Brake and Turn Signal question

[Guest]

Not sure if the bike model will be needed, but 1980 GS850L

I am working at replacing my stock Brake light and Turn Signals. I have found the ones that I want. To go for a custom look, I decided to have dual rear lights (one set acting as Brake lights and the other as turn signals) and just single turn signals in the front. The lights that I purchased have replacement (amber or red) lenses, so I have the ability to run either color.

Now on to the problem. Where I live rear lights need to be "ON" at all times. I figure the simple fix would be to piggy back off of the front turn signals as they are always on and flash "OFF" for turns. Problem solved with that. Unfortunately the light are wired with 2 wires (power and ground), but research has told me that a Brake light need a constant power supply. My plan is to have all of the rear facing light be Red (so the turns will work as my "always on" rear facing lights).

Is it possible to activate the Brake lights (just on/off) with only a 2 wire set up? This way I will have 2 lights added to the 2 that already exist, and I should be OK with the local laws.

If this seems confusing, please ask me to clarify any details.

Thanks in advance!!!

[tom203]

Yep, I'm confused! remember that turn signals have to be amber and any rear facing lights should be red ( brake and taillight). Extra lights mean extra current, unless you are going for LEDs, and you probably have a 10 amp fuse feeding the tail and turn signals.

[David-Z]

Yep, I'm confused! remember that turn signals have to be amber and any rear facing lights should be red ( brake and taillight). Extra lights mean extra current, unless you are going for LEDs, and you probably have a 10 amp fuse feeding the tail and turn signals.

My buddy has a Harley where his Brake/Turn Signals are the same fixture and are Red (they flash "off" when activated for a turn and light up brighter for the Brake). So I dont think I will have a problems legally. My delima is how to activate the Brake lights in conjunction with the peddle and the Hand Brake without being on constantly.

Thanks for the reminder about the fuse too. Can I just throw in a 15amp and be OK?

[Toasty]

Well, the tail light is run by two different circuits and has a dual filament bulb. The low setting is tied into the headlight switch (on the smaller bikes it's a grey wire coming from the handlebars). The high setting is on a circuit that is tied into the front and rear brake switches.

If you want to run the brake light on/off just find the wire going into the tail light that controls the low setting and unplug it. I would cap it off to keep it from shorting out.

[Steve]

,,, remember that turn signals have to be amber ...

Actually, turn signals on the rear can be amber or red.

..., and you probably have a 10 amp fuse feeding the tail and turn signals.

There is one 10 amp fuse that feeds the LIGHTS, which includes the headlight and tail light, and another 10 amp fuse that feeds the SIGNALS, which includes turn signals, horn, brake light and instrument panel warning lights.

My buddy has a Harley where his Brake/Turn Signals are the same fixture and are Red (they flash "off" when activated for a turn and light up brighter for the Brake). So I dont think I will have a problems legally.

Look around, there are a bunch of cars and trucks that are all red on the rear, too. Absolutely no problem.

My delima is how to activate the Brake lights in conjunction with the peddle and the Hand Brake without being on constantly.

Your DILEMMA will be resolved when you get lights that have dual-filament bulbs, just like the stock lights. That way, the less-intense filament is your tail light and the brighter filament will light up when you push on the brake PEDAL or squeeze the hand brake.


Not sure what you are installing, as your description is rather vague:

I decided to have dual rear lights (with one set acting as Brake lights and the other as turn signals) ...

The confusion (to me) is that you will have one set of lights for brakes and another set of lights for turn signals. Does that mean two lights on each side, for a total of four lights?

Thanks for the reminder about the fuse too. Can I just throw in a 15amp and be OK?

How lucky do you feel?

Fuses are not something that you toss in there to allow more current to a device. Neither are they there to protect the device.
They are there to protect the rest of the bike when that device fails.
Simply installing a larger fuse can possibly allow more current down wires that might not be able to handle it, so you might melt the wiring harness in the process.

Again, how lucky do you feel?

Well, the tail light is run by two different circuits and has a dual filament bulb. The low setting is tied into the headlight switch (on the smaller bikes it's a grey wire coming from the handlebars).

Actually, if you look at the wiring diagram, the grey wire goes from the headlight circuit to the ignition switch, where it is connected to a BROWN wire that goes to the tail light.
The tail light is fed by its own wire so that it can be lit by itself when the key is in the PARK position.

If you want to run the brake light on/off just find the wire going into the tail light that controls the low setting and unplug it. I would cap it off to keep it from shorting out.

Sorry, but I am totally confused by this. The only way you should turn the brake light on/off is with the brake switches at the pedal and lever. Cutting the wire to the low setting only affects the TAIL LIGHT, not the brake, not sure what you are trying to achieve by cutting it.

.

[Toasty]

Isn't he trying to make it only light up when he hits the brake? I probably read it wrong but it sounded like he was going to use the rear signals as like a running light/turn signal and have the brake light only come on when he used the brakes.

[David-Z]

Isn't he trying to make it only light up when he hits the brake? I probably read it wrong but it sounded like he was going to use the rear signals as like a running light/turn signal and have the brake light only come on when he used the brakes.

This is it exactly. However I will heed the other advive in this thread.