Rear brake lite issue Himalayan/Scram?

[hodgie]

The last few days I have noticed an issue with my rear brake light turning on when I pull the front brake lever. If I go out to the bike in the morning and pull the front brake lever the light won’t go on, the foot lever is just fine. If I pull the front lever a dozen or so times it will eventually start working 1st with a bit of delay and then after a few more pulls much more reliably regardless of where or how hard I pull the brake lever. It happens with both the key just in the on position or the engine running.

The play in the lever is good, there is plenty of fluid in the master cylinder. I disconnect the two wires on the lever and made sure the contacts were clean. I checked the little button (don’t know the technical term) that releases when the brake is pulled to turn on the light and that also seems fine. In the rear of that button copper wiring is wrapped and exposed. Which seems a bit odd but maybe completely normal. Again once it gets going it works just fine however I’m not fully trusting it. Anyone else have this or a similar issue with any Himalayan?

 

[iowa al]

The rubber boot covering the plunger is too stiff. I pulled mine off and carefully stretched it, and it worked for awhile. Thinking about pulling it off and soaking it in silicone or something to soften it. The copper wire is to hold the boot in place. I threw it away. Too hard to get back on.

 

[hodgie]

The rubber boot covering the plunger is too stiff. I pulled mine off and carefully stretched it, and it worked for awhile. Thinking about pulling it off and soaking it in silicone or something to soften it. The copper wire is to hold the boot in place. I threw it away. Too hard to get back on.

Thanks for the feedback. Not happy it’s an issue but at least it’s been seen by others. I’m wondering if it’s worse in colder weather so it stiffens up overnight when temps drop. Unfortunately the garage in my current house isn’t heated unlike my previous ones.

I will try hitting it with some CRC silicone spray a few times a day to see if it softens before taking it off.

 

[iowa al]

Mine seemed worse when it was colder.

 

[Dave.H]

Just got my scram out after reading about brake ligh proble. Mine was just the same foot brake was fine front hand brake did not operate brake ligh, I checked voltage at the small micro switch that was ok. I removed the brake lever and pushed the plastic tip in and let it come out on its own 5 to 10 times checked the brake light and it worked fine, I might try squirting a som switch cleaner int it try and preventing it from reoccurrin. Hope this makes sens.

 

[hodgie]

I removed the break lever and soaked the mechanism down using CRC silicone spray. It helped to loosen it up so the brake would work properly. Went to go for a ride today and we are back to not working correctly. I have to take it for inspection this week and would hate for it to act up when I’m having it done and cause me to fail on a brand new bike with less then 200 miles in it. I found YouTube videos about this on standard Himalayans going several years back so it appears it’s a long time more common issue that dealers have seen but don’t every fully correct.

Good to see RE not resolving the small stuff that can get you killed.

 

[iowa al]

Take the rubber boot off before you take it in for inspection to be sure it passes.

 

[Dave.H]

Went out again yesterday and it wasn’t working again so took the brake lever off and removed the copper wire off that holds the rubber protector on. The brake light worked as it should. Replace the copper wire with a really small cable tie, went out this morning and it was frosty and it’s still working fine.

 

[hodgie]

Went out again yesterday and it wasn’t working again so took the brake lever off and removed the copper wire off that holds the rubber protector on. The brake light worked as it should. Replace the copper wire with a really small cable tie, went out this morning and it was frosty and it’s still working fine.

Good to know. I lubed it up again and went for a long ride on Monday with a lot of braking due to windy roads. I checked it yesterday and 1st thing this morning and it was good. If it craps out again I will try the cable tie.

 

[Dave.H]

I forgot to mention that the cable tie was the really small type used in cicuit boards and used as a spacer. So far all worki fine. We had a good frost this morning and brake light is still workin.

 

[puttbutt]

why not just replace it. they're very cheap, and held on by a couple of screws I believe.

 

[iowa al]

Nothing wrong with the switch itself. The rubber boot covering the plunger is too stiff. Now that the weather is warming up, mine has been working every time.