Odd flasher problem.

[Guest]

The flahers on my 85 750EF (Canadian) have developed a strange problem.The right side works just fine but the left will either stop or flash when revved abit or not flash at all or flash.This is a bit of a recurrence of the same problem I had before the redo I did 2 winters ago in which I did a full harness clean.I have a cure in a 83 flasher that worked fine the last time but I'd like to figure out why it can work 1 side fine and give me greif on the other side.Switch gear problem?But the other one's good

[Steve]

Do both lights light up on the "bad" side?

.

[SVSooke]

One of the first things I checked,yes they do.Rather than mess with this today I'm putting in the 83 unit,see what happens.

[kirkn]

My own method these days is to give up immediately and go with a 'generic' electronic two-prong flasher. $10 at every local cheapie auto-parts store. I've done this on 4 or 5 recent bikes of mine (or my son's) that developed blinker issues one way or the other. It cures every one of them. They blink steadily at a consistent rate regardless of load, regardless of the number of bulbs, regardless of whether one bulb has quit, regardless of engine revs, regardless...

Sure, it may not be 'curing' the root cause (poor grounds, failing bulbs, etc) but for $10, all the problems go away. (Except for MAYBE the physical mounting of the flasher, depending on the shape of the original...)

Just my two cents.

Kirk

[Steve]

My own method these days is to give up immediately and go with a 'generic' electronic two-prong flasher. ... It cures every one of them.

Evidently you have only had the 'smaller' GSes.

If you had larger ones, you would have 'cured' one problem, but brought on another. For 850 and over, they were 'blessed' with self-cancelling turn signals. Substituting a two-prong flasher might cure the flashing issue, but would eliminate the self-cancelling feature.

If it came to that kind of choice, I would do whatever is necessary to fix the actual problem, rather than apply a Band-Aid.

.

[kirkn]

Interesting point. You're correct, I've not applied this to a larger GS. However, I've done this on two Yamahas recently which had self-cancelling signals with no issues. They were two-prong flashers to begin with, though. The others were not self-cancelling.

And, at least in Yamaha's execution, I HATE self-cancelling signals. They either cancel too soon, while I'm still approaching the turn, or too late, well after I've made the turn. Oddly, I've owned 5 or 6 Yamahas over the years with 'em and they all sucked, but I can't recall having owned a larger Suzuki with 'em. The 850L was twenty years ago and I just don't remember and the 700E didn't have any turn signals at all when I owned it.

Hmmm.....

[SVSooke]

Later GS's like the 83-86 GS750/700 don't have self cancels either.A "feature" I do not miss in the least.I'm putting a lot of E stuff on my 78 1000 but I'm happy to keep the thumb cancel.Think I will get an car flasher for the 85 and keep the 83 unit for the 1000.It works fine.For the life of me can't see how it is blinking on one side but not the other.

[SVSooke]

OK tried the 85 flasher unit and it was "stalling" on both sides now.

So I got this for the 750.
Which leaves me with this one for the 1000.

[Crankthat]

Dont know if this will help? Bought new signals a few years ago had problems with them the screw holding the fixture in place under the lens would come loose now and then causing that side not to work now and then hit screw with crazy glue re threaded no more problem.

[barnbiketom]

I've seen cheepo BULBS that were not in spec or the wrong bulb that would light just not bright enuff. and caused this problem. Have you looked at the bulbs to make sure they are the correct ones? they may light up but not draw enough to cycle the flasher.