Strange turn signal behavior

T

t-top IROC-Z

New member
So I noticed this week that when I'm riding my bike over a certain RPM, for the first 5 minutes or so after starting out, the turn signals flash about twice as fast.
Just started doing this, this week.

At idle it's normal speed or if I pull the clutch in while they're flashing fast, it goes back to normal speed.

After about 5 minutes of riding they work just fine!

Any ideas?
battery or charging system related perhaps?
I keep the bike on a battery tender when in the garage, as the battery was dead at the beginning of the season this year, having not ridden for almost 2 months.
 
At that rpm the engine vibration is causing one of your bulbs to lose contact with the socket. Pull them all and coat them with dielectric (spark plug boot) grease, available in a small packet at auto parts stores.
 
I got the impression that BOTH sides were doing it.

If that is the case, in rides.............Battery Man !! :mrgreen:

Your battery is toast and you have it on life support. :shock:

The charging system is charging LIKE MAD at first because it detects the weak battery (yes, even with the trickle charger) and then drops back to normal later when it thinks the battery is finally charged.
 
It's fixed. The turn signal issue was just a precursor to the next problem.
I was rinding around then the engine totally stalled. couldn't restart it. No lights, no signs of any power.
I took off the positive battery terminal and put it back on and everything fired right up and the turn signal problem is now fixed.
Thanks Easy Rider. You were right on the money.
Clint - at first I thought it would be a bulb issue too but it was both sides, so I started thinking along the lines of the whole system, especially as it would go away after a little riding /charging time.

I need to get myself some star washers.
 
I had that happen in a most embarrassing fashion years ago. I was chatting with a buddy outside college and hopped on my Radian to find that it wouldn't stay running. I'd start it, but it would immediately die. Most peculiar, since it started easily and didn't sputter or stumble at all. Came to find a sloppy loose battery terminal. D'oh!

Glad you got it sorted.
 
:plus1:

Wouldn't hurt to do a load test on the battery either....if it's more than a couple of years old. Sometimes just ONE complete discharge can start it on the path to demise.
 
Do you have a voltmeter?

If not, visit any store that sells and installs batterys. They will do the test for free, if they have the tester; most do. A "real" battery store is best.

Just noticed that you have an S50. Can you easily get to both battery posts while the battery is in the bike? If not, it has to come out and go to the store for the test......or do a quicky test if you have a meter.

The seat-of-the-pants test is to start paying close(r) attention to the sound of the starter when it runs and how quickly it starts. When it sounds like the starter is turning just a BIT slower and it takes just a BIT longer to fire up.......then you are likely nearing battery replacement.
 
With a volt meter, and the key off, check the voltage. Then start the battery and check again. With it running, it should be 13.5 to 14.5 or so. With the key off, it should be 12.5 or so. These numbers are from memory, and could be suspect, but you get the idea. It should be higher while charging. I highly recommend di-electric (dilectric) grease on the battery terminals (Auto Parts stores sell it in a sachet packet, or tube). If your bike is a couple years old and is not ridden daily, it could be time for a new battery. If the bike sets a week, it can drop a volt each week it sets.
 
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