Diode

[zoom45]

Ok motorcycle electrical wizards - Got a 2000 Nomad 1500 carbureted bike. Been fighting an intermittent ignition problem for a long time this year. If you pull the cover off the ignition switch and take it apart, there is a small diode between the gray wire and a contact pad in the switch that does not have a wire connected to it. What is the diode for? If I check it with an ohm meter it reads both ways and I thought it should only read one way. Maybe this is causing my problems. The other day I thought I had found the problem and fixed it. I drove the bike without problems for 70 miles but that afternoon I stopped to see my Mom and when I went to leave, the neutral light would not come on and no fire was getting to the start button. After I trailered it home and started checking wires. I couldn't get the neutral light on till I honked the stebil horn, LOL then the bike would crank up. It seemed there was resistance in the white wire going into the ignition switch. I found the white wire that comes from the start relay was brown for about an inch at the end where it solders to the contact pad in the switch. It appeared to have been hot which made the wire turn brown on the end. I replaced the entire white wire from the contact pad to the connector mounted under the tank. I drove the bike again and it ran great so I decided to ride it to work this morning and when 5 miles from the house it started the intermittent ignition lose again. I just turned around and left it at the house. Could this be caused from the diode?
Thanks,
Zoom45