My problem went away....but only because of the help you guys gave me...
I had a similar problem with a 750 a few decades back and it turned out to be a diode problem.
Slabghost suggested that in a '79, the rectifier is the diodes so I checked the schematics in my trusty Clymer and it showed there were diodes up until '78 and then they vanished (insert ghostly moaning here)
I would of loved to check if I was getting 14 volts at 3000 rpm's but the '79 also lacked a kick start and I wasn't keen on sparking the starter just yet..
I discounted the switch because it worked out than engaging the starter. The head light went off and, on those rare times it did engage the starter, it worked just fine..
dan filipi thought it might be a start power problem and if I had ignored the troublehooting section of the Clymers, I would of leaned that way too...PurpleGL1200I echoed the same thing, except I didn't believe the starter itself was a problem, though they are fun to clean up...
Armed with all ya'll threw at me, I put a twelve pack on ice and took off the left side cover and left fake gas panel.
I dragged out my parts bike (a pretty good 78 I buried under Christmas stuff in the back of my shed).
For fun, and because the parts bike regulator was cleaner than the one on my 79, I swapped it out...
I opened my first beer and took a swig...
I removed the battery on my 79 and then removed the battery cage with all the fix'ins (starter relay, rectifier, condenser, etc.)
Setting it aside, I grabbed my beer and my 10mm ratchet and took two swigs before doing the same with the parts bike, which went pretty quick because I took the battery out when I stored it...
I reversed the installation noting the connections appeared to be clean. I reinstalled the battery and gave it a try...
It cranked right up...
I tried it a few times to see if I could get it to NOT crank (this I usually do by using profanity in my fake Japanese) but it cranked into a satisfying purr that we Wingers know all too well...
Realizing I had too much beer for the job at hand, I left the side covers off and spent the rest of the day sitting in a lawn chair working on reducing my beer overstock...
I will pull out the multi-meter from the saddlebags tomorrow and do a check on what I removed because I am curious as to what the problem actually was...and if I ever find a junked '75 thru'77, I'll cut the diodes off of it and mount them under the regulator just to confuse the next owner of my Wing after I die...
I thank all of you for your input and direction...and this beer is raised for all of you....cheers... :salute: