Motorcycle Repair: Front turn signals, signal wires, turn signals

Question
QUESTION: I just bought a 1999 r 1 and the front blinkrs on both  sides are not working. They are aftermatket and they do work I tested.  I checked and found that I am getting power to both sides. Both the running and blinker but no ground. Where does the gound run too? Or do you have any ideas of what else could cause this problem. I checked all fuses all are good. Thanks for your time!

ANSWER: Hi Jeff,

If the lights themselves have power when you turn the signal switch on and the bulbs are okay then your
ground must be loose or disconnected. The ground wire on the bike is black but you
may have to see if the aftermarket blinkers are the same color. The signals should work
if you can get them grounded to the bike's black wire or possibly the frame would work as well.

Take a piece of wire and try grounding the socket of the blinker to the frame or negative battery
terminal and turn it on to see if the ground helps.

The blinkers may have a black ground wire as well that you can connect the ground wire to and
see if the blinkers will flash.

Sometimes the blinker ground goes to a ground on the meters but any black ground wire should work
if you get them hooked up correctly.


Just an added note: if the blinker lights do come on but do not flash then the flasher or the bulbs are suspect
unless your battery is low.

WS
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---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I already knew that I could gound them to the bike I want to avoid that and do it right. Do u know where the ground is located? Also if the ground is secure could the ground wire be broken somewhere? Thanks for your help!

Answer
Sorry Jeff  I didn't see your follow up question until today.

You can splice into the black ground wire anywhere near
the front of the bike. Just make sure it is the  ground wire
before too much wire hacking.

The black ground wire goes all the way through the front wire harness
to the back of the meters.

The old signal wires may have a ground if the original
plug is still on there. If it has been modified then
you will have to search with a multimeter for a ground
in the harness.

The alternative is to ground to the frame somewhere.

Luck!
WS
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