Rear tail light failure

Kainedogg

Registered
Morning guys. Rear tail light failed, bought a new one from DeMoto. Took off the rear fairings and hump to find the wire harness hacked up. Tried to patch it up the best I could, but apart from the three wires running into the tail lamp what other wires are there that send a signal stating the brakes are applied? (Only the park light works now)
 
3 wires to tail light from bike = 1 tail 1 brake 1 ground. Can't remember colors off top of my head but very easy to figure if you got a test light. Ground test light to subframe, turn on key, 2 wires will be dead 1 will be hot, that is your tail light. Mark it tail. Apply either brake and check other 2 wires 1 of the 2 will be hot, that is your brake, mark it. Other is ground.

To determine which wires coming from tail light are which pretty much the same. First determine your ground, usually green or black. Once ground is determined hook ground from bike to light ground, then just use tail light wire from bike to check other 2 going to light, with key on touch hot tail light wire from bike to each of the 2 wires left coming from light one at a time, one will light it dimmer than other, brighter is the brake light wire,mark it. Last one left is tail light. Then it's just connecting ground ground brake brake tail tail and that's it.

Hope that easy enough to understand, really couldn't think of easier way to explain it. And if you happen to have or get a tail with integrated turn signals there will be usually 2 extra yellow wires coming from tail light and those just get connected to the hot wire from each turn signal from original turn signal lights, they dont use turn signal ground as they get their ground from tail/ brake ground since it is all integrated into 1 unit.
 
That's strange, wonder what did that? Did you leave something rolling around under the back seat? Find any evidence of mice?
 
Thanks fellas, I appreciate the input. No mice were found but it is a used bike, so that's understandable. Thanks Rollin for the step by step. It is aftermarket light and I ignored the indicator light wires. The tail light does work, just not the brake light. I will follow your advice today as well as use Dadofthree's pdf.
 
Just remember if somehow the brake light wire from light gets connected to the tail light wire from bike, you will instead having brake light lit instead of tail light and in turn when you apply the brake nothing will happen making you think the brake light isn't working when in reality it is already lit up. ??? Sometimes it is better to disconnect all wires and start over fresh, only 3 wires so it should only take a couple minutes.
 
Just remember if somehow the brake light wire from light gets connected to the tail light wire from bike, you will instead having brake light lit instead of tail light and in turn when you apply the brake nothing will happen making you think the brake light isn't working when in reality it is already lit up. ??? Sometimes it is better to disconnect all wires and start over fresh, only 3 wires so it should only take a couple minutes.

That's what happen to mine. When I bought the tail light new, the wires were crossed and I had to unplug and replug.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk
 
Black white,, ground
Brown ,, parking light
white black,, stop light

Are you trying both front and rear brake switches?

Have you tested the fuses?
 
Sorry for the late response guys. Also in the midst of putting an LS motor in a '68 Le Mans and that has my attention. I know its only 3 wires but I have tried every possible combination. Once the weekend hits, I will borrow a test light or find my damn multimeter. I noticed an unplugged two pin white connector on the right side of the bike near where the key hole for the hump is. Not sure if it plugs into the harness prior to the three wires receiving voltage. I have not tested the fuses yet Gixerhp but I know they are located on the left side of the bike near all the controls.
 
The wires with the white plug are for you license plate light
 
i had a similar problem when i bought my 01 gixxer 1000 from a kid that thought he was handy... out driving with my father one night, he flashed me to pull over, i had no lights at all in the rear! scary how long i had been riding like that. here the kid has installed an led tail conversion, and simply cut the wires, twisted them, and electrical taped them... and the worst thing, is i had no idea what the rats nest of wires did... took me two weekends of testing to completely rewire the rear...

needless to say, i am sometimes worried about anything used... but i guess you just have to be better at things than the last guy. good luck with your wiring!
 
I know what you mean JS. something in the main wiring harness for the lights is messed up. I can't see me screwing up the installation of 3 wires.
 
Does the tail light work at all or just not the brake lights (when applying brakes)?


If the front lever activates the brake light but NOT the the rear, check the sensor on the brake pedal (behind the right rearset). More than likely its not adjusted properly or is stuck ON and won't show the front level activation either... :beerchug:
 
Hey Got-Busa, been putting it off but I actually plan to really sit down with the Busa today. The tail light works fine, but neither brake levers trigger the brake light.
 
Back
Top