I had assumed that the bar was on the bike and properly bolted (grounded), and the lamps were at least connected to the bezels, maybe hanging out. Is that true?

Then when you connect the hot lead to the battery the lights work?

At least then you know the lights are OK and you can finish installing them.

Then connect the battery wire to the switch, with the yellow one OFF the switch. You should then be able to switch the lights on and off.

If all that happens, the yellow wire is not providing power. Of course the headlight has to be ON and on low beam for the yellow wire to be live.

 

After a project I did the other day which involved removing the passing lights I have a couple of lessons learned

1. the bracket on my bike, maybe not yours, has two connected holes to mount the lights. 0=0. If you want to ever mount the fork mounted wind deflectors the lights should be in the forward hole.

2. the only way I could get the nut on the bottom of the passing light tightened was to not have the grey/black wire installed. I actually had to cut the wire and use a socket wrench on the nut to tighten then splice the wire back in. If you discover another way to tighten those nuts please let me know.

good luck.

p.s. don't forget to check the Hi/Lo beam switch. Passing lights not on in Hi beam.

 

Snap On makes a slotted socket for that job. Its only about a thousand dollars

You can make your own with a spare deep socket, but then you will probably never need it again.

 

I have everything connected loosely but it is connected the same way it would be if I had it mounted.
I am pretty sure the passing lamps not being grounded is the problem. like I said, if I connect two wires off of the lamp and connect it directly to the battery it will light up. If I connect the lamp to the built in groun in the bezel and then connect the positive from the lamp directly to the battery it will not work. Leads me to believe that it is the ground for sure. With that in mind I cannot figure out a way to get another ground up to the lamps and still have it look good.

SLORider- As far as the nut tightening goes. I took a 9/16 offset socket wrench and then cut it so it had a opening that I could then fit it around the nut and also the wire.

 

Unbelieveable, travisd and liltrk
I reread your earlier post about having the light bolted up. That is what did it. As I was eluding too earlier, I have little understanding about grounding and voltage. I threw one on and it lit right up.
So much for me making sure everything was connected properly before installing...hahah

Thanks so much for the help.

 

Sweet, good to know you got it working. Now to ensure that it's working totally correctly, my most important advice would be to ride the hell out of it.

 

Good to see this place helped you out with electrical grounding because there is one additional way to get that lesson. You are holding the lamp housing in your hand perplexed at why it won't come on and rather than place you hand on your chin and go hmmmmmmmmmmm you place your arm over the headlamp area and say yeaowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww as you become the ground point fo rthat lamp!
Glad you got it done and nothing beats doing it yourself no matter what it took to get there!