Nadacop

I was having a blinker issue like this: random delay. Wiggled the switch, wires, fuse, connections, relay... came on only when they wanted to, yes... generally after I used my handy dandy hand signals aaaaaand after I finished my turn.

Stock relay, incandescent front blinkers, integrated LED rear signals with the brake light.

I systematically disconnected each light, tested, reconnected, moved on... Still randomly delayed.

So, this weekend I rec'd my new side mirrors w/LED blinkers. YAY! I decided to go deeper into the problem... before mounting them...

~2 screws removed the left handlebar control assembly. (underneath)
~Inside I found a 'shield' that popped right out.
~1 screw in a bracket securing the wires.
~1 screw (machine thread) holding down the blinker lever to a plate. (watch the ball and spring here, I had no problem.)
~2 screws in a lever mounting plate.

You can take all of this apart with low worries of spring loaded parts flying out at ya. But there is a chance that the lever centering spring and bearing may pop out. Nothing else at this point.

And now this... Finally understanding the internals of the switch, NO level of wiggling, pounding, back-n-forth, up-down, la la la will overcome this problem. I tried all that. Felt successful for a few things but those things didn't work the next time... now I know why.

After I took all of those parts off, I cleaned them up. I found a bunch of old gummy white lithium grease.

Next I pulled up the white switch housing with a black electrical contact base. I used my fingers. No tools necessary.

CAREFULLY I pulled the white housing off of the plate... ALOT (3) of springy things here. All of them 'should' stay together. More old gummy lithium and old gummy Vaseline looking gunk. I have a can of "Lectra-Motive Electric Cleaner" and it cleaned it all up without having to take any of the springy parts apart. (MANY brands out there)

I used the same cleaner on the bottom plate.

When I put it all back together, I gave it all a healthy gobbing of dielectric grease (non-coductive). I had a small packet from the front counter of Autozone and I still have half of that left. AGS/Single-use pouch connector protect CP-1A at AutoZone.com

In testing, I left the old setup (lights) and it worked flawlessly. After changing over to the led blinker/mirrors, it all continued to work flawlessly.

It all took about 1/2 hour. I think less. I didn't really count.

Hummmm.... what to do next... still need to find a left fairing... mine's missing a lower chunk...

misterniceguy

Hey, Folks. I wanted to add my experience with the blinker not working/delay issue.


I bought a 2000 Superhawk last year. The front blinkers were missing and the rear blinkers were there, but only one side worked. After I rode it home, none of the blinkers worked.


A few weeks later, I added an ebay LED integrated tail light and LED relay. The one side worked again for a few days and then stopped working again.


At this point, I started researching this site and saw that people were taking the switch housing apart to clean out the goop. Some reports said it cured the blinker delay issue and others said it did nothing. So I cleaned mine and got nothing. As a last ditch effort, I engaged the left blinker and started to wiggle the wiring coming out of the switch housing and the left side started blinking. I turned on the right blinker and got nothing. I wiggled the wiring and the right started working.


I then opened the housing again to see if there was an obvious issue with the wiring and saw nothing obvious. As I put the switch back together, I made sure the wiring was not getting "pulled" out of the housing, causing a loose connection. Now both blinkers worked, but had a delay. This delay was very long when I first start up the bike and would gradually lessen until there was very little to no delay at all.


Normally, I don't have blinkers on my bikes at all and use hand signals, but the stock fairings has holes where the blinkers were and I didn't like that look and filled them with the Proton blinkers. Here in Missouri, if you have blinkers on the bike, they must work. So I wanted to make sure they worked as they should and not have a delay. My next step was to replace the switch, but instead of buying an old one, I opted for a new one so there was no question about the state of the used switch.


I ordered a new Honda switch and got it installed last night. Now the blinkers work instantly as they should. Although the new switch cost me $84 shipped, it cured the blinker issue and I don't have to worry about inspections or safety on the road.


I hope this helps others having the blinker not working or delay issue.


FYI: I have the integrated no name ebay LED tail, Proton LED blinkers on front, and superbrightleds.com LF1-S-FLAT Universal Motorcycle Electronic Flasher.

kenmoore

Post some pics please!

smokinjoe73

Usually run no blinkers? Sounds like a really bad idea. Cars are trying to run you over, this gives them even more reason to not see you.

Never understand stacking the deck against yourself or becoming less visible.

Don't mean it to sound disparaging but in my short 25yrs riding year round in NYC I have been hit by 2 trucks, a bus, several cabs, a bicyclist and 2 pedestrians. The LAST thing I want is to not be seen.

misterniceguy

What do you want to see? I can take a pic of it.

misterniceguy

I've been riding for 18 years, never been hit by a thing. Defensive riding keeps me safe. Thanks for your concern though, I'm sure some newb found it helpful.

E.Marquez

18 years? Wow, thats pretty good. Some of us have had several of our bikes that long, and other bikes owned and ridden for years long gone now.

You know why drunk drivers drive drunk???? because it worked last time..and it keeps working... till it don't.

Point is, because you have done well (and I mean that BTW) in not getting squished... but why give up something like a turn signal that might be the one thing that keeps you from getting squashed tomorrow?

What do I know though..I've only been licensed and riding street bikes 37 years... Racing on and off road bikes 31 years and teaching others to ride at about 540 new riders a year since 2011.

You have done well, I can appreciate that.. Do what ever you can to do well longer.

misterniceguy

Maybe you and your buddy both forgot to read my original post. I do have blinkers on this bike so I'm not sure where you guys are going with this argument. If you guys want to argue, I'll entertain you for the next few days and when I'm bored, I'll move on. But that won't help anyone will it? I was just trying to post my solution to a blinker issue that looked like a common problem plaguing these bikes and you guys want to argue about my old bikes? Come on. You gotta do better than that.

smokinjoe73

So you are saying replacing the switch fixed the issue? Is not that what the thread had previously concluded?

