turn the key to the 'ON' position, I get no neutral light, but a second or 2 after starting the engine, it comes 'to life' again.

It is quite common to develop an oil leak at the switch, it leaks right through the switch body itself.

I don't know how familiar you are with the light bulbs in the indicators, but they are what is called the 'wedge type' bulb, no metal base on the bulb, just a bare wire on each side of the wedge shaped glass base, and they push into a socket, they can come loose with mileage.

[Altritter]

Thanks, guys. No, I hadn't gotten into the light cluster, figuring that with old, brittle wiring and sockets the best policy is, "If it hasn't quit completely, don't diddle it." I'll file all this wisdom away until the right occasion arises.

[Semper Gumby]

Hey Alritter,

The last time the Neutral light quit I found a broken ground (the one on the engine case by the shift lever.  When I fixed that the neutral light started working again!

Check the grounds!

TTFN,