my old 92 heritage which my brother has now just started acting up. the brake light only works when the lights are turn on. no brake light when just in ignition mode. any ideas ? thanks !

 

Please restate the problem. Lights are on when a motorcycle is running ever since around 1978. In other words, there is no turning them off.

When you squeeze the front brake lever, does the brake light illuminate? You should see it go from being lit to being lit much brighter. If not, then you need to look at the bulb or front brake light switch.

Do the same thing for the rear brake. It has its own brake light switch.

 

unhooked the stay on headlight on it when it was new, did the same to my 79 lowrider. neither brake light works , back or front just when the ignition is on. once you turn to the light postion, they both work. i'm thinking maybe a ground wire.

 

If they work when the engine is running then I fail to see the problem.
How often do you run your lights without the engine running???

 

It sounds to me that it needs to get its power from both positions,my brake lights work when in the ignition on, lights off position. You may need to simply chase the wire which may not be so simple..

 

If it were a ground wire, the brake light and tail light would not work no matter what the position of the ignition switch.

Check the connections at the ignition switch.

 

Simple as the power to the brake light circuit has bad contact at the switch (ignition only post). Clean all the switch contacts and terminations. I would recommend connecting it back correctly like it was originally.

 

Up to 95 on a Harley...getting the lights to work like the old bikes was as simple as cutting/removing a jumper wire on the ignition switch...which many people did.

You need to check the ignition switch with a meter.

 

everyone disconnected that jumper wire back then. it's got to be at the ignition switch.

 

On my 2003 the first key position is starter and headlight. The second position beings on starter, headlight and all other blinkers and dash lights.