Help needed with 85 650sc headlight

[kingston73]

I bought an 85 650sc and it's in good shape except the headlight won't work.  It worked when I bought it but sitting in my garage this winter it has stopped working.  I sprayed the right and left pods with DeoxIt and that fixed the problem at first but after a couple weeks of inactivity it no longer works.

The horn, the turn signals, and the right side starter and kill switch all work but there is no power to my headlight.  I'm at a loss now on what to do next.  I've considered just rewiring the headlight with a toggle switch to turn it on and off but that risks draining the battery if I forget.  Please help, I want this bike for commuting to work but obviously I can't ride with no headlight.

[mollusc]

Try following the voltage with a multimeter.  Check for 12v at each connection you can find in the headlight circuit until you no longer see it.  Remember that the headlight also goes through the starter switch -- when you press the start button the headlight cuts out so that there's more power going to the starter motor.  This is a different set of contacts inside the starter switch than the ones that go to the starter solenoid.

[Pete in PA]

95% it's the starter switch.  When you push the button on a Honda it cuts the headlight for more cranking power.

When you let go the button must spring back and hit a contact to turn the headlight on. 

You'll have to take apart the right side control housing and clean that contact.

[kingston73]

I will try that, thanks for the suggestion

[kingston73]

Following up with this, it was the starter switch.  I had an extra that I took apart and cleaned up and replaced the original.  Headlight comes on every time now.  One thing I'm a little concerned with now though is that the taillight fuse seems loose.  I have new fuses and only a couple would work consistently?