She's got a question on: tail light/signal wiring into stock '81 harness

[thatsMZ650]

Let me begin by saying i have tried to figure this out on my own... but i'm raising the white flag...can somebody please explain this foolishness to me!?!?!

I've spent the better part of the 3 weeks trying to understand 100's of wiring diagrams and how-to threads on this topic. Nothing seems to make sense to me and i've been getting lots of different suggestions to wiring my tail/brake light and rear signals.

Basically, I disconnected the stock tailight (signals were already removed by PO) and i'm left with a wiring harness with 15-20 wires and 8 wires for my new lights - what matches up with what?????

All of the diagrams i've read have far less wires than my bike currently has and i just don't see how to make them match up to what i've got on the new lights.

I believe the new signals have 3 wires and the tail/brake light has 2 wires - HELP!!!

(pictures are always welcome - i'm a visual person)

 

[thatsMZ650]

 

[atomic22]

i can't remember the colors off the top of my head, but 4 wires go to the tail/stop light, then 2 each to the blinkers. Hope this helps.

 

[nj1639]

Signals should have a dark green and a dark brown wire going to them to supply current....think the green is on the right blinker. Both will also have a black ground wire.
Tail will have a blue wire and a yellow wire to supply current and a black wire for the ground.
Stock turn signals have one wire coming out of them for current and the signal housing is grounded. Aftermarket signals may have 2 wires coming out of them...one for current and one for ground. Black should always be the ground.
If the tail has 2 wires coming out, one should be the running light and the other should be the brake light and then the housing of the tail light should be grounded.
Hope that gets you in the ballpark.

 

[manofsteele]

Where did you get that seat? It's gorgeous.

 

[littlebill31]

nj1639 is correct. I will add that some aftermarket signals have a black and a blk/wh, which, on mine, the blk/wh is ground. Sometimes they will tell you on the package.
On an '81: front brake has a green/yellow from switch to rear brake switch to brake light. Both also have a brown to brown main power.
Blue (color-L) from the ignition switch to the tail light.
Green, yellow, and black are the headlight, but the yellow splits from switch and goes to the reserve lighting unit, if you still have it. I actually have mine as: blue w/ yellow stripe comes out of switch and into blue from ignition, which goes to the tail light. This powers the left handle bar switch. Yellow from switch to headlight, same with green, and black to ground.
Signals: dark green, out of switch to right signal. Chocolate (dark brown) out of switch to left signal. Both signals grounded.
Horn: pink from switch to horn. brown from horn to brown main power.
My stock signals would not ground properly so I made a black ground by crimping on a round connector that went over the signal post, then pinched between the mounting bolts, and then to a ground.

 

[jayel]

I believe the new signals have 3 wires and the tail/brake light has 2 wires - HELP!!!

signal lamps = 1 wire running light(dim light), 1 wire blinker light (brighter), 1 wire ground,..... tail lamp = 1 wire tail light (running light) 1 wire brake light (brighter), ground is the case assembly

 

[thatsMZ650]

Thank you!!! Your responses make sense when i read them so I should be in good shape when I give it a shot this evening - I'll let you know.

 

[thatsMZ650]

Where did you get that seat? It's gorgeous.

I sketchd it up and took a few inspiration pics to my friend Dave here in Ohio (Interiors By Dave) - he specializes in auto interior but is crazy talented really with anything that needs upholstery. I think it balances nicely with the stock tank.

 

[thatsMZ650]

Thank you!!! Your responses make sense when i read them so I should be in good shape when I give it a shot this evening - I'll let you know.

OK...you guys are good! I've got a working taillight, brakelight, running lights (signals)..........but the buggers won't BLINK. I hear a click when i flip the signal switch on my bars but the light that should blink just gets brighter and no blink. When i switch to the other signal, same thing...click, brighter, but no blink.

I'm pretty sure the grounds are solid and they aren't LED...they've got regular amber bulbs in them.

What do you think the problem is?

 

[jayel]

I'm pretty sure the grounds are solid and they aren't LED...they've got regular amber bulbs in them.

What do you think the problem is?

check the wattage of the bulbs stock flasher relay needs 27w bulbs or the flasher relay could just be bad, replacing with a Electronic flasher should cure either problem ... what bulb number? btw do you have signals on the front too? needs 2x27+indicator bulb

 

[nj1639]

Not sure about the running light aspect for the turn signals....if your grounds weren't good they wouldn't lite at all. I know a low battery won't allow them to blink. Good to see you're in the ballpark though.

 

[littlebill31]

Ya, check your flasher relay.
Brown wire to power. Which usually picks up the brake lights. Good thing to make sure you have the brakes and signals on their own fuse.
Yellow/green goes to the self canceling unit, which is a problem and can be removed.
Then a black/white or brown/white (I don't have my bike here to look) goes to the switch.
Some flashers at the store only have a 2 prong, which is fine (what I use), but just make sure the brown and blk/wh are connected. Yellow.green can be deleted.

 

[manofsteele]

Great thanks for the info, that's right down the road from my dad. I'll have to check it out when I'm up there in June.

Did you just take him your stock seat and how much did he charge? If you don't mind

 

[thatsMZ650]

Little Bill...i'll take a look at that this weekend - thanks.

Man of Steele - since i shortend up the seat about 3" I took him the new pan i made w/mounting hardware and the old seat. He shaved down the old seat and attached it to the new pan. $250 (paid a little extra for a 24hr build - weather's getting nice and i'm anxious to ride!)

 

[thatsMZ650]

Once again...you guys called it. picked up the 552 electronic flasher this evening and swapped out for the stock one - IT WORKED....it only took me about 5min and i've got working running lights AND signals. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

 

[littlebill31]

Doesn't that feel good when those things work? Good job!

 

[Quinn_McLeod]

What seat is that and where did you get it?
Did you make any modifications to the rear "grab bar" or is that all stock framing?