Buddy 125 - strange electrical problem

[bradsarno]

Please help. Is this a starter switch issue? Regulator?

The bike will run with a kick start and the headlamp and brake light will work when it's running. But the starter, horn, and turn signals won't work or they'll barely work. Even with a good battery this happens.

When it's running, sometimes the turn signals and horn work, other times they don't or they just barely work.

Please advise,
Brad

[Dooglas]

How did you determine that this is a "good" battery? Did you have it load tested? If you are sure the battery isn't the culprit, time to go on with testing the other electrical components. I'd start with the battery connectors, the system ground, possibly corroded switches, and possible worn spots or breaks in the wiring loom. If no joy there, move on to the more complicated stuff such as the voltage regulator and stator.

[jrsjr]

When it's running, sometimes the turn signals and horn work, other times they don't or they just barely work.

These problems are always the battery. Until they aren't. If you are absolutely sure the battery isn't the problem...

If I understand correctly, what you have is an intermittent electrical problem and those are the devil to troubleshoot, even for somebody like me who thinks the Simpson analog multimeter was the greatest toy ever devised by the mind of man. However, in situations like this, where different electrical systems are intermittently misbehaving, there is one good guess, which is a ground problem. This is my week for trying to explain about the ground, so I borrowed a photo from another thread on this board and circled the common electrical point in red. You want to take a hard look at this on your scooter to see that those terminals are nice shiny metal touching nice shiny metal. Shiny metal to shiny metal is the way you want every electrical connection in your entire electrical connection to be, but right now I am trying to score a lucky direct hit on the problem so check that ground point carefully and report back.

[wschmechel]

I've developed a similar-type issue with mine this spring too. Left front blinker sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. I initially thought it was the bulb, but upon inspection, it looked fine. I reinstalled thinking maybe it wasn't seated properly. I turned it on, and nothing doing in the front. Rode it into work and it worked maybe 25% of the time. I have to assume it's a connection issue somewhere. I've not had time to pull it apart yet, but will check it this weekend. Odd stuff this electricity!

[foxerboy]

I had a very similar problem last year. After changing the battery with no change, Eric here suggested I check out the voltage regulator. I bought one on spec and $30 later my problem was solved with no recurrence since. FWIW