Motorcycle Repair: 81 goldwing headlight, starter button, sticky residue

Question
My headlight started giving me fits last year.  Sometimes it would turn off for seamingly no reason.  I then found that sometimes if I pushed the starter button to the side when starting the headlight would turn back on.   This last winter I took it to a shop to get several seals replaced and I cannot get the headlight to come on.  All of my other lights and signals work just fine.  I have replaced the bulb, but still no headlight.  i know it is wiring somewhere and I suspect near the Starter and on off switch.  I just don't know where to go from here. Thanks

Answer
The START button has a second set of contacts that turns off the headlight while the button is pressed so that there is more power available for the starter motor. Over the years the contacts can become oxidized or the grease in the switch can become contaminated with dirt or can become hard.

I recommend spraying the switch with contact cleaner before you take it apart.

Note: You need to have real contact cleaner. WD40 is a fine product and has many uses, but it is not real contact cleaner. It leaves a sticky residue that will attract dust and you will have dirty contacts again before you know it.

You can usually clean the switches on the handlebars without taking anything apart. If you look at the bottoms of your switch clusters you will see that there are small holes, just the right size to accept the straw from the contact cleaner and located so that it will spray right onto the contacts.

Just spray the contact cleaner into the hole and work the switch or button vigorously several times, then turn on the key & try it. You might need to repeat the process several times before it works properly.

If you can't get it working after 3 or 4 tries you will need to take it apart.

If you find broken parts you will need to make a trip to the wreckers.

If there is just too much dirt & hardened grease in there for the contact cleaner to wash out you will need to clean it manually. Use an old toothbrush & more contact cleaner.

DO NOT use sandpaper - particles of the grit will become imbedded into the contact's surface and cause all kinds of problems.
If a contact is pitted you can dress it with a POINTS FILE. DO NOT use a regular file. POINTS FILES are designed for dressing ignition points and have the their teeth cut at the proper angle &c so that they will leave a very smooth surface.

I also recommend joining a good forum that caters to bikes like yours. You will find that someone there usually has had the same problem you have and figured out how to fix it of has tried what you want to do and can tell you if it will work before you spend a lot of time & money.
http://www.nakedgoldwings.com is one of the best for 4 cylinder GoldWings.