Tail light problem

[FJ111200]

OK, so i've got this US import Standard, and everything works apart from the tail light. The brake light works, headlight works, but no tail light. It's doing my head in. Where am i going wrong? Why do two wires, a brown and green, come out of the loom at the same place as the tail light wires but not go to anything?

[Cobia]

Thise wires are spares/extras for signal lights that could be mounted on your bags, etc. Don't remember which one is for right or left, ground completes the loop.
It would help if you tell us what year is that standard import.

[wingnut]

On the XS the Brown and green are turn signal wires if I remember right. Don't know about the FJ. Sure on of the guys here will know for sure.

[FJ111200]

Thise wires are spares/extras for signal lights that could be mounted on your bags, etc. Don't remember which one is for right or left, ground completes the loop.
It would help if you tell us what year is that standard import.

It's a 1978 2H7.

[wingnut]

Opps sorry just look at the handle instead for the signature

[XSive_speed]

For the tail lights on a 78, it looks like you need the blue wires.

Before you start tracing too far into the harness, do the lights come on for the speedometer and the front running lights?

These are on the same circuit, so it could give some idea if you just have a break in the wiring to your tail lights, or if the whole circuit is dead.

wiring diagram:

http://cycles.evanfell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Yamaha-XS1000-Wiring-Diagram-1978-1979.jpg

[FJ111200]

do the lights come on for the speedometer and the front running lights?

These are on the same circuit, so it could give some idea if you just have a break in the wiring to your tail lights, or if the whole circuit is dead.

wiring diagram:
http://cycles.evanfell.com/wp-conten...-1978-1979.jpg

Yes mate, everything works apart from the tail light. So do i need the indicators wiring in?

[crazy steve]

The 'chocolate' (left turn) and 'dark green' (right) extra wires at the taillight were for the turn signals if installing the factory-optional bags. These came with a signal bracket that attached to the license plate mount. The bike came 'pre-wired' for this....

[FJ111200]

So it looks more and more likely that i'm going to be tearing into the loom and trace that blue wire.
Oh well, thanks for the quick replies.

[natemoen]

So it looks more and more likely that i'm going to be tearing into the loom and trace that blue wire.
Oh well, thanks for the quick replies.

isn't the blue wire an extra hot?

[Jamie]

I hope I'm correct, but the "blue" is another hot and is used for rear daytime running lights. Need to go back through my notes, but I recently installed running lights on the rear (red lense) and also have the working rear turn signals also. Mine is an XJ

[crazy steve]

The blue is the taillight, the gray is the brake light, the black is ground. There's 'spares' of all these at the taillight in case an owner wanted to install additional lights.

[FJ111200]

Thanks for the input lads.

[CatatonicBug]

...rear daytime running lights.

Ummm... No such thing on ANY vehicle. They're called tail lights. As with all vehicles, they come on with the headlight.

[natemoen]

Ummm... No such thing on ANY vehicle. They're called tail lights. As with all vehicles, they come on with the headlight.

Running lights, tail lights, same thing, different section of the vehicle.....