Noob with some questions!!

Hey guys, my name is Twitch and I live in Plano, TX. I picked up an 85 VF700F about 2 months ago, and I am having a few issues. This is my 6th bike. Before anyone flames me, i HAVE done some searches and didn't come up with a whole lot. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

First, the main problem. Turn signals/horn/brake lights are intermittent. For some odd reason, sometimes when i make a hard turn they will start working again, but for a limited time. Neither front nor rear brake works when signals fail. Rear signals, when work, both work (did that make sense?). front left signal works, right front goes dark when activated. Bulb was changed, no difference. I replaced the fuse, and, while the signals work....for now....the brakes still aren't coming on. I have a hard time believing BOTH front and rear switches would go out, including the fact that the rear switch works when the signals are working. As far as I know, the brake light signal from the front switch does not activate at all.

That's my biggest and most pressing question for now. Once again, thanks in advance for the advice, as yall have already given me lots from just lurking!

 

Check for a short in the wiring. Since you say that when you make a hard turn it sound like there is a broken/shorted wire around the triple tree or clipons. I would start by tracing it from from the connections to the wiring harness on the frame and go up towards the clipons one wire at a time.

Use a voltmeter/multimemter to check for voltage or continuity in all of your wires. Since it does it to ALL the lgihts at once, it really sounds like it is a ground wire. If it were a hot wire for the lights, they would go one at a time, not all at once.

 

first off, let me say i thought about tracing the wires, but didnt have enough time today so i was seeing if anyone had a similar problem. but thank you very much for your input.

secondly, signals are 100% after changing the fuse to a 15 amp. brake lights are still failing. oddly enough, i know at least the rear brake switch is sending a signal when my brake light malfunction lamp comes on. when neither comes on, the lamp doesnt come on at all. input?

 

Sometimes

If the light control switch has ever twisted on the handlebar the wires may be pinched inside the switch housing. Take the two halves apart and look for a metal tab cutting into wires where they exit the handlebar switch.

 

Still sounds like a wiring problem. Tracing them down is the best way to eliminate that possibility or fix the problem.

 

Im not sure about the 85vf bikes, but I know with my 87vfr700 that there are three wires going into the front turn signals because they act as running lights as well. If this is the case make sure they are plugged into the correct wires. When you said that on of the front blinkers goes dark when turned on thats what happend to mine when I had the wires mixed up. Other than that, It sounds like a short or bad connection somewhere. Take apart both of your brakelight switches and clean all the internal parts with a file or wire brush and coart with dielectric grease, Thats what I did when my switches started crapping out on me at the SAME time. So yes it is possible that they both went out. Good luck, and just take your time, electrical always pisses me off too.

 

Check the wiring under the headlight

Hey

The wiring harness for the horn,rear brake light,rear and front blinkers is under the headlight and are plugged together.There is just a loose connection there.

Best regards

Gunnar

 

you may also won`t to check the main fuse box & clean the terminals where the fuse clip in to. i had the same thing with my head light took 2 days to work it out the clips needed to be cleaned the fuse was not grounded due to the dirty clips.

 

its something to do with your signals and lights