I may have misread but was that the conclusion?

E.Marquez

No argument and no misreading, just responding to the words YOU wrote.
And then your passive aggressive response when it was pointed out, not having and using turn signals is not a better idea, even if it has worked for you for 18 years.

Thank you for posting your fix to this issue, it is another possible solution for a future reader to investigate.

Same reason I responded at all to your "no turn signal use" position.

Not to change your mind or argue with you..But for future readers to read "I don't have blinkers on my bikes at all" and have a fair and balanced counter point for them to consider..and not take your personal idea that no signals is THE way, ...Just A way..of doing it...from those that have been riding perhaps longer and successfully than they have.

18 years and no accidents is a good run, so your doing well, I wish you that same luck for the next 18 years.

misterniceguy

I remember someone saying they replaced it with an used one and others saying a cleaning worked. I wanted to let those that cleaned and got no results that a new switch fixed it for me.

E.Marquez

And that helps thanks..By chance did you dissect the wiring to see how it had failed? If so in hind sight, could you have repaired it?
As the SH gets older, more OEM New parts are going to start going obsolete (already happening I have found) Soon repairing vice replacing with new parts is going to be a need, rather than just an option.

smokinjoe73

So yeah for the sake of the ages. You can cross a street blindfolded and succeed, doesn't make it a good idea.

Even fighter pilots are debriefed if they have an incident where they screwed up but survived to prevent their brain from accepting that method as valid.

If I had a nickel for every old guy who says "I've been riding 50 years" but didn't ride every day, or every week or all winter, etc. Time ridden is meaningless. Knowledge gained it key.

Its hard to imagine all those thousands of brilliant engineers in motor vehicle history were wrong in building turn signal (can be seen 1/4mi away in the dark) vs your arm (invisible most of the time and requires removing 50% of your hands from a moving bike) were wrong.

Then there is every state, province and jurisdiction not even letting you on the road or near it without turn signals. They are collectively wrong?

Like Mr Marquez I have instructed on track and been a racer for 21yrs. I STILL learn new things about riding a bike all the time.

Sorry to hear you stand behind such a clearly unsafe practice and have stopped your learning. Thinking you know better than so many of the best moto minds in the world seems a precarious position.

But we all view safety differently.

VTR1000F

Hey niceguy, welcome to the forum. Very happy to have you here. I look forward to your contributions and **** stirring.

smokinjoe73

Again, sorry if I sound standoffish. I don't mean to be that. I just tend to be opinionated on motorcycle safety.

Welcome to the forum. Glad you solved your turn signal issue with this thread.

misterniceguy

So you're saying that your belief is that if someone reads my post, the take away would be that single line that I put in there as a backstory about why I'm messing with the blinkers? Out of the whole entire post, you believe that someone would be focus on that single line? Come on. Do better.




This sounds more like the real reason you joined in on the fun. Was I mean to your boyfriend? I don't think he needs you to defend his honor. I'm assuming he's a big boy and can defend himself.





You're welcome.

misterniceguy

I considered trying to repair it, but the harness going into the switch ended at a tiny plastic piece that looked like more hassle than it would be worth. If you take the switch completely apart, you'll see this plastic piece at the very bottom.

misterniceguy

I agree. Stop riding your bike blindfolded and running into everything you can find.






Again, your replies leave me confused. Are you suggesting that I am an old guy that barely rides and flaunts my time of accident free riding? Flaunting all of the accidents that you have been in like it makes you an expert at safety is equally confusing. Try again. Do better.





Are you suggesting that signals were created to help you be seen? Headlights and taillights help you be seen. Signals tell people where you are going. Arm signals look way out of place. More out of place than another light on a vehicle. Which in some circumstances can be more noticeable than another tiny light in a tiny light filled world. They have their place.







Then what about the ones that allow you to be on the road without signals? Are they wrong? Try again. Do better.






Good for you. Learn more about on public road safety. You are not the only person on your own personal city roads. Ride safely for everyone else out there. Do better. Try again.





I'm assuming that you are assuming that I believe riding without signals is actually safer than with. I never said that, and I believe I am actually neutral on this topic.


So continue assuming things and I'll continue to correct you.




I'm guessing that you are assuming that you are a part of this group of "best moto minds." Try again. Do better.

misterniceguy

I love to contribute to forums that I find helpful. I also love to talk **** to people that try to bully others when they think a low post count makes them an easy target. I'm new to this forum, but I'm not new to forums and the dick heads whom try to start **** so they can sound smart and wise.

misterniceguy

Sure. Water under the bridge. I'm glad I solved my blinker issue too. Hope it helps folks out in the future when they have a no go with the cleaning job.

E.Marquez

No i actually thought you were a guy with a good fix that might be as ill informed as your post referencing riding with out turn signals implied.
Seeing as you wrote But later put out
so that kind of clears it up.... Your not ignorant on what turn signals add to a safer ride...... your post just made it seem that way.

Your other nonsense posting is not worth a response..

But like you said its not post count that matters, ...its when folks post stuff like They will get called on it. Its your decision, ride without a helmet, wear flip flops, don't have or use turn signals...thats your call....others pointing out why its a bad idea is still going to happen, if you don't like that, don't publicize your bad decisions//// lol

Enjoy the last word in this post.... the floor is yours... then i'll close the thread and we can move on to things less schoolyard nonsense (myself included, as I participated in a tech thread derail)

misterniceguy

Turn signals have their place. So do hand signals. You called no one out on anything. You're still acting like you're right and anyone who doesn't agree is wrong. My bad decisions? Get off your high horse. Try again. Do better.