my brake light is not coming on when i use my front brake, but working fine for the rear brake. i have checked the fuses and everything is good, so i am thinking it's a bad pressure switch up front.

any other thoughts before i pull the trigger on ordering a new one and putting it in, anything that i am not thinking of that could be causing it

thanks
db

 

sound like your right about it being the switch. But check the wiring to switch for any poor connections. You can also test the switch with a meter to confirm the switch is bad.

 

Before taking anything apart, make sure that the light switch fails when the bike is running. My front brake switch doesn't work when the bike's not running, but is fine when KOER (key on engine running). No idea why, but it may be a common thing.

 

front switch goes bad often, new one will too. bad design on the contacts inside, try cleaning with electrical parts cleaner, its not a pressure switch.

your going to deal with this many times, some people forget about it and use the rear only for the life of the bike, comes with the territory.

 

i am actually not super worried about the light not working from a riding perspective, i am more worried about the bike not passing inspection without the front brake activating the brake light

 

Did you change the grips?Forget the little cardboard piece?There is a certain pattern for tightening the housing screws as well.If you don't follow it the switch may not work.I had mine apart quite a few times to get it to work again reliably.

 

no grip change...will be picking up a voltage meter when i am in town later this week, but fairly certain i am going to need to just replace the switch

what is pattern you reference for the tightening the housing screws? there are only 2, i can't imagine the pattern really makes all that much of a difference as long as the brake/master cylinder housing is tight/flush against grip housing

 

If you have a service manual, it details the specifics for removing/installing the switch - if you don't use the piece of cardboard to keep the actuator on the brake lever outta the way, you'll break the new switch - ask me how I know this. Switch is about $20.

 

The switch has a tiny plastic piece that protrudes through a rubber boot. The brake lever has a point that pushes on that plastic piece. When you pull the lever it lets the switch out, turning the light on. If you break that tiny plastic piece off the switch (because you were changing grips, switch housings, etc.), the brake light stays on. Happened to me once - right after I succesfully ran my wires inside my handlebars. I really didn't want to take my bars all apart so I cut the head off a 10 penny nail and epoxied it to the rubber boot. Ghetto, but it still works like a champ after two years.
Sounds like you got a bad switch/loose wire, not a broken piece.

 

just called the local hd dealer and they want $59, wtf???