This is a goofy one!

[Bill Seward]

When I start Godzilla from cold, a few hundred feet from the driveway, something really odd happens. When I release throttle and pull the clutch, the headlamp flickers low to high beam, the tach jumps up around 1000 rpm for an instant. The tach only, the engine does not rev up. The digital voltmeter fed from the low beam power wire also goes out and restarts. By the time I ride a half mile, the action stops and the bike runs normally (and quite well, I must say...).

Thinking a bad ground... I have taken most of the wiring apart from the ignition system. Did that last fall when the bike acted up. Turns out that was the sidestand relay. Problem was there before I fixed the ignition.

Any ideas, guys? Has to be some connection issue, I think..

 

[1FK00]

Had a similar problem on my '85 years ago. It was a bad ground from the battery to the frame.

 

[Bill Seward]

Will have a look. Thanks.

 

[SpecOps13]

Had a similar problem on my '85 years ago. It was a bad ground from the battery to the frame.

DITTO........ on my 89...

 

[Hellion]

I read some where that they lost the ground at the engine. The terminal by the oil fill the wire loose in terminal.

 

[Bill Seward]

I cleaned up the ground by the filler plug, it was a bit corroded. Things seem to be OK with that now. I also cleaned the 3 screws holding the water manifold under the right scoop. They also had some corrosion. That got the temp gauge working. So far so good. Thinking a ride to Thunder is coming soon..

 

[jfeagins]

Bill, if memory serves, there are two or three grounding wires that terminate under a bolt to the right side frame under the seat and right outside the battery box area. You might check/clean those as well while you're re-doing grounds. Never know.