There have been a couple of occasions lately where a YouTube video has allowed me to do some work on our van and car that I would not have been able to do without the video. On the van, the fan controls quit working and the YouTube video showed me how to remove the panel which looked like there was no way to do it, but which turned out to be really simple. Then I bought a used part from Ebay that was way cheaper then a new Honda part.
Then I got a low tire pressure warning on the car and when I took it in to my local tire dealer they discovered the tire was worn almost to the treads on the inside due to mis-alignment (driver's side rear). And they said there was no adjustability in the rear wheel alignment. The tire guy said there were adjustable control arms available but the parts alone cost about $400. I found a YouTube video with good instructions for how to change the control arms, and where to buy them. The set for both rear wheels was about $250. For now I only put a set on the left rear as the right rear seems to be OK as far as tire wear.
Now the internet has saved me on motorcycle work. I found out after a ride with my friends that my headlights were out. I assumed it was probably a blown fuse, but replacing the fuse with a new one made no difference. I have two headlights, so it didn't seem likely that both bulbs would burn out at the same time, but I checked them anyway and they were OK. Now I had to start disassembly of the bike to get to wiring and connectors. This is the way things got to looking:
By hooking the headlight harness up to a battery I saw that the lights worked, so the problem had to be behind the headlights. I checked the headlight solenoid, and found that it was good, so I started inspecting the wiring diagram. What a nightmare!
The CBR 500 that I have is not a feature-loaded motorcycle (no abs, no ride modes, no traction control), but you can see how complex it still is. I went to the CBR 500 forum, which is pretty dead due to everybody moving over to facebook, but there are still some knowledgeable guys who post on it, so I described my tale of woe and asked for help. A guy answered back and told me how to verify I had power to the solenoid, which I did. He then determined by looking at the wiring diagram that the only remaining "gate" that power had to go through to get to the headlights was the starter switch on the right handlebar, of all things. When you turn the key on, the headlights come on, but when you push the starter button, the headlights temporarily go out so that the full power of the battery goes to the starter motor. So the headlight power has to pass through the starter switch. He told me the two wires I had to check for continuity in the starter switch, and sure enough, the power wasn't passing through their connection. I made a jumper wire to bypass the connector and I HAD HEADLIGHTS! I could have kissed the guy (actually, I don't know for sure it is a guy). So I ordered a new starter switch and will have to wait a few days for it to arrive, but it will probably take me that long to get the bike back together.
I hate electrical problems because I am such a dumbass about electrical stuff, and this one sort of reminded me of the Mustang wiring problems that weighed on my mind with no known way to find a solution. But, thanks to the internet, I found the way.
