[Leonard]

But what about the coughing and popping that the bike has been doing in higher gears recently? Any ideas on that?

I'm inclined to think a piece of crud from the low tank got into the carb.  If it doesn't clear up after a few miles I'd be taking the carb apart for cleaning.  Do you have a gas filter between the petcock and the carb?

[Indiana Josh]

Alright, well, the coughing and popping sounds have completely disappeared and the bike was running as smoothly as ever yesterday, purring and roaring at all the right times.

I gave all the wires on my bike a thorough looking-over, and I couldn't find ANY issues. Many people have suggested looking through all the wired behind my headlight casing, complaining of issues when they turn their handlebars too far one way or the other.

First, I don't know about you guys, but my handlebars don't turn very far at ALL until they're stopped by the frame of the bike. This bike has, I think, the worst turning radius of any bike I've ever been on. But no biggie. What I'm saying is that there are NO wires that are at risk of being pulled too tight against the frame. All the wires look fine.

I also couldn't find any "exposed" heads or anything that looked like it could cause a short if it happened to hit the metal frame. Everything I saw looked like it was perfectly enclosed in a plastic and/or rubber housing to protect it. I couldn't find anything exposed or short anywhere on the bike, either up near the headlamp or down by the rear turn signals.

So, if it's looking like it's not a wire hitting the frame that's causing all of my blown fuses/headlamps, are we thinking that it's most likely the regulator being off at this point?

[1Blackwolf1]

If it were the regulator you would probably also smell the battery overcharging, it would probably go from one extreme to the other.  One minute overcharging by gauge next not charging at all.  (Older brit bikes were somewhat easier but they ran a generator coil but we won't even start that issue).

Do you have access to a mutimeter?  If not do yourself a big favor and buy a digital one for about $20.  Check for voltage across the battery post prestart, idling, and at about 1500-2000 rpms.  If its the regulator it will become more erratic as the wiring warms up, either over/undercharge.

I'm beginning to suspect the headlight lo/high beam selector switch maybe the culprit.  The wires inside the switch box are close to the handlebar and maybe close enough to touch the handlebar.  If you have or can borrow a meter (don't trust a test light) I would touch the handlebar with the red lead and ground the other to bolt on the frame like the gas tank mount bolt.  It should be close enough to make it easy to do without assistance.

If you get a positive reading you probably have an unintentional ground.  And in its current condition I would say that sounds very plausible..hit a hard bump and the wire touches ground and pop goes the headlight/fuse.  And with the vibration these have naturally it could be arcing meaning it really didn't touch but put intermittent full voltage too it and then would drop off to nothing.  This would cause the headlamp to appear to be flashing, of course you can't see that.  And this would slowly weaken the headlight filaments till they die.

You could certainly get the mechanic back from the dealer you bought it from, but sounds like he may just do the same thing again.

Let me pull my schematic out when I get home tomorrow from work and I'll take a look at the wiring circuit. Will.

[Joe28]

I think of ALL the problems, electrical are the worst possible ones.
Continuing with the short circuit, (I believe it's that, SOMEWHERE).
Pull your seat and start there, under the tank, then the handle bars switches.
I was thinking as I was out yesterday breaking in my Military about your hassles.
If, it was the regulator, wouldn't it blow a smaller bulb like a turn signal, speedo bulb before a heavier duty seal beam head light??
On my '04 Bullet, I had WEIRD electrical problems. I cure all of them by running a good ground wire from the battery to the engine, engine to frame and split it to the front and back of the bike. I tied ALL the lights, (and horn) into it and that seemed to cure it.
Maybe instead of power hitting ground, a intermittent ground causing a surge at the ?.
I concur with the carb junk problem.
Road speed isn't the issue, it's engine RPM, or better yet, throttle position, (which circuit are in in, pilot jet, needle, or main jet).
One of the first things I do when I get a bike is install a in line gas filter. Keeps "stuff out of the jets.
I also could have been a bit of water in the bowl. Add a tad bit of gas line anti freeze, and some carb cleaner into your tank.
The bike could also be running lean, then when it got ccccooooolllldddd, it needed more fuel to be happy and because it was lean to begin with, the problem only magifies.
Pull your plug and see if it's a nice golden brown.
I pulled mine yesterday, (it was @30 degrees here in Pa. in the AM), the plug was too clean, (granted it only has 65 miles), so I know it's lean to start with.
Again, don't get discouraged, take it one small step at a time, take nothing for granted.

This, like all advice given here, should be take with a grain of salt. Although many of us have had the similar problems, how each one of attack the problem, like anything is, a personal thing.- That's my disclaimer!

Good luck and keep us posted.
Joe
I ride, therefore I am!

[jimsE]

On my 2008 Electra the low beam burned out within the first week.  Being 230 miles from the dealer I searched the local auto parts until I found one that worked.  Advance Auto Parts had a Sylvania two filament sealed beam #H5006.  It's not perfect, the nubs are in the wrong place to properly locate it in the notch in the mounting ring but I lined up "top" as close as I could with the top center of the ring.  5000 miles and 10 months later and it' still going.
Good luck,  Jim