I just got the bike and went to get inspection today and the guy found out that my brake light doesnt work!
The tail light is always on as long as I turn the ignition to on but bot front abd rear brake wouldn't activate the light and make it brighter like it should be.
Anyone will give me a hand? Riding at night without the brake light is kinda scary..
I'm a new guy to motorcycle so please explain to me like I'm a 3 year old. :-[
Check both micro switches at the brake levers, and see if they both actuate properly.
More likely is your brake light is on all the time, over powering your tail lamp. First, disconnect the front switch. Does the light get dimmer? If so you have a problem with the front switch, most likely out of adjustment or the dowel in the lever is missing. Light still bright? Either a problem with the rear switch (adjustment or sticking) or the bulb is in backwards.
Quote from: DarkStaR on June 03, 2010, 09:19:29 PM
Check both micro switches at the brake levers, and see if they both actuate properly.
How do you do that? =(
Quote from: howie on June 04, 2010, 03:06:07 AM
More likely is your brake light is on all the time, over powering your tail lamp. First, disconnect the front switch. Does the light get dimmer? If so you have a problem with the front switch, most likely out of adjustment or the dowel in the lever is missing. Light still bright? Either a problem with the rear switch (adjustment or sticking) or the bulb is in backwards.
I disconnect the front switch but the light didn't get dimmer..Just want to make sure, the switch is the black plastic little box right?
you probably have a problem with the rear brake light switch then. probably the little push button nipple got broken off, preventing the rear brake lever from pushing it in when the brakes aren't being applied. You'll see what I mean when you look under your right side rearset and push the brake lever down...
I had the same problem. i will bet you a beer you need a new bulb. [drink]
Had about 15 people tell me this, ignored it (thought i was too smart for something that simple :-[) - then after about 3 hours of dicking around with wiring wnet an bought a new bulb.
There are two filaments - mine didn't work, but appeared to be fine. About $3 at any autoparts store.
Good luck - electrical gremlins are frusterating
It's LED and the light was on as I turned the ignition to on. But nothing changes when I pull the brake lever..
Oh yeah,
One of the manufactures got the wire color coding wrong.
Sometimes, if you switch the red and the yellow, it will fix it.
Quote from: DarkStaR on June 06, 2010, 01:16:06 PM
Oh yeah,
One of the manufactures got the wire color coding wrong.
Sometime, if you switch the red and the yellow, it will fit it.
Where can you find the red and the yellow wires?
connected to the tail light...
Quote from: DarkStaR on June 06, 2010, 01:16:06 PM
Oh yeah,
One of the manufactures got the wire color coding wrong.
Sometimes, if you switch the red and the yellow, it will fix it.
I was having the same issue when I installed mine, I switched the wires, and it worked.
LED taillights from(insert cheap LED tail light manufacturer that often has solder point issues name here), could be the issue. Get a regular bulb and plug it into the stock location. This will help eliminate the issue with a faulty LED board....ask me how i know.
RB
Guys, he said it was an LED light, no bulb changing required. Everybody stop suggesting the light bulb change.
Is it clear alternatives? You need to give a little more information and we can post a wiring diagram...
What year is the bike?
Check under you're right rear set, the rear brake switch is a reverse switch, meaning that when it is opened, the brake light comes on. Check the spring on the rear of the rear brake lever that keeps pressure on this switch, then report back your findings.
If you put in a bulb and it works fine you know that the rest of the bike is fine and your problem is with the led light.
Quote from: DarkStaR on June 06, 2010, 01:16:06 PM
Oh yeah,
One of the manufactures got the wire color coding wrong.
Sometimes, if you switch the red and the yellow, it will fix it.
So, have you tried this & what's the outcome? I believe this is the problemo....
Are you sure that the brake light used to work? If not sure, it could be wired up wrong. If you know it did work before, it's likely a switch problem (or a loose wire connector as i have had that problem before).
Guys he's not running an LED bulb. It says right in title Integrated tail light.
"Integrated tail light" = LED. Otherwise they'd be separate "bulbs" for brake/turn.
If this is the integrated that uses the factory bulb socket, such as Clear Alternatives (the one I had), then just take the lense apart, pull the base out of the socket and put it in 180 degrees opposite. This style base has 2 contacts on it, so one is running light and one is brake. if it's in backwards, then it's always powering at full brightness. I think they're only supposed to fit together one way, but sometimes it's not that easy.
If it's the kind that's all wired in, then it's a little more work, as you'll have to locate the wire for the brake, the wire for the running light, and play with the connections to see if they're backwards.
Oh... find a friend who is comfortable with wires and such. This is probably an easy fix for someone who's worked on cars/bikes before. Good way to learn tricks and methods that you can use in the future.
Quote from RBX QB:
'If this is the integrated that uses the factory bulb socket, such as Clear Alternatives (the one I had), then just take the lense apart, pull the base out of the socket and put it in 180 degrees opposite.'
Exactly the reason folks were saying put a bulb in the socket since the OP never specified what type tail light he was running.
RB