why no self canceling signals?

[rphillips]

A good place for this question. Suzuki started the self canceling turn signals in 1979, & worked pretty dang good, few rare problems, but nothing major. I thought this would be the new norm & a big improvement in the bike world. But instead of the other Mfg. stepping up, Suzuki went backwards & stopped using it. My "86" GS1150E still had it, but my "91" GSX1100G don't. Rekon they all quit in the same year & "WHY"??? I want it back.

[Redman]

Dont know. And I suppose nobody knows, but maybe have some guesses.

like, no international standard so that leaves manufactures open to liability lawsuits if someone claims the way it worked was a factor in their crash.

[gbw]

I'd heard that HD had a patent on self-cancelling turn signals and wouldn't license it to anyone else. That's why everyone else had to stop doing it, but HD has it to this day. But now I can't seem to find any source to support that statement. So maybe that's not the reason after all.

[rphillips]

Gosh HD's aren't really self canceling. Have to hold the button to keep them flashing, that's as much self flashing than self canceling, I never liked that system.

[1978GS750E]

Gosh, my HD signals cancel. I do NOT have to hold the button down! Hit the button once and they start flashing, they go off after you get back up to about 12-15MPH after you make the turn. They ARE self-cancelling. I've never seen any that you have to hold the button down. They may be out there, but I've never seen them.

[Baatfam]

My HD signals cancel. I do NOT have to hold the button down! Hit the button once and they start flashing, they go off after you get back up to about 12-15MPH after you make the turn. They ARE self-cancelling. I've never seen any that you have to hold the button down???

Both of mine were "hold down the button" but that was a '68 FLH, and a '78 Sportster. Hmmm maybe they finally updated something? LOL

[1978GS750E]

Yeah, but it costs way too much!

[chuck hahn]

started in 78 with the GS1000E. Someone here once talked about building units with more modern components. And someone posted an end around using two flasher units to bypass units that stop allowing one side to blink.

I, for one, would like to see the two flasher units write up and some pics of it in the bike again.

[Cipher]

They are probably not there because they flat out suck
K bike has em and they just do not reflect the overall need to signal in a fast efficient manner.

[Rob S.]

I recall that Yamaha was the first in the mid '70's.

Old HDs you had to hold, newer ones are self-cancelling.

[storm 64]

Didn't Kawasaki have some kind of funky motor in the left hand control assembly that turned the signal off? Speaking of funky, older BMW's had two separate buttons. One on the left one on right. But you had to hit the one on the right to turn them off. 2016 FJR? nope...

[1978GS750E]

Harleys still use two buttons, one on the left and one on the right. You would think that the turn signal buttons would be standardized by the NTSA or some big go'ment agency!

[Steve]

Suzuki started the self canceling turn signals in 1979, & worked pretty dang good, few rare problems, but nothing major.

The first Suzuki may have been 1979 (or 1978), but they were not the first motorcycle with them.

I'd heard that HD had a patent on self-cancelling turn signals and wouldn't license it to anyone else. That's why everyone else had to stop doing it, but HD has it to this day. But now I can't seem to find any source to support that statement. So maybe that's not the reason after all.

HD might have gotten a patent on their version of self-cancelling signals, but they have been a continuous feature on a Honda Goldwing since about 1978 or 1979.

started in 78 with the GS1000E.

Again, probably the first Suzuki with them, but not the first motorcycle.

I recall that Yamaha was the first in the mid '70's.

As far as I know, Rob is correct.

The 1976 Yamaha XS750 was the first bike that I recall with self-cancelling signals.


What bothers me is that it has been 44 years since a motorcycle came with self-cancelling signals that would turn off after a certain amount of time above a certain speed. Cars still don't have anything similar. You can turn your signal on as you merge onto the freeway in Danbury, CT, it will still be flashing 500 miles later when you cross into South Carolina.

Yeah, the cancelling signals on a bike are not perfect (assuming they still work at all), but I like them. You just need to understand how they work, what their limitations are, and work around them. Personally, I find them very useful and wish my 4-wheeled vehicles had signal systems as good.

.

[GS1150Pilot]

Gosh HD's aren't really self canceling. Have to hold the button to keep them flashing, that's as much self flashing than self canceling, I never liked that system.

Not true, at least on my Sportster. They stay on if you are stuck in a line to turn, and only cancel after you have turned.

[Redman]

. . . . .
Speaking of funky, older BMW's had two separate buttons. One on the left one on right. But you had to hit the one on the right to turn them off. . . . . . .

2002 BMW R1150RT: One paddle down button on left, one on right. Another button on right for cancel.
Was quite a feeling of accomplishment the first time I successfully operated it all without looking.
Often got distracted trying to figure who was honking horn.