OK Halfpint, we are going to need some more info.  What year is your bike and so forth.  I  had trouble with my 87 when I first got it, there was a piece of the brake switch in the handle bar missing.  This link kind of tells the story;

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1269374031/7#7

There are two different switches for different year models.

Sorry, I didn't see your signature, I looked for it, but didn't see it.  Honest.

I remember a spring, I really do.  But I cannot remember where the spring went.  You are right, Clymers was no help.  I checked the service manuel as well, it said nothing.

I did have alot of trouble with the little wires that fastened to the plate, between 8-9, they were broken and about as big around as a hair.  A little solder was too much.  

Try putting the little eraser thing in and before you put the cover on pull the handle, it should slide over to make the contact.  It does not have to move a lot, but it will move.  And the metal ends go down, to make contact on part 9.  Of course, I have never put anything in backward or upside down myself.

I'm trying to help!

i have the same issue...at this time, i don't have a front brake light (in TX you only need the rear), i bought the micro switch, but realized after that it is the housing up inside the master cylinder is the problem..it's simply worn out...won't hold the micro switch in place...not worth the cost of a master cylinder ass'y to fix it.

I'm sorry its been so long to reply. lol School's back in.. -_-
Thanks for the help!

Anyway, I ended up losing my eraser and buying a new one was was all I needed! My old one didn't have a spring and wouldn't compress. Once my new one came in the inner spring that rests horizontally disappeared.. lol I cheap fashioned a pen spring and it's good as new! =) I hope the issue doesn't pop up again and I end up having to go to the extremes like Boule'tard.