[SCARE!]

So, I went down to the local testing station here in New Zealand to get my 6 monthly warrant of fitness..



And low and behold, something has to play up..



The guy calls me over, hey mate, your headlight and tail light are flashing too when the turn signals are activated..



Just my luck.. never a problem til testing time..



And it had to be an electrical problem, my un-speciality..



Any idea what would cause this to happen? Maybe a ground needs looking at?

I'm lost, and just want to ride!



Any help would be greatly appreciated. I will give it a go, so you be the brain, I'll be the hands

 

[Woofhound]

possible dirty battery connections? weak battery? clean terminals and turn up engine idle speed and see if that helps

 

[mtkd]

I would try and evaluate if the lights are blinking on and off or if they are just dimming as power is drawn by the blinkers, if it is dimming I would take a look at the battery.

 

[macbig2k1]

I am really sure, that ground is the problem.

I recommend to check all flasher light cables (the switch too).

 

[B-dub]

I am really sure, that ground is the problem.

I recommend to check all flasher light cables (the switch too).

I second that.

 

[SCARE!]

so... the head/taillights are dimming when the turn signal is flashing



i have checked all the grounds i can see



(my battery is only connected to the bike via the negative terminal, the positive has nothing connected to it - bear in mind the system has been modified in some way to use a small cell battery)



i have tried turning up the idle, and although it helps, there is still flashing



could it be the battery needs a trickle-charge up?

 

[frog13]

Small cell battery is probably the culprit.

 

[SCARE!]

So I bought a new battery, and boy! I don't think it's ever run on a battery before..



I connected up the battery and the starter jumped into motion.. and wouldn't stop trying to start.



I tried disconnecting the starter button (that is loose) on the RH switch block, no change..



So where to now? It has obviously never had a fully charged battery the whole time I've had it..



and the brake/headlight is still flashing/dimming when the turn signal is on..



Anyone??

 

[jbfla]

... bear in mind the system has been modified in some way to use a small cell battery)

If this is so, there may other wiring that has been changed.



It's likely that you will need someone with motorcycle wiring knowledge to check all you wiring circuits with a meter.



My first thought was a miswired flasher relay, but with unknown wiring changes, it could be anything.



jb

 

[SCARE!]

If this is so, there may other wiring that has been changed.



It's likely that you will need someone with motorcycle wiring knowledge to check all you wiring circuits with a meter.



My first thought was a miswired flasher relay, but with unknown wiring changes, it could be anything.



jb

Agree to all of the above.



What is making me want to fix it myself, is that it was all good one day, then the bike sat for 2 months, and it has this gremlin. I can't see what could have made it not work. Surely something simple..



Thanks!

 

[Skyking]

Buy a complete harness on eBay(or here). Probably save a lot of headache.

 

[rm_hm]

Sell it to a paramedic

 

[arrowsmith]

A long time ago I had a motorcycle that would light the head light when the brake was used. The filament was broken on one end and was touching the tail light filament.

 

[mycol]

Did you ever figure it out?

 

[Tweaker]

Mycol haha welcome. This post is over 8 years old.

 

[stagewex]

I'll bet he's still working on it and never did get his MC license.

 

[Peterb]

Connect a volt meter- or test light ground directly to the negative terminal of the battery and check for voltage at the black wire of any of the affected lights. Start the bike with the affected lights on and if you have voltage or even a dim test light at the black wire (must be connected) then you have a ground problem. Don't just look at a ground and assume its good. Take them off and clean to bare metal. Also check the voltage while it is running to make sure its charging.

 

[Pete H]

I've had problems on cars like this before. It's always been a grounding problem. If the juice cant find a easy way to ground, it's forced to find it's way back up a positive connection somewhere. This causes other lights to function when they shouldn't be.

 

[Peterb]

SCARE please come back and let us know what the problem was when you get it solved.

 

[phelonius]

It is obviously broken, just send it to me and I will dispose of it for free.