unusual lighting problem - turn signals

[Walküre]

Did a couple searches, couldn't find anything related.

The other morning on the way home, I notice that when in gear, and moving, turn on my right turn signal, and my turn signal indicator on the headlight blinks fast. Standard light bulbs, throughout, although I have them hooked up as running/turn signals. I do believe that fast blinking indicates one of my bulbs is out. However, when I push on the brake, either front or rear, the indicator light says they are blinking normal. Let off the brake, fast again. However, when I am stopped, either in gear with clutch pulled in, or neutral, the blinking is normal. Only seems to be moving down the road, which is what has me stumped. Unfortunately, I can't see the rear, but the front appears to be working normal, forgot to see if it is blinking fast when the indicator is (has to be). I just can't see my tail/brake/turn signals from on the bike, at least I'm not brave enough to take my eyes off the road, leaning to the right side, long enough to look at them.

guess I should take somebody behind me, to check it, but was wondering if any one else might have a clue, which way to look?

Thanks,

Roger

[John Schmidt]

Roger, remember the brake light part of the bulb is a separate filament. Is there someone around that can follow you and let you know what they see when you brake, hit a turn signal, etc.? I had something similar after having removed the rear half of the rear fender, turned out to be a bad connection where the two parts come together. Just a thought.

[Michvalk]

Roger, remember the brake light part of the bulb is a separate filament. Is there someone around that can follow you and let you know what they see when you brake, hit a turn signal, etc.? I had something similar after having removed the rear half of the rear fender, turned out to be a bad connection where the two parts come together. Just a thought.

This same thing happened to me as well. The connector was not pushed all the way togeather.

[Walküre]

Roger, remember the brake light part of the bulb is a separate filament. Is there someone around that can follow you and let you know what they see when you brake, hit a turn signal, etc.? I had something similar after having removed the rear half of the rear fender, turned out to be a bad connection where the two parts come together. Just a thought.

This same thing happened to me as well. The connector was not pushed all the way togeather.

That would make sense, that the vibration would cause the intermittent working/non-working.

My hours of work, make it difficult to find someone to follow me, but if I ride to work, there's another gent who works my hours, with a Wing, that might be persuaded to follow me a bit.

Thanks, I have some idea where to start...

R

[gordonv]

guess I should take somebody behind me, to check it, but was wondering if any one else might have a clue, which way to look?

I check while I'm backed up to something, a wall, a car (reflective), and you can notice the light. I preffer doing it while it's a little darker, like in my underground parking.

[Walküre]

guess I should take somebody behind me, to check it, but was wondering if any one else might have a clue, which way to look?

I check while I'm backed up to something, a wall, a car (reflective), and you can notice the light. I preffer doing it while it's a little darker, like in my underground parking.

I did that in the shop, but it doesn't do it, unless it's moving, in gear. At idle it doesn't give the symptoms. That's what is so puzzling

t

[Ricky-D]

If the problem only occurs while you are running on the road but not while sitting still.........and involves the turn signals I would first suggest you are having an alternator/battery problem.

That point notwithstanding, if would be a good thing to try and eliminate all potential problem areas. 

First would be to do a turn signal switch maintenance procedure.

Second would be to actually insure all the bulbs are identically correct and all filaments are working.

I would be remiss, to not include, that the problem could be a result of  the modification you performed and mentioned in the opening post.

***

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I'd look at the "free fixes" first. In particular, as was mentioned the connectors.  One of the connectors on my son's valk caused a similar problem several years ago. A lot of times in industry, odd or intermittent problems are caused by poor connections, in particular ground connections.

[YoungPUP]

Noticed when doing my rear stop/tail/turn conversion earlier this year that the wires in the turnsignal shells usually make a sharp 90 under the bulb socket and are easily pinched by the spring for the bulb. This resulted in a broken wire for me that was intermittent based on changing bulbs, moving wires etc. Let us know what you find.

[ciderbarrel]

Sorry for necro posting but I'm having this exact same problem. At a stop, the indicator blinks very fast and the right rear light doesn't blink.

If I am in gear and moving, more than 10mph or so, the indecator will blink slow and the right rear signal WILL blink.

Coming to a stop, once I watched it turn from slow blinking to fast and the other time it stayed slow blinking and I turned to see that indeed the light was blinking.

I was wondering if the OP fixed his problem or if anyone else has anymore ideas. I tried to take apart the bulb housing but I was starting to strip the two screws in side the turn signal enclosure. I'd rather not take it into the shop because I just don't have the spare cash on hand. I'm convinced it is a wiring issue.

