Newbie Question - Rear Brake

[RichInFla]

After getting the bike home last weekend, I went out to ride Saturday morning, dead battery..bummer...Got a charger and charged it, cranked up just fine the next morning.

Now, question. I notice that when I press the rear brake pedal, the brake light doesn't come on. It only comes on if I apply the front brake on the handle bar. Is this normal ?? Just checking.

Thanks,
Rich

[primal]

Your brake light should come on regardless of which brake you are using. I'd look at the brake light switch first.

[RichInFla]

I got this from the manual:

"The rear brake light switch is located behind the muffler. To adjust the brake light switch, turn the switch body in or out so that the brake light will come on just before a pressure rise is felt when the brake pedal is depressed."

I'll probably have my neighbor check it out, as he does work on his HD, but this sounds like something I might be able to check, or is it one of those "leave it to the professionals" ??

Thanks.

p/s: It's a 2000 GZ250

[5th_bike]

The brake light switch has its own little cable. And, you should be able to check it yourself. It is really easy to adjust.

Find the switch and pull the stem out like the brake pedal should do, and see if the brake light comes on.

[RichInFla]

Thanks 5th...

Got it...Okay...I got by the muffler and pulled the cable. The rear brake light did come on when I pulled it toward the front of the bike. Then I applied the foot brake, and the brake light didn't come on UNTIL I had the pedal almost to the fully engaged. So, do I need to adjust the little ball where the cable comes out ? and if so, if I'm on the muffler side, do I go clock-wise or counter clock-wise ?? OR, how do I adjust it ?

Thanks.

[RichInFla]

Or is it that there's a little play in the rear brake so when I put my foot on it and it goes down a little bit, the rear brake isn't really applied until I really, really, press down ??? I noticed I can push the brake pedal down about an inch and the light doesn't come on, BUT does come on when I really press down hard...Sound normal ??

[primal]

I'd rather have it come on earlier than later...

[RichInFla]

I guess I'll have to take it out and see if the rear brake is actually being applied when I put my foot on the rear brake with that inch or so of play before the rear brake light comes on ?? Doesn't really bother me because I would rather keep my foot on the brake pedal just in case, I just don't want to wear down the pads by keeping my foot on the pedal while I'm riding. Make sense ??

[Orpheus]

There's just a nut on that cable behind the muffler that you tighten and it adjusts how soon the brake light comes on; you should be able to push the brake just a little bit before it actuates the light.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Orpheus

There's just a nut on that cable behind the muffler that you tighten and it adjusts how soon the brake light comes on; you should be able to push the brake just a little bit before it actuates the light.

Close but no cigar. I don't think the nut on the cable is meant to be an adjustment. As the quote from the manual says, the switch itself is actually mounted inside a big plastic sleeve with a "nut" formed on the front end. You can turn that nut with your fingers and it moves the switch body forward and back to adjust the trip point. To make it come on sooner, the switch moves BACK; IIRC, you turn the nut counter-clockwise to accomplish that......but the proper direction should be fairly obvious after a couple of turns.

HOWEVER.......

That switch should be the LAST thing you adjust. First you should adjust the slack in the mechanism. Your description of the one inch play and having to push real hard to get anything to happen makes me believe you need some slack adjustment and/or pedal height adjustment BEFORE you make the final adjustment to the light switch.

Most bikes have similar adjustments. Your Harley friend should be able to help you accomplish all the adjustments you need in 5 minutes or less.