Headlights and indicators work, just not at the same time...

[caesius]

Little issue with a bike of mine that makes night riding difficult is that the indicators don't work when the headlight is on! The indicators work fine if the headlight's off or the park light only is on. (Yes, even when the engine's running).

I assumed the battery needs charging/replaced. But someone said it might be a wiring problem.

With this little info, what do you think a possible cause may be?

Cheers.

[Disco Dan]

Try hand signals....

[caesius]

Yep, I have. Just not too sure about them at night! Plus I hate turning right around a roundabout and holding your arm out the whole way round...

[boomer]

"Diamond Back Mountain Bike" ..is the Dynamo on?

sounds to me like a crossed wire or 2, but i'm no rocket scientist

[davereid]

let me know what you ride - I may have a diagram, then we can help ypu put your finger on the problem

[slimjim]

you also may need to check if all earth wires are okay to, as would have thought if it was your battery ,one or the other would be very dim, while both trying to work ,

[rok-the-boat]

My mate used to have a KH250 that only ran on two cylinders (of three) when he turned the lights on. So, to overtake at night he had to turn the lights off. Funny things those old KH's.

[Ixion]

It may just be a stuffed battery.

I have exactly this happen on the GT500. The battery is small, and knackered.

I am in no hurry to replace it , since the bike is magneto ignition and kickstart, so the only purpose of the battery is indicators and stop lamp.

I have also replaced the 25/35 W headlamp bulb with a 55/60 , which is actualy more than the charging coils can provide at lowish revs.

So round town at night the battery runs down quite quickly. The ONLY thing that is noticeable then is that the indicators do not work if the headlamp is on.

[caesius]

I've replaced the battery and now the indicators work while the headlight is on...only just...

The indicators are so faint I'm not sure if they can be seen. I find myself turning my headlight off coming up to an intersection just to be safe. Fine in the daytime. Is there *anything* I can do to give the lights more power?

[Ixion]

I wonder if the problem is that someone in the past has given the headlamp MORE power by fitting a larger bulb?

I assume you have checked the wattage of the indicator bulbs? Your stop light is not stuck on?

And check and double check the earth connections on both headlamp and indicators. Do not rely on meter checks, rig up a test bulb, you could have a high reistance earth.