The other 3 turn signal lights are working fine. I swiched the rear bulbs and that didn't change a thing, it is the right rear with issues.

[HayHauler]

The only thing I can add is that I had a bulb burn out and one element had swung over and connected the two circuits.  This caused similar problems to what you guys are having.  I did notice that when I pressed on the brake, the blinkers would glow.  Are your blinkers glowing when you apply the brakes?

Hay
Jimmyt

[ciderbarrel]

The only thing I can add is that I had a bulb burn out and one element had swung over and connected the two circuits.  This caused similar problems to what you guys are having.  I did notice that when I pressed on the brake, the blinkers would glow.  Are your blinkers glowing when you apply the brakes?

Hay
Jimmyt

No, they don't glow. I did discover that it isn't the exact same problem he is having because mine HAS to be a wiring issue.

I went to the grocery store and then to my GFs place tonight. On the way to the store, it didn't work. I tested it in the parking lot before I shut off the bike. It started working. I turned the engine off. Still worked. I turned the key to off then back on. Still worked.

On the way to my GFs place, it was intermittent. On the way home just now, it never worked. I guess  I need to look at the green and blue wires on the right side of the bike, and if they are seated properly and doesn't fix it, I need to get at where the bulb sits and see if those wires are seated properly as well?

[R J]

Many moons ago, we had a customers bike in the shop, it was a Yama Hopper.

It had the same problem.   We tinkered with it for about 2 1/2 hours with nothing found.           Grandson (4 years old) was helping.  Yeah right.    Anyway, his dad and I were tracing wires to no avail.      I was ready to slam the door on it as we had other vehicles to get out that day.     Grandson said Grandpa come look at this.    He was looking inside the big rubber cover on the right side of the bike.     He informed me when he touched this big black thing it would work, let go of it and it would quit working.     Told him thanks, I'd look into it.  We messed around some more and I just happened to hit the big boot and it worked right.     Pulled the boot back a little bit and the ground wire was NOT pushed all the way in and making contact.     Squeezed the female plug and stuck the male plug in.     PS:  The bike still comes around the shop to visit, and it hasn't failed to work except for one bulb failure.

Sorry for being so long winded.

[ciderbarrel]

This is driving me crazy. The problem comes and goes.

I one at a time, I unplugged a wire, tried the turn signals to see what happened, and re-seated it.

The only thing that changed was when I unplugged the Green wire, the left signal stopped working. I plugged it back in and it started working again, but the right still wouldn't work.

I decided to take it out for a test ride, in the drive way, no change. I drove around this road that is a semicircle to the right that meets up with my road again. My first right turn, the right starts working again. I look back, it is blinking. I keep trying it all the way back to my house. try, cancel, try, cancel. Worked every time.

I get up my driveway, a fair slope, and it goes from slow to fast blink. I was so pissed. I slowly back down to the bottom of my driveway, it is still fast blinking, until I get to the bottom. Slow blink, back right is working again. Took another trip around the block, worked all the way into my garage.

I turn it on and off a few time, with engine on and off, and it works every time. I don't know what is loose, but it isn't that cluster of wires behind the right cover, i think.

Could it be the actual turn signal switch on the handle bar? Is it easy to take apart, clean, and reassemble? Is there a how-to someone could point me to? I googled but I'm having no luck, just a ton of ebay results for the switch.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Sounds like one of your right blinkers is losing it's ground. A broken bulb element could also be the source if it touches once in a while to make connection (blinker works) and then a bump makes it disconnects (fast blink starts).

[ciderbarrel]

Sounds like one of your right blinkers is losing it's ground. A broken bulb element could also be the source if it touches once in a while to make connection (blinker works) and then a bump makes it disconnects (fast blink starts).

That was my thought exactly, and I just found the problem and fixed it.

I followed the wiring diagram. The ground goes to the brake/tail light, that works. It splits off to the licence plate light, that works. It goes to the left signal light, that works. Then it goes to the right light and that doesn't work.

I was able to wiggle a right angle screwdriver under the chrome stalk that holds the turn signals and finally unscrewed the top of the cover where the wires go from under the fender to the lights. I see the ground and I barely move it and the lead falls out of the socket.  I get my pliers and squeeze it back in and presto! It's all fixed.

Thanks to everyone for helping, and I hope this can help the OP (if he didn't get it fixed) and to anyone else googling this issue. FOLLOW THE WIRES!

[ValkFlyer]

Roger,
Did you ever get those bags painted?