My tail light stays on when I have the key in the "steering locked" postion

[donimo]

That can't be right...

[Billy Ricks]

If it's the locked position all the way to the right, or clockwise, it is. That's a parking position. Locked all the way left the light shouldn't be on.

[chuckycheese]

Yep

Actually, it is. It's a set up that's required in parts of the EU. In some places (Germany, for one), parking lights have to remain on when vehicles are parked in some areas.

There may be another locking position that will leave them unlit but I'm sure others will provide more information.

EDIT: Billy and I were responding at the same time but he beat me to the finish line!

[donimo]

So I can't lock the steering head (to prevent theft when parked long term) withought leaving a light on, that is retarded...

I have never seen any other bike sitting with its tail light on all the time, so you all leave the steering unlocked then?

craziness...

[Nicholaschase29]

So I can't lock the steering head (to prevent theft when parked long term) withought leaving a light on, that is retarded...

I have never seen any other bike sitting with its tail light on all the time, so you all leave the steering unlocked then?

craziness...

There should be two steering locked positions. One with the key all the way to the left locks the forks without leaving the light on, the other all the way to the right with the light on. That's how it was on my yamaha XS anyways.

[Billy Ricks]

Most of them lock the steering when turned all the way left as well leaving the light off.

[donimo]

There should be two steering locked positions. One with the key all the way to the left locks the forks without leaving the light on, the other all the way to the right with the light on. That's how it was on my yamaha XS anyways.

ohhhhhhhhhh ha, silly me I will check that...

-10 points for newb post...

still seems weird, I had it wrong and the light was on for 8+ hours, jeez, glad the batt is brand new.

[MelodicMetalGod]

So I can't lock the steering head (to prevent theft when parked long term) withought leaving a light on, that is retarded...

I have never seen any other bike sitting with its tail light on all the time, so you all leave the steering unlocked then?

craziness...

There should be two steering locked positions. One with the key all the way to the left locks the forks without leaving the light on, the other all the way to the right with the light on. That's how it was on my yamaha XS anyways.

ohhhhhhhhhh ha, silly me I will check that...

-10 points for newb post...

still seems weird, I had it wrong and the light was on for 8+ hours, jeez, glad the batt is brand new.

There ya go. Quite a few bikes have a key/ignition lock position that leaves the rear light on as a parking light. My 1985 GS has it and so does my 2008 Hayabusa. I've never used that position on any bike I've ever owned, but I guess somebody must have a use for it since they're still including it on new bikes.

[SJGS750]

I have the same problem on my 81 GS750L (as does my buddy with a 79 GS850). I did the search function and found this thread. After reading through it, I went out to try it on my bike. My ignition has 3 postions. Left, OFF, center ON, right LOCK. So unless I want to leave the tail light on, I guess I won't use the sterring lock.

[Road_Clam]

If I am understanding this post correctly, "steering locked and tail light on" is also comparatively to "steering locked and possibly dead battery severall hours later" ?

Who is the Suzuki engineering wizard that thought this one up? Is this some type of european motorcycle DOT standard?

[terrylee2u]

Turn your bars all the way left or right and turn the key left of the off position and the bars lock wiithout the tail light on.
If you turn the key all the way right, past the run position, it leaves the tail light on. I guess for visibility purposes.

[LarryA_Texas]

left or right

I think in some cases the parked position isn't to the right.

Some bikes go from ON (full right) to "OFF" to "locked" which is a way to lock the steering but not turn the light on, then full left is "Parked" which is locked with the light on. "My '06 V-Strom is wired like this.)

Other setups make it "Parked" full to the right. That's when it's locked with the tail light on. My GS1100s are both like that.

The risk with the first kind is that you accidentally turn it too far to the left and get the light on when you only meant to lock it.

If you cannot lock the forks without the light on then your switch is messed up. Suzuki didn't build it like that. You CAN lock the forks without the tail light on in a normally functioning Motorcycle.

[Steve]

My ignition has 3 postions. Left, OFF, center ON, right LOCK. So unless I want to leave the tail light on, I guess I won't use the sterring lock.

I'll bet that if you turn your key to the left, beyond the OFF position, it will lock the forks. You may have to wiggle the forks a little to find the notch that the lock pin fits into, and you may have to push the key down a bit to get past an interlock built into the lock, but I'll bet that it works.

.

[TheCafeKid]

I'll bet that if you turn your key to the left, beyond the OFF position, it will lock the forks. You may have to wiggle the forks a little to find the notch that the lock pin fits into, and you may have to push the key down a bit to get past an interlock built into the lock, but I'll bet that it works.

.

As well as all the GSs ive owned will lock the forks no matter which way you turn em. But the lock has always been all the way left.

[Baatfam]

My 1100E works as described...I just tried it.

All the way to the right locks with tail light...all the way past OFF to the left locks with no tail light...
I do have to push the key "in" or "down" a little when locking left...