Modern Buddy

Took scooter out of winter storage. Installed Battery, which tested good (Batteries Plus), fuse good, ground good. When ignition is switch to "on" Nothing. Dead. Gauges don't light up. What should I check next?

Kill switch? Then the usual. Battery terminals, fuses, connectors, etc.

The gauge light isn't powered from the battery - it's direct from the stator, like the headlamp.

Do the turn signals work?

Update: I took the fuse out, again, for the tenth time. It was intact, looked good, BUT this time noticed that the end cap was loose. Sure enough, it had corroded or burned out beneath the end cap. The cap actually came off. I put in a new fuse and now have power to the horn and the gas gauge. (My spirits are much higher.)

However, the head light and tail light do not go on. And, the right blinker light seems stuck on as it blinks constantly. The brake light goes on only when I pull the rt. brake, not the left. The left turn light does not work. Earlier, I had taken the turn signal/horn, high beam switch assembly apart looking for problems, so maybe I didn't put it back together again. But still, shouldn't the head light and tail light go on?

I know reading about someone's electrical problems is as exciting as hearing about their dreams. LOL.

Lesson learned: When checking a fuse, to be sure, use a multimeter, put it on ohms and check for resistance between the two ends of the fuse. Should be zero.

Will it start now? Try that and check the lights with it running.

It starts right up and runs beautifully. I also solved the blinking light issue. All is good except:

shouldn't the headlight and "dashboard" light up when the key is turned to the "on" position? The lights and everything else work fine when the scooter is running.

ucandoit wrote:shouldn't the headlight and "dashboard" light up when the key is turned to the "on" position? The lights and everything else work fine when the scooter is running.

No.

JettaKnight wrote:The gauge light isn't powered from the battery - it's direct from the stator, like the headlamp.

Before my electrical wiring issues, I could swear that my headlight and instrument panel lit up when I turned the ignition to "on" (with no engine running). People are saying this isn't so, but I feel sure that they did. Am I delusional? Our winters are really long (6 long months), but surely I wouldn't forget something like that. And, my gas gauge needle goes up with the ignition in the "on" position (engine not running). That has to be direct battery fed, not stator. Somebody please verify my memory. LOL

yes, you are delusional.. sorry to be the one to confirm it..

ucandoit wrote:Before my electrical wiring issues, I could swear that my headlight and instrument panel lit up when I turned the ignition to "on" (with no engine running). People are saying this isn't so, but I feel sure that they did. Am I delusional? Our winters are really long (6 long months), but surely I wouldn't forget something like that. And, my gas gauge needle goes up with the ignition in the "on" position (engine not running). That has to be direct battery fed, not stator. Somebody please verify my memory. LOL

With key "on" (engine not running)

Gas gauge - YES
Instrument panel light - NO
Headlight - NO

Nope. I remembered correctly. I reread the updated manual and quote it here.

"Switches and Controls"
1.Main Switch The main Switch controls the ignition and lighting system.
(it shows a drawing of the ignition switch in the "on" position.)
"The power is connected, engine can be started. Headlight is on. Taillight is on. The key cannot be pulled from this position".

I am not delusional.
But, I still have an electrical problem somewhere.

Christophers wrote:

ucandoit wrote: Somebody please verify my memory.

With key "on" (engine not running)

Gas gauge - YES
Instrument panel light - NO
Headlight - NO

This is direct observational verification, not memory or quoting a manual.
(Although memory gave the same answers ;)

No. The manual is right. And my direct observation is right to.

No offense but your Buddy appears to be different from my 2008 Buddy because the headlight on mine is powered by the alternator not the battery so it is on only when the engine is running. Verified by looking at the electrical schematic and the fact that the headlight gets brighter with increased engine rpms. And since my 2006 Blur has an almost identical electrical system to the Buddy, its headlight behaves in the same manner.

My 2008 Buddy 125 tail light comes on with the key. The headlight and instrument panel do not.

We are all so sure about our scooters because of personal experience, but I've concluded that they are actually different. I really like how the headlight and taillight on mine light up with the ignition in the "on" position, esp. in the dark. The updated owner's manual, available on this site, mentions this.

I rode my old Buddy 125 over the weekend and the headlight only came on when the scoot started. Caught me as strange at first because the Burgman headlight comes on when the key is on, Buddy did not. Miss that little scooter!

ucandoit wrote:We are all so sure about our scooters because of personal experience, but I've concluded that they are actually different. I really like how the headlight and taillight on mine light up with the ignition in the "on" position, esp. in the dark. The updated owner's manual, available on this site, mentions this.

Tail light or brake light? They're wired differently.

sc00ter wrote:I rode my old Buddy 125 over the weekend and the headlight only came on when the scoot started. Caught me as strange at first because the Burgman headlight comes on when the key is on, Buddy did not. Miss that little scooter!

Maybe the "key on, all lights on" scenario applies to the 170i, but not the carbureted Buddys? I can't say for sure since my local shop is gone and I don't have a 170i to look at.

My Riva 180, Majesty 400, Yager GT200, Spade 150 and K-Pipe 125 all have the "key on, lights on" configuration with a load-reduction relay to kill the keadlight while the engine is cranking over. A lot of my older scoots like the P200s and the Elite 50s/80s only have the brake lights and blinkers come on with the key since those circuits are battery assisted. The 4T Stella works this way too.

When it is dark on the Riva 180 don't put the key in and press the horn button. Watch what happens!

BuddyRaton wrote:When it is dark on the Riva 180 don't put the key in and press the horn button. Watch what happens!

I know that secret; Yamaha should have kept including it in their designs. The bezel for the ignition lights up.

Better secret is that the Riva 180 Deluxe had self-cancelling turn signals.

az_slynch wrote: Maybe the "key on, all lights on" scenario applies to the 170i, but not the carbureted Buddys?

Perhaps.

But ucandoit is talking about a Buddy 125.
(per his signature...)