Turn Signal Switch Question

[danrpat]

OK, question on the turn signals for a '85 GS1150 ES. When the bike is sitting still the turn signals work fine. When riding I have to hold the switch with my thumb to keep the signals flashing but once I stop at the light or sign the signals will stay on by them self. Is this this normal?? Or is my switch going bad?? Thanks in advance.
:?

[snark]

Your switch is going bad. My guess is that thepeice that hold the switch in the ON positions is just worn down. I've had mine go like that. Check Ebay for one. They usually go for about $10.

[SqDancerLynn1]

THis is just a guess. Don't think it is the switch! Their is a speed sensor on the speedo could be bad or disconnected

[danrpat]

You lost me with the speed sensor thing. How does that effect the turn signals?? Please remember this is my first Suzuki and my Honda, dare I say that name here, the turn signals would stay on until I manually turned them off. Any help with understanding this would be appreciated. I figured this to be a fairly simple system, turn switch to desired direction, it sends power to the flasher which then sends power to the lamps that go with that circuit.... I am thinking along the lines of the switch as well as it works fine when there is little vibration but when coming down the road to the turn with lots of vibration it is turning off... Again if someone can explain the system to me so I better understand it that would be great...:?

[Boondocks]

You lost me with the speed sensor thing. How does that effect the turn signals?? Please remember this is my first Suzuki and my Honda, dare I say that name here, the turn signals would stay on until I manually turned them off. Any help with understanding this would be appreciated. I figured this to be a fairly simple system, turn switch to desired direction, it sends power to the flasher which then sends power to the lamps that go with that circuit.... I am thinking along the lines of the switch as well as it works fine when there is little vibration but when coming down the road to the turn with lots of vibration it is turning off... Again if someone can explain the system to me so I better understand it that would be great...:?

Your bike has automatic turn signal cancelling. It works like this (without going into technical details):

It is controlled by a timer.
The timer starts to run at about 9 mph (15 km/hr).
The timer stops running at about 7 mph (12 km/hr).
If you are going faster than 9 mph, the signal will self cancel in about 10 seconds.
If you have started the signal and briefly gone over 9 mph and then slowed below 7 mph or stopped before the signal is cancelled, the time remaining is 10 seconds minus the time already spent above 9 mph.

For more details see my post in Self Cancelling Turn Signals. Usually, people complain about their turn signals not self cancelling. Maybe you are one of the fortunate ones whose signals are working properly.

[danrpat]

Thanks, now that I see there is a lot more to the turn signals than I thought. It sounds like they are working correctly then. Thanks again, great forum here!!!