Motorcycle Repair: aftermarket brake light, inspection time, buld

Question
I put an aftermarket "cat's eye" tail light on my 99 sportster. It has a black and red wire, which is the brake and which is the tail light? The original wiring harness has a white(tail light), a red wire( brake light), and a black wire(ground). I spliced the red wire of the new tail light to the red wire of the original red wire and the black wire of the new tail light to the original white wire. The tail light is on all the time (as it should) but no brake light. Is the tail light that is on all the time actually the brake light on all the time, due to the fact that I have the brake/tail light wires of the new light mixed up? Any help in this would be helpful due to the fact that it is almost inspection time. Thanks.
cj

Answer
Alot of the aftermarket companies use different color wires, so its would be hard for me to tell you what color they are.
You can however test which is which. Make sure the light is a two filment bulb. Check it. If its not then you will not have a running light. Also, look in the bottom of the post for the bulb. Both wires should go clost to the center. If one goes to the side of the buld then its a ground and you have a single filment light. If you have a two filment bulb then the frame of the taillight must be the ground. Run a test lead wire from the frame of the taillight to the negitive post of the battery. Tough the positive post to the red wire and then the white. The brighter one will be the brake light.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike