Lights on - no flash

[tazman547]

I picked up a 1980 XS1100 Standard that needs some work. Yes, I have been lurking.

Main question:
The signal lights light up when activated by the indicator switch, but fail to flash. If I tap on the flasher relay they will go on and off as I tap it. I have wiggled the wires arround and did a general check for bad ground. Do I have a bad flasher relay, if so is ther a good source for them?

I also need at least a muffler on this thing as 4-1 is completely baffleless. I can not identify the 4-1 system so I don't know what muffler will fit. I have been think of making is a 4-2 system.

Also, has anyone used the handle bar controls from mikesxs on thier XS1100?

OK I'll stop now. I have many more question but will wait a bit as I work through the bike. I am fixing it up for my wife as a starter bike. Much lighter than my 07 Royal Star Venture.

Thank you,
Tony

[egsols]

Is the bike running when you try the signals. I know on mine they don't usually flash until I rev it slightly providing a liitle more juice for the flasher to trip.

[tazman547]

Hi egsols,
Doesn't matter if it's running or not. No flash, the lights just come on.

Thanks

[DiverRay]

I see a trip to ebay in your near future! IF you want to keep the self canceling feature, you will need the original flasher. You CAN put a two pin automotive flasher in, but you may have to swap one or two wires to have it work properly. I know the XJ needs the "swap", and a '79 XS does NOT. you just need to try two, if it does not work, try the other two.
Welcome to the land of XS, and be sure the wife will wait for you to catch up when she start riding the XS!

[tazman547]

Not sure about the catch up part the venture is big but she moves, it eats Harleys. Venture was clocked at 125 and she is still stock.

On the flasher swap, are you saying swap the flasher relay by the fuse box with an auto flasher?

[DiverRay]

Yes, you can swap the flasher relay with an automotive unit. You just need to figure what two pins you need.
My '79 XS with 100K on the clock also eats HD's, and I usually hit about 115 every morning just to make sure it's still running correctly! There IS more left at that speed, as the top end with the fairing is about 130 to 135.....

[tazman547]

Thanks, i'll give the swap a try this evening. At least then I'll know that works.
The Tach went bonkers yesterday while I was running it with Marvels Mystry oil, to clean things up before oil change. She smokes bad after the plug change.

I had a 05 Connie that would do that, so I went to the Venture so I could slow down.

[DiverRay]

If the Tach is not working, or not working correctly, check the electrical. The tach picks up the signal from the Alternator, and any problems with it shows up in the tack. Look at the fuse block, and behind the metal plate it bolts to are the Alt and P.U. Coil connectors. look for "hot" wires, and CLEAN ALL the connections.

[AustinPhoenix]

flasher...

Diver,

Which pins are you talking about? I'm going through the same thing. Flashers light up with the turn signal, but only flash with the emergency flasher. My flasher relay under the seat is used with the emergency flasher, the one under the fuse box is used with the blinker. Any thoughts?

[ScottsXS]

i have the mikes xs controls they work fine......plugs are different and wire colors a little off(close enough to count) i love them they look good and work great!!

[tazman547]

Hi ScottsXS,
Glad to hear the MikesXS crontrols work, they have both black and chrome; so I'll check with wife and see which she wants. That is if the starter button from partsnmore doesn't fix the RH control. Getting tired of sticking a screwdriver in it to start the bike.

I ordered their fuse box as well, the one on the bike is pretty bad.

Thanks

[AustinPhoenix]

lights!!

So I got my blinkers to work the right way. I love this forum!!

[tazman547]

She Blinks.. She Blinks.

Thank you for the info.

Now to drain the fluids and put all new and find an inexpensive exhaust system that will bring the noise factor down. The 4-1 with no baffles is just not going to cut it.
Ah, and the tires. They look to be tubeless, but I hear a tube is still needed.

Once again Thanks.

[AlanB]

Hi Tazman,

Some of the wheels are tubeless.... some need tubes. If the wheels are tubeless, they will have it stamped (not cast) into one of the spokes. If not marked, Yamaha say that they need tubes. The rear wheel on tubed versions (at least, over here!) will also be drilled in two places for rim-locks (bead-locks?).

If the rim does not have those holes it is probably tubeless.


There is a seperate, long-running debate about whether the tubed and tubeless rims are actually identical to one another, apart from the extra holes and the stamped "suitable for tubeless tires"..................... neither type have the raised "safety beads" which most tubeless rims feature, so tires can come off either type if deflated, whether a tube is used or not.

AlanB