'Sticky' or slow neutral light

Nick591

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1999 1100GS with 47K miles. This has only started happening recently. Sometimes when first turning on the ignition when the engine is cold and sometimes while riding, when neutral is selected the neutral light does not come on immediately but there is a few seconds delay. I am not familiar with the mode of operation of the switch itself but does this sound like a mechanical switch problem or an electrical problem? The gear indicator on the RID works fine and 'in real time'.
If switch replacement is needed is it a big job?
Thanks for any input.

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Mechanical switch problem. Probably just needs cleaning with brake cleaner or WD40.

The Neutral light switch and gear selector switch on your bike are separate switches located on the back of the gearbox. Just follow the wiring loom to locate them.
 
I had a similar problem with an RS several years ago. It's possible (but a bitch of a job) to remove, dismantle, clean and reassemble the switch.
 
If you do need to get at the switch on an 1100 you will need to take off the swinging arm. You'll need plenty of heat on the pivots to loosen the Loctite if it hasn't been done before.

Remove the bevel box first as it weighs a ton, (might be possible to skip this, but it is heavy) and don't forget to phase the shaft joints correctly when reassembling.
 
If you do need to get at the switch on an 1100 you will need to take off the swinging arm.

I may well be mis-remembering, as it was more than 5 years ago and I'm at an age where I'm prone to that, but I think I used gynecological techniques. I'd had the gearbox out and rebuilt it, and the problem showed up on the test-ride. Of course the RS and the GS may be different. :rob
 
I think even if you can do it with the arm in situ it might be risky - you need to watch that you don't damage those small screws and maybe they'd benefit from a gentle tap if they've been in there 23 years. :green gri

Personally I'd wait until there was a better reason to remove the swinging arm like doing the clutch, and replace/clean the switch then. As long as the switch on the clutch works you'll be able to get the bike started.
 
IIRC the neutral switch is underneath the gear indicator switch (they're piggybacked) so there's nothing much you can do without taking the whole lot apart. A job for the winter eh?
 
A well timed thread.... Mines exactly the same... been like that for 18 months or so...

Are we saying here, for the non technically able folk such as myself , that the non disassembly method is to spray liberal quantities of wd40 or similar in the general area of the switch?

cheers
 
Mine is also the same.... I tried spraying WD40 but it made no difference. It does seem to be more responsive when I've been riding for a while. I traced the wiring to a connector above the left side footrest and also sprayed some WD40 on each part (although the connections looked ok). Not ridden since but not sure it'll make any difference.
I've kind of given up and just look at the gear position indicator to see it's in neutral and gently let the clutch out just in case
 


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