Went down, now turn signal won't work

subiegy2010 · March 17th, 2010, 06:46 PM

So today I low sided.

I'm fine except for a sore thumb and my bike took no serious damage. There are some minor scratches and the front left turn signal got broken off. Now rather than blinking, the back left signal just stays lit when it is engaged. What does this mean and how can I fix it?

Apex · March 17th, 2010, 06:55 PM

Sometimes changing the voltage (like not having a bulb connected to the front or back) causes the current load to change, making the relay not work.

I think that is how it works.

I think it needs both lamps to work properly unless you have a solid state relay (electronic).

subiegy2010 · March 17th, 2010, 07:06 PM

BTW, I should mention that I'm very grateful for frame sliders, riding pants, gloves, and my jacket. All of those made the situation no big deal, would have otherwise been much worse. My thumb is swollen but not broken and my ego is bruised. Anyway, back to the turn signal.

DarkNinja52 · March 17th, 2010, 07:11 PM

You need a light in the front or else the back one won't flash, i think an electronic flasher relay will fix it. just get some flushmounts or buy a replacement stock light.

subiegy2010 · March 17th, 2010, 07:17 PM

Any recommendations on where to get the stock turn signal online?

cnichols79us · March 17th, 2010, 07:24 PM

Sorry to hear you Biffed.... Glad your ok.

DarkNinja52 · March 17th, 2010, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subiegy2010

Any recommendations on where to get the stock turn signal online?

you can prob just buy them off ebay, or anyone on this website that has replaced them with aftermarket signals.

vollrathdude · March 17th, 2010, 07:31 PM

Having no front signal will eff the rear one up. Once you replace the front one, the back one will operate normally. Get it off ebay, all the signals are interchangeable so don't worry about getting one labeled front left

CC Cowboy · March 17th, 2010, 08:14 PM

Why did you go down? Didn't you think turn signals and other parts might break?

My advice to you is not crash.

DarkNinja52 · March 17th, 2010, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Why did you go down? Didn't you think turn signals and other parts might break?

My advice to you is not crash.

Haha that's the same thing u said to me a year ago
Posted via Mobile Device

Momaru · March 17th, 2010, 11:14 PM

Jordan, finding spare signals on available can be a difficult task as they're the first thing to hit (and break) in a fair number of spills. If all else fails www.cheapcycleparts.com or www.kawasakipartsnation.com can set you up.

Betlog · March 17th, 2010, 11:18 PM

If you have soldering skills, I can give you my stock ones that I chopped off when I installed flush mounts. Let me know.

kevlarorc · March 18th, 2010, 12:07 AM

you could PM divingtigger and see if you can buy his left one (if he has one). I bought his right signal when I went down on my right side :P

FrugalNinja250 · March 18th, 2010, 10:58 AM

Definitely need both bulbs in the circuit for that side or it won't flash. The stock thermal flasher has a heater that warps a contactor to break contact on the circuit and turn off the bulb. The current for the bulbs flows through the heater, so when the contactor breaks contact the power stops to the heater, allowing it to cool and warp the contactor back into contact, thus restarting the cycle. If a bulb is missing the remaining bulb can't draw enough current to get the heater hot enough to warp the contactor. Conversely, if there's a short in one of the bulb circuits the current flow through the heater is too high and causes it to cycle too fast.

FWIW...

Edit to add a correction. I was under the impression that the stock flasher was a standard thermal unit much like cars commonly use. This last weekend I went to install LED turn signal bulbs and an electronic flasher since the bulbs blinked too fast with the stock flasher, only to discover that my '06 Ninja used a much different module and won't accept standard flasher units. Out of curiousness I autopsied the flash module and found a circuit board with some solid state components on board, so it definitely is not a thermal flasher. I also found that the flasher module for the 2005-back bikes with the bigger signal bulbs is a different part number and flashes too fast with the smaller, lower wattage bulbs used in the '06-07 (and presumably later) year model bikes.

So, I'm back to the stock incandescent bulbs until I can find a variable-load flasher module that will fit in the oem terminal block and mounting bracket.

The information I posted above is still valid for systems that use an actual thermo-mechanical flasher module.

kevlarorc · March 18th, 2010, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrugalNinja250

Definitely need both bulbs in the circuit for that side or it won't flash. The stock thermal flasher has a heater that warps a contactor to break contact on the circuit and turn off the bulb. The current for the bulbs flows through the heater, so when the contactor breaks contact the power stops to the heater, allowing it to cool and warp the contactor back into contact, thus restarting the cycle. If a bulb is missing the remaining bulb can't draw enough current to get the heater hot enough to warp the contactor. Conversely, if there's a short in one of the bulb circuits the current flow through the heater is too high and causes it to cycle too fast.

FWIW...

And knowing is half the battle.... G.I. JOOOOEeeeeeeee

That was more then I ever thought I'd know about turn signals.

March 17th, 2010, 06:46 PM	#1
subiegy2010 noob in training Name: Ilya Location: Milwaukee, WI Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R (sold) '05 SV650S Posts: 175	Went down, now turn signal won't work So today I low sided. I'm fine except for a sore thumb and my bike took no serious damage. There are some minor scratches and the front left turn signal got broken off. Now rather than blinking, the back left signal just stays lit when it is engaged. What does this mean and how can I fix it?

