As I said, H-D has had self canceling signals since '91 across the board. I'm not familiar with Texas law, or how far back that particular provison might go. I can only attest to my own 22 year experience with Harley-Davidson.

As I said, my '89 Sporty most assuredly had to have the button held in for the signals to work. I bought the bike new, and the dealer explained that this was, indeed, normal. It was, IIRC, even part of the "customer orientation" when I bought the bike.

To be sure, the Harley Softail speedos DID change in '91, and had the reed switch added for the turn signal cancellers. That can be verified by checking the parts manuals for the appropriate years.

 

You might open up the switch housing and spray the assembly with electrical contact cleaner. It's sold at most auto parts and Radio Shack stores

 

No they haven't, Uncle G(unless they made a switch mid year, and I have the before the switch model). My 91 Heritage has never had self canceling turn signals. They stay on when you push the button, but you also have to push it again to turn them off. Feel free to show me where my 91 has "self canceling" signals.

 

My 84 didn't have self canceling and you had to hold it. Personally I liked it that way but I was pretty good at multi tasking back then. Not so much now. That having been said......If the bike is still pretty much stock I'd just leave it as is.

 

There is nothing wrong with your signals. That is the way they were designed and made back then. Personally, I always liked them that way. I used to laugh at riders of other brands going down the road with their turn signal flashing, seemingly forever. Once you get used to them you will appreciate them. There is no need to hold them on throughout a turn or after you have made a lane change. They are to signal a turn, not keep signalling after you are into the turn. They are legal in Texas.

 

That's strange, because the Softail speedo with the reed switch has a "-91" suffix, meaning a 1991 introduction. I suppose it's possible that it was phased in during '91, and that all '91s might not have had it. I know some of this because I always wanted an "old" style speedo for my '94, and waited 10 years for someone to make a '62 style speedo with the '91-'95 style reed switch, but noone ever did. I finally gave in and installed the '62 style speedo without the reed switch, and now my turn signals work just like yours. You push to turn them on, and push again to turn them off.

Have you owned your '91 since new? has the speedo been replaced with an earlier or aftermarket model? Has a previous owner tampered with the turn signal canceller? The '91-'95 OEM speedo will have three electrical wires-two orange wires for the lamps, and a black wire to the turn signal module. If the black wire is disconnected or bypassed, the turn signals will work just like you describe.

I was never a big fan of the turn signal canceller, as it always seemed to turn the blinkers off before I reached the turn, so I really don't miss it (except when I forget to turn them off, and look like an old geezer driving for miles with the turn signal blinking).

 

No, my dad owned this bike. It has been this way since new.

 

The turn signal button on my '83 & '89 both had to be held on for the turn signal to flash. Thats why I removed them from both bikes and just used hand signals.

 

At the risk of thread-jack...
I was wrong, sort of.

According to 49 CFR 571:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_20...cfr571.108.htm
They must self cancel. No mention is made of motorcycles (that I could find). Turn signals are very well defined. It could be implied by the language that "hold down to signal" would not be allowed.

Here is what I remembered about self cancel/stay on:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/insp...ejectsubmit=Go
But this doesn't apply to motorcycles.

In Texas, signals are not an item of inspection (so I suppose they aren't required).
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/insp...classsubmit=Go

This says they are required after 1975:
http://home.ama-cycle.org/amaccess/l...t.asp?state=TX
But I can't find where they got the information.

This makes no mention of turn signals required:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.u...47.htm#547.801

It could be that HD made these for whatever year and then was clued in that it would be against CFR rules, and so the modified part number that caused them to work like we all would expect. I could be wrong about this (very likely).

I'm gonna stand by this statement and say you can get a module that allows them to stay on when you release the button.

Sorry for the thread-jack.

 

http://www.jpcycles.com/product/320-...ignals&Ntk=All

http://www.jpcycles.com/product/320-...ignals&Ntk=All

http://www.jpcycles.com/product/381-...ignals&Ntk=All