Topic: Front blinkers not flashing? '73 CB 500

[NH_Rider]

Hi all,

I recently acquired an almost completely stock 1973 CB 500 in great shape. Everything seemingly works as it should, fires right up, runs great. The only thing I haven't figured out is my front flashers - they don't flash/blink and are constantly on.

When I first got the bike home, no flashers (front, back, or indicator) would flash, but all lit up. I replaced the flasher relay and that fixed the indicator bulb on the "dash" and the two rear blinkers. All flashing and working properly. The front two however didn't change. Constantly on, no flash.

Can anyone suggest where my next step would be? A bad ground? Does the front two blinkers always being on mean something to any of you? If I put the key in the bike, those front two turn on and I can't turn them off no matter the setting. Also, I tried the front flasher bulbs in the rear and they worked back there and I've charged the fairly new battery completely.

Thanks for any help!

[bryanj]

If this is a US bike does it have the dual filament front blinkers? If not what colour wires do you have the blinkers plugged into?

[NH_Rider]

Hi Bryan,

So long story short, I've fixed it and we're working!

To answer your question - yes US, no to dual filament bulbs. I only had one wire coming out of each front directional, both were black. So immediately, not stock. They were both grounded right in the directional unit on each side.

Once I followed the black wires back into the headlight, the left front black wire had a tiny orange tip and the right side had a tiny light blue tip. They were in a four way connection with two other black wires - which I'm assuming it's constant power - caused them to always be on if the bike was. No idea why someone would want constant running front directional lights as opposed to functioning blinkers that turn off, but alas. Then I got lucky and I found two other 4 way connectors they only had three wires going into each. Lucky enough, one group was all orange wires and one group was all light blue. I took the black with the blue tip running from the right directional and added it in the missing blue spot and same with the orange on the other side and we're good to go.

Not thinking this is a common problem, just some strange self wiring from PO!

[bryanj]

The black wire with coloured sleeve at the tip is standard original Honda

[Johnie]

If you come to a stop sign and the blinkers slow to almost not blinking get an electronic flasher. Makes a big difference.