March 17th, 2010, 06:55 PM	#2
Apex Livin' the Minimoto Life Name: Mark Location: Riding around in TX Join Date: Mar 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2022 Honda Navi, 2018 Z-125 Pro Posts: A lot.	Sometimes changing the voltage (like not having a bulb connected to the front or back) causes the current load to change, making the relay not work. I think that is how it works. I think it needs both lamps to work properly unless you have a solid state relay (electronic). __________________________________________________ --- My IG Page --- My FB page! --- 2022 Honda Navi && 2018 Z-125 Pro

March 17th, 2010, 07:11 PM	#4
DarkNinja52 ninjette.org sage Name: aj Location: New York / PA Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): Red 09 Ninja 250r aka Sheila (RIP), Red '10 Ninja 250r aka Sasha (Sold), White '13 Ninja 300 (To be Purchased) Posts: 855	You need a light in the front or else the back one won't flash, i think an electronic flasher relay will fix it. just get some flushmounts or buy a replacement stock light. __________________________________________________

March 17th, 2010, 08:14 PM	#9
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Why did you go down? Didn't you think turn signals and other parts might break? My advice to you is not crash. __________________________________________________ If everything seems under control; you're just not going fast enough!

March 17th, 2010, 11:14 PM	#11
Momaru ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Paul Location: Roanoke, VA Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Candy Plasma Blue 250R Posts: A lot.	Jordan, finding spare signals on available can be a difficult task as they're the first thing to hit (and break) in a fair number of spills. If all else fails www.cheapcycleparts.com or www.kawasakipartsnation.com can set you up. __________________________________________________ Proud member of the Blue Army

March 17th, 2010, 07:06 PM	#3
subiegy2010 noob in training Name: Ilya Location: Milwaukee, WI Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R (sold) '05 SV650S Posts: 175	BTW, I should mention that I'm very grateful for frame sliders, riding pants, gloves, and my jacket. All of those made the situation no big deal, would have otherwise been much worse. My thumb is swollen but not broken and my ego is bruised. Anyway, back to the turn signal.

March 17th, 2010, 07:17 PM	#5
subiegy2010 noob in training Name: Ilya Location: Milwaukee, WI Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R (sold) '05 SV650S Posts: 175	Any recommendations on where to get the stock turn signal online?

March 17th, 2010, 07:24 PM	#6
cnichols79us Fastly Slow!!! Name: Jeff Location: Kent, WA Join Date: Feb 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Kawasaki Ninja EX250, 1980 Honda XL125 Posts: 467	Sorry to hear you Biffed.... Glad your ok.

March 17th, 2010, 07:31 PM	#8
vollrathdude ninjette.org member Name: jordan Location: edmonton, alberta, canada eh Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): '09 250r se Posts: 30	Having no front signal will eff the rear one up. Once you replace the front one, the back one will operate normally. Get it off ebay, all the signals are interchangeable so don't worry about getting one labeled front left

March 17th, 2010, 11:18 PM	#12
Betlog ninjette.org guru Name: Dude!! Location: Southern California Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 250r Posts: 443	If you have soldering skills, I can give you my stock ones that I chopped off when I installed flush mounts. Let me know.

March 18th, 2010, 12:07 AM	#13
kevlarorc noob motovlogger Name: Gareth Location: Austin, TX Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): Black 2009 250r Posts: 328	you could PM divingtigger and see if you can buy his left one (if he has one). I bought his right signal when I went down on my right side :P __________________________________________________ My Motovlog "Damn, either shimming the needles fixes 90% of any problems with the 250Rs, or kkim owns stock in a washer manufacturer." -DmbShn41

March 18th, 2010, 10:58 AM	#14
FrugalNinja250 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Frugal Location: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Join Date: Mar 2010 Motorcycle(s): Several Posts: A lot.	Definitely need both bulbs in the circuit for that side or it won't flash. The stock thermal flasher has a heater that warps a contactor to break contact on the circuit and turn off the bulb. The current for the bulbs flows through the heater, so when the contactor breaks contact the power stops to the heater, allowing it to cool and warp the contactor back into contact, thus restarting the cycle. If a bulb is missing the remaining bulb can't draw enough current to get the heater hot enough to warp the contactor. Conversely, if there's a short in one of the bulb circuits the current flow through the heater is too high and causes it to cycle too fast. FWIW... Edit to add a correction. I was under the impression that the stock flasher was a standard thermal unit much like cars commonly use. This last weekend I went to install LED turn signal bulbs and an electronic flasher since the bulbs blinked too fast with the stock flasher, only to discover that my '06 Ninja used a much different module and won't accept standard flasher units. Out of curiousness I autopsied the flash module and found a circuit board with some solid state components on board, so it definitely is not a thermal flasher. I also found that the flasher module for the 2005-back bikes with the bigger signal bulbs is a different part number and flashes too fast with the smaller, lower wattage bulbs used in the '06-07 (and presumably later) year model bikes. So, I'm back to the stock incandescent bulbs until I can find a variable-load flasher module that will fit in the oem terminal block and mounting bracket. The information I posted above is still valid for systems that use an actual thermo-mechanical flasher module. Last futzed with by FrugalNinja250; March 22nd, 2010 at 11:00 AM. Reason: correcting errors

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