Got an 80 Low Rider with completely unmarked switches. My bike has individual buttons on each handlebar that when pressed, light up the corresponding turn signals but they don't blink or stay on. As soon as the button is released they go off.

I ask because my only other riding experience was the MSF course which only had a single switch.

 

That year you had to hold the button while you wanted them to blink they were not one touch or self cancelling yet , not blinking at all sounds like the flasher unit is bad.

 

Flasher sound like the problem. My 80 FXB works with a touch release, but then I can't swear the switches are original.

 

Not stock like that in '80
If both signal lights light when switch is depressed...bad flasher...If only one lights...Flasher probably won't flash...Fix it.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

So it's supposed to flash when I hold the button down? Everything lights up correctly when pushing the corresponding, except the no blinking part.


Thanks for the help.

 

On the 79 FLH I had, one side started flashing sooner than the other... some times I had to wait quite a bit before it started flashing.... but it eventually did

 

As I learned here: The only dumb question is the one not asked.
My 76 fxe did the same thing until I replaced the flasher, which is located in the headlight housing in my bike. Is still takes a second or two for the blinkers to start blinking. And yes I have to hold the button the whole time.

 

Very good info! Thank you all!

 

So after looking into this a little, is there one for each light or is there only one flasher?