Headlights or brakelights- electrical problem

[RickyT]

Hi folks,
The bike in question is an '85 R80. The problem is that when the headlight switch is in the high position (all the way down) my brake lights and turn signals work. In the low-beam position (middle position) and flash position (all the way up) neither brake lights nor turn signals work. I suspect a bad ground or faulty headlight relay or flasher. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[skiteach]

I don't think there's any reason that the brake lites would go thru a relay. So, I would start checking grounds.

[20774]

I would think that the brake lights and signals are grounded nearer the actual bulbs and thus not affected, ground-wise, by what's happening with the headlight switch. I'd say the problem is more on the power side...something is preventing power from getting to these lights. I'd say the problem is the ignition or lighting switch and how power goes through it. It looks like power is common to this and the brake lights through the 15s-15 fuse. You might try and monitor power on either side of this fuse in the situations you describe...see if power goes away.

[sumran]

Nice picture on the avatar Kurt. Is that you machine? It would be great to see a larger pic.

[RickyT]

My dad always said start with the basics... This bike is new to me and it was ridden hard and never put away. I don't yet trust it.
When I started looking into the problem I heard an occaisional sizzle type of sound that I traced to the turn signal relay. From there I kept looking for complicated problems. Especially since sometimes the signals worked and sometimes not. Thanks Kurt- the silly fuse was blown.