Fixing something & have it bite you in the arse 3 yrs later!

[mike-s]

This isn't a "help me fix it", moreso a "remember to do it right the first time". When i bought my RF900, the previous owner had decided it would be a great idea to put a 110/90w globe in the headlight, even though it was only rated for a 60/55w one. Naturally it had melted the crap out of the socket, which needed to be replaced. Which I happily did while as his handywork had forced me to use highbeam for a good portion of the way home from Gosford due to the connector for lowbeam having melted out of existence. Laughing at the situation, i was not.

Fast forward 3 years and my bike had weirdly started blowing fuses (randomly it would alternate between the tail light, lo beam and high beam), i have been busy and haven't had much of an opportunity to look into the issue, that combined with my general apathy towards electrical faults caused me to pretty much not ride the thing or try to fix it for a good two months. Two days ago i decided to dust the old bird off and have a look. What did i find? the extra 6cm of wiring i had lazily left on the new H4 connector had started to catch between the forks and some random fairing mount right on the heat-shrink covered join i had used and it had worn through right to the solder.

Fix? 15cm of electrical tape, tuck the wiring up under the dash and zip tie it in place and smack myself on the back of the head for doing a shit job the first time.
So yes, do it once, do it right, otherwise you'll run the risk of being your own (or the next owners) worst enemy.

[Wattie]

Shit, if thats the "getting your ass bitten" you've done well!

[fireyrob]

Shit, if thats the "getting your ass bitten" you've done well!

[Gosling1]

.... my bike had weirdly started blowing fuses (randomly it would alternate between the tail light, lo beam and high beam)....

Its a Suzuki. Electrical problems come with the badge !

(actually, suzie electrics from back in the 70's and 80's are reknowned for being shithouse - I would bet my house that not 1 single GSX1100 still in use, would have the OEM reg/rectifier fitted !)

Good to hear that you sorted it out - and yeh, do it right the first time next time !