Sportster help
Sportster help
Good day everyone. Brand new member to the forum and a new harley owner here and im getting my *** whooped. My father gave me his 1990 1200 sportster. The bike sat for 2 years before i recieved it. After i did a full bike fluid change, new plugs and wires, cleaned carb and a full maintenance on thw bike i have one issue. My brake light only works when my lights are off and the taillight doesn't work at all. I put a ne bulb in still nothing. So i purchased a clymer manual and decided to start by checking all my grounds. The first ground i did was under the battery right next to thw brake light switch. I took it off, cleaned the connectore, the bolt and the frame with a wire brush. Put it back together and now i still have no taillight but i also have no headlight. With electrical being my kryptonite i figure i better reach out before i make it worse. Anything you guys recommend i do? I have a couple of kids and a wife so needless to say i rather not put it in the shop lol. Any help would be great. Thank you all for reading
Edit: i got the headlight back on. Error on my end. But still no taillight at all and no brake light when my lights are on
Edit: i got the headlight back on. Error on my end. But still no taillight at all and no brake light when my lights are on
Last edited by Jrayguns; Feb 27, 2021 at 12:42 PM. Reason: Forgot something
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 339
From: Northeastern Indiana
The HD Factory Service Manual is a better manual and cost a little more, but worth it for the information it contains ... check all fuses, trace wires and check connections ... I think the taillight has connectors under the seat, make sure those are good ... I'm sure someone will be along with better electrical knowledge but what I gave you is a start ... welcome and enjoy the bike
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,067
Likes: 394
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Also check the wires under the rear fender going to the brake light, sometimes the suspension will bottom out and the wires can get damaged by the tire.
When you say taillight and brake light do and don't work are you checking the power wires just before the taillight or relying on the bulb? a lot of problems start with the wrong bulb jammed into the socket or a corroded socket, I would be checking for power at the wires to eliminate any potential problems with the socket, in fact I would probably start with disconnecting the taillight and just checking wires, if they are working then you can use test leads to check the socket.
When you say taillight and brake light do and don't work are you checking the power wires just before the taillight or relying on the bulb? a lot of problems start with the wrong bulb jammed into the socket or a corroded socket, I would be checking for power at the wires to eliminate any potential problems with the socket, in fact I would probably start with disconnecting the taillight and just checking wires, if they are working then you can use test leads to check the socket.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,258
Likes: 4,947
From: England
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 340
Likes: 125
From: Nashville
Get yourself some electrical cleaner contact spray, some small wire brushes ect and some dielectric grease. Either way every time you disconnect a wire connector clean it and grease it with the dielectric grease.
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