Good afternoon from sunny south Devon! This is my introductory post on what is clearly a very knowledgeable, useful and friendly forum. I am optimistic that someone will be able to help, given the nature of what I have already read. I used this post as my introduction, and a respondent suggested that I post it here, so here it is!
I have a UK spec1996 ST1100 ABS/TCS with a peculiar wiring issue, very similar to but not quite the same as that described by IXCELR8 last month. I had a problem starting the bike, which turned out to be the fuse in the main fuse box. I played with the handlebar switch, the relay wiring (bodged by a previous owner so no dedicated multi-plug ? just four exposed female connectors) and the fuse box. Once I had it going again, I had created a problem with the neutral light which had never previously occurred. It works in neutral, whether or not the side stand is down, so as it should. If I put the bike into gear, the neutral light comes on when the clutch lever switch is activated, ie when I pull the lever back. Under normal riding, therefore, the neutral light flashes every time I change gear. Somehow the neutral light has become linked to the clutch lever switch and is activated by it. If I put the bike into gear on the centre stand with the ignition on but engine not running, the side stand overrides the new clutch lever activation, ie the side stand light comes on and the neutral light goes off. The side stand switch still kills the ignition as it should (hence the testing without the engine running) and I still cannot start the bike if it is in gear without pulling in the clutch lever. Since this only started after I had been fiddling with those three components, I feel that it has to be something that I have just done. I had already spent a couple of hours the previous day fiddling with the switch (and the kill button) and nothing happened then in terms of the neutral light, so I feel like I can rule that part of the bike out. In all other respects the bike is absolutely fine, and rides perfectly, or at least as perfectly as a 19 year old bike might run since my local mechanic sorted out some gremlins.
This is a long post, but I wanted to explain as clearly as possible what happens, in what context and in what circumstances. If anyone is able to point me in the right direction, I should be most grateful.
I have a UK spec1996 ST1100 ABS/TCS with a peculiar wiring issue, very similar to but not quite the same as that described by IXCELR8 last month. I had a problem starting the bike, which turned out to be the fuse in the main fuse box. I played with the handlebar switch, the relay wiring (bodged by a previous owner so no dedicated multi-plug ? just four exposed female connectors) and the fuse box. Once I had it going again, I had created a problem with the neutral light which had never previously occurred. It works in neutral, whether or not the side stand is down, so as it should. If I put the bike into gear, the neutral light comes on when the clutch lever switch is activated, ie when I pull the lever back. Under normal riding, therefore, the neutral light flashes every time I change gear. Somehow the neutral light has become linked to the clutch lever switch and is activated by it. If I put the bike into gear on the centre stand with the ignition on but engine not running, the side stand overrides the new clutch lever activation, ie the side stand light comes on and the neutral light goes off. The side stand switch still kills the ignition as it should (hence the testing without the engine running) and I still cannot start the bike if it is in gear without pulling in the clutch lever. Since this only started after I had been fiddling with those three components, I feel that it has to be something that I have just done. I had already spent a couple of hours the previous day fiddling with the switch (and the kill button) and nothing happened then in terms of the neutral light, so I feel like I can rule that part of the bike out. In all other respects the bike is absolutely fine, and rides perfectly, or at least as perfectly as a 19 year old bike might run since my local mechanic sorted out some gremlins.
This is a long post, but I wanted to explain as clearly as possible what happens, in what context and in what circumstances. If anyone is able to point me in the right direction, I should be most grateful.