Brake light stays on all the time

[Fishman]

This may be simple, or not. I'm confused as to why my brake light comes on as soon as I turn on the key. The bike hasn't always been like this, but I haven't been able to ride it extensively yet, as I'm still fixing stuff.

At first, the light wouldn't come on at all. Then I went to work removing the bullet connectors for the taillights and blinkers and soldering the wires together. Yes I have a wiring diagram and I think I'm reading it right. The reason I removed the bullet connectors is that when I pushed the wires around, the light would flicker. So now all those are neatly tidied up, but the brake light stays on all the time, NOT the running light, it doesn't come on at all. I checked the rear brake switch for continuity, and it works as it should. When the brake is depressed, the switch closes and we have continuity. I checked the front brake switch and thought I had it, because the switch showed continuity without depressing the lever. However, the wires in the headlight bucket that the front brake switch wires plug into also show continuity.

So I think I have a bad front brake switch, but I also have a problem in the wires leading back to the rear brake. Perhaps a short?

I just need some guidance here from somebody that has run up against something similar. I don't want to trace the switch wires back unless I need to. I just can't figure out why they show continuity. Maybe I don't know what I'm doing?

On a positive note, I installed a r/r from Duanage that I've had for a while. Went in slick, although I soldered it in rather than using the nice bullet connectors included with it. I need to figure out this taillight problem before connecting the sense wire though.

The bike starts and idles perfect, just begging to be ridden. But I have to fix these electrical gremlins first as well as install the new brake pads and I really should do a valve clearance check . . .

[Nessism]

You might want to check the front brake switch. It's adjustable, and replacable if need be. Becareful if you pull it apart though, there is a tiny spring and a couple of other small bits that will want to jump out and get lost on the floor.

[jed.only]

id also check the rear brake switch as well.

[SqDancerLynn1]

You could have the brake & tail light wires switched ?

[Zooks]

If you pull the front brake switch apart - flip the brake lever (spin it around the bars) 180 degrees first, it makes the whole process so much simpler.

[Baatfam]

If you pull the front brake switch apart - flip the brake lever (spin it around the bars) 180 degrees first, it makes the whole process so much simpler.

Good tip there....wish I had known that the first time I took one apart...

[Zooks]

Yeah me too. I figured it out when I was trying to put the darn thing back together.

LOL

[JTsGS650]

Sounds like your front brake switch. Take it apart, clean and lube w/dielectric grease. It is (slightly) adjustable. Sounds like it is adjusted too far in one direction. Good luck.

[brveagle]

Unplug each brake light switch, one at a time. I'm betting you accidently soldered the wrong wire.

[Fishman]

I will check the front brake switch and see what happens. Zooks, that sounds like a good tip with the lever flip.

I too was concerned I soldered the wrong wire, but everything checks out with the wiring diagram. Rear brake switch tests ok and operates as it should, so that's not the problem.

I'll report back with what I find. Start simple and go from there. . . makes sense.

[rputney01]

Sounds like your front brake switch. Take it apart, clean and lube w/dielectric grease. It is (slightly) adjustable. Sounds like it is adjusted too far in one direction. Good luck.

Sound advice. I had the same problem. It turned out the front switch needed a little dielectric grease. Sounds simple, but I wish I had checked that first.

[Fishman]

Well I checked the front switch and with it out of the loop, things worked as they should. In reviewing the wiring diagram I had to smack my forehead as of course the wires leading from the switch connectors to the brake light would show continuity as there was no switch to close.

But try as I might the switch would not operate correctly. I took it apart and cleaned it, and added a very light coat of dielectric grease. It is ALWAYS on, no matter what I do. The switch plate is adjustable left and right and moving it away from the contact does nothing. I have to move it completely off the mounting holes to break continuity. I also see no way to move the other contact which is activated by the brake lever, as it is all the way over. I even reviewed the spare front brake switch I acquired in a parts batch, and it is apparently the same way.

So I unplugged the front brake switch. I reason that since I use good braking techniques and always use both brakes, the rear brake switch will take care of activating the brake light. If someone disagrees and has a solution I'm all ears.

[tkent02]

One way would be to use this hydraulic pressure activated switch:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=5032

or keep fiddling with the one you have, it used to work, it can again.

Do you have the spring, the u shaped metal contact and the plastic bit that makes it all move when the lever moves?

[monte]

brake light

listen to tkent02.......get a hydraulic switch......how many posts do we have on this problem?
Monte

[JTsGS650]

One way would be to use this hydraulic pressure activated switch:

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=5032

or keep fiddling with the one you have, it used to work, it can again.

Do you have the spring, the u shaped metal contact and the plastic bit that makes it all move when the lever moves?

I agree. Figure out something. What if your rear brake switch fails?