My rear brake switch broke (stuck on) in 2003. Dealer replaced it under warranty. I was on a road trip at the time and simply unplugged the wires from the switch. Since I always use my front brakes I didn't have to worry about my brake light not coming on.
P.S. the switch is towards the back underneath the bike, just in front of the swingarm. Find the brakeline on the swingarm and trace it back. Didn't even have to jack up the bike to find it.
