honda varadero xl1000

[brendan coffey]

Hello folks,
I have recently purchased a 2004 honda varadero 1000 xl and I love it.
However I have one problem and that is when the bike gets wet say over night and driven the headlight cuts off or if your driving in the rain for a little while the same thing happens.Everything else is not effected.
Its worth noting that the lights stay on all the time (I persume as a safety feature.)
I have tryed everything to try and fix it including poring water over the light switch and even power washing it intensively to try and get the light to go off so that I can fault find easier but to know avail.
I have changed the relay fo the front beam also.I dont no could it be a bad earth but I have my doubts on that one as Im sure more than the front beam would go off if so.
I currently have the side fairings off of it to acess the bulbs etc and would like to hear from anybody about a possible solution before I go and put everything back on.I would be so greatful if anybody could help me as I just cant wait to get back up on it.
kind regards,
brendan.

[catteeclan]

A wiring diagram would be handy (anyone?), so you can follow the supply wire back.
May well have to attach bulbs at points to see where the power is failing, like from the ecu, to the high/low beam switch etc.

Do both beams fail, high and dip but the side lights are ok?

[Snaphappy]

Welcome to the forum, glad to have you here.

as for your lights problem, that has me stumped I hate Leckie problems, you dont have a switch for the lights so that rules out one possibility are you getting water in fusebox. its weird that your not blowing fuses which makes me think something is acting as a switch when wet??

check all connectors back to the fuse box

[Snaphappy]

And check out my earlier thread

maintenence manuals

[brendan coffey]

A wiring diagram would be handy (anyone?), so you can follow the supply wire back.
May well have to attach bulbs at points to see where the power is failing, like from the ecu, to the high/low beam switch etc.

Do both beams fail, high and dip but the side lights are ok?

Hi Thanks,I did,nt expect anybody to get onto me so soon if at all.
Both high and low beams go and the side lights stay on.
The thing is there working fine now.do you mean attach a bulb or two and leave them on the bike so when I go out in the rain I might be able to narrow down the problem when the lights go off.thanks again for taking the time.
Brendan.

[brendan coffey]

Welcome to the forum, glad to have you here.

as for your lights problem, that has me stumped I hate Leckie problems, you dont have a switch for the lights so that rules out one possibility are you getting water in fusebox. its weird that your not blowing fuses which makes me think something is acting as a switch when wet??

check all connectors back to the fuse box

Thanks very much for your reply.I have tryed the fuse bowx and everything seems to be perfect and I even power hosed around the seat etc and know water is getting in.Thanks again for your comment.I'll find the problem by hook or by crook,just hope it dont take for ever though.

[catteeclan]

Hi Thanks,I did,nt expect anybody to get onto me so soon if at all.
Both high and low beams go and the side lights stay on.
The thing is there working fine now.do you mean attach a bulb or two and leave them on the bike so when I go out in the rain I might be able to narrow down the problem when the lights go off.thanks again for taking the time.

That's it. Try a odds n ends electrical shop and buy some cheapo leds.
I'd replace the fuse as it's gonna cost next to nothing to rule it out and while its running, give all the connections and plugs a pull and wiggle.

Be good to see a wiring diagram to see;
1 where the power's fed from,
2 the colour wires you need to follow.

Good luck.

[catteeclan]

Found a diagram.
To both headlights you have a green = earth wire, make a join and connect to a good earth point anyway. Helps the earths and rules it out.
Blue/black and white/black. These are the high and low beam feeds. they go directly to the respective relays so unlikely to be a prob there.
Relays are feed from the high/low switch by a blue for high and white for low beam, seperate feeds again so unlikely. The relays have a common earth again but it looks like that should be ok if you've already doubled up by the headlight earth.
Looks like a black/brown coming from the headlight fuse to the relays and pass switch.
Does the pass switch still work after the headlights have failed?
I'll post the diagram in a bit.

[KTiM]

Hi Brendon and welcome

You may find that someone else has had this problem with their Vara. if you try posting in the Varadero forum rather than here in the XL forum. Yes, I know the Vara. is an XL1000 but there y'go, so is the Transalp come to that.

Hope you get your problem sorted.

[catteeclan]

Hope it's the same model.