Headlights, where's normal dipped beam?

[Rin]

Hi guys,
I rode for the first time in the dark tonight. Where's the dipped beam? There seems to be a sidelight (little diamond above the main headlight cover) or full beam in the main light. The little toggle switch that should switch between dipped and full does nothing. How is it all supposed to work? Which bit is the missing bit that I need to sort out please?
Thank you in anticipation for enlightening (!) me.
Rin.

[mattycoops43]

The main headlight is a standard car type twin filament bulb.

On mine the button stuck in to change from dipped to main, does yours actually move? otherwise you must have a wiring issue or faulty switch.

[Watty]

The main headlight is a standard car type twin filament bulb.

On mine the button stuck in to change from dipped to main, does yours actually move? otherwise you must have a wiring issue or faulty switch.

Or the dipped beam filament of the bulb has blown! Does the headlight go out when you dip or does the switch not physically do anything?

[VTRDark]

On mine the button stuck in

This is the bit you have missed. To the right of the slide switch there is a square button which switches between dipped and main by pushing it. The slide juts switches from side light to dipped or main depending on the square push button

(:-})

[mattycoops43]

Yes, if dipped beam had gone it would go out, he said no change.

[seb421]

Try a new H4 bulb see if that sorts it out

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[Rin]

Mattycoops43
indeed I push the button, nothing changes, the full beam stays full. But I think that the switch does not go in or out, so first I try WD40, then look at replacing the switch. Bear in mind the bike has been (virtually) unused for 3 years, it may just be stuck.
Shame it's stuck on full beam, Thanks I'll try this first …
Rin

[seb421]

I get you now I had this on an old switch gear, button was wombles as it was never used once pressed in was a nightmare to get it to turn back off, days of spraying with wd40 with the straw shoved inside sorted it out mate

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[tony.mon]

On mine the dipped beam is on the ground just in front of the bike when it's on.

Happy to help.

Tony

[Watty]

Also try drowning it with switch cleaner, it's cured many electrical problems for me

[seb421]

On mine the dipped beam is on the ground just in front of the bike when it's on.

Happy to help.

Tony

Eeeee your a bugger tony :-)

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[VTRDark]

I totally misinterpreted the question on this one.

(:-})

[tony.mon]

On mine the dipped beam is on the ground just in front of the bike when it's on.

Happy to help.

Tony

Eeeee your a bugger tony :-)

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Merely literal, my good man (and I use the phrase "my good man" loosely in this context), and autistic. And pedantic. I also prevaricate, and may split hairs later, or may not.

[Tweety]

Also try drowning it with switch cleaner, it's cured many electrical problems for me

Unbolt the switchgear from the clip-on, remove the bolts, and douse it in a good amount of switch cleaner... DO NOT USE WD40, as it's a temporary fix, which comes back to bite you pretty soon, as the switch will stop working again very quickly...

Then, jam a cotton cue tip in and get as much muck as possible out, rinse and repeat... Once clean enough, spray in a healthy dose of spray on Vaseline, re-assemble and go riding... The Vaseline once the spay medium has dried out keep the switch working a lot longer than WD40 ever will...

[Rin]

Thanks. It moved relatively easily with one squirt of the dreaded WD40. i shall leave it in the dipped position for now and test it to see if it really has dipped the light, before exploring further. I am sure its just a result of sitting in a garage and not being used. Nothing worse.