Recently changed out all my front and rear blinkers on my 07 Sportster (1200 Custom) to LED (installed the load resistors under the seat). I did blow a fuse at one point the front head light fuse blew and I had to change it while doing the new blinkers. Blinkers both front and rear are working perfectly. I purchased a smoked LED rear light to replace the old red stock brake light. After I installed the new light, The brake light now stays on all the time,like the brake is being applied (Not daytime light); I checked the wire harness and it seems to be wired correctly. I even swapped the running light with the brake wires on the harness thinking it was wired wrong still same thing happens. Does the new light need to be connected to the load resistor as well?
My next thought was to to start with the brake switches and see if those are bad. Which is a long shot... seems a little coincidental

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

The reason for adding a resistor when changing to LEDs is to fool the flasher unit into thinking it still has normal bulbs, instead of LEDs. Without the resistor the flasher won't work, as the LEDs need so little power to light up. There is no need to do anything like that for LED bulbs elsewhere around your bike.

So we must assume there is another cause of the problem! Swap your new smoked light back to the original one and see if things are the same or work properly. If everything is now OK that suggests there is a problem with the new unit. Have you disturbed the front or rear brake levers recently?

 

I did that over the weekend and the stock light is super bright like one of the brake levers is being pressed. Correct me if I'm wrong.... Reading up this weekend if a brake switch is bad, the light will be bright like that. I haven't touched either brake levers to disturb anything. I'm wondering if a brake switch went bad and I just never realized it before until I changed the light.

As a check on the light tho I did order a new one to assure its something on the bike and not the light.

 

It could well be a switch. I'm not familiar with your model, but if it is possible to do so try disconnecting the rear brake light switch first. That is usually the easiest to get to, as the front one is tucked away inside the right-hand handlebar switch housing. If the light goes back to normal brightness, that suggests the rear switch is faulty. You may be able to wake it up by squirting WD40 or similar in it (my Buell has a switch like that!) but if that doesn't work then get a new one.

If the problem persists reconnect the rear switch and turn your attention to the front one. IMHO that is more likely to be faulty, as it is very small and prone to failure, often due to clumsy owners. I haven't had problems with mine, so only know that we have to be very careful to avoid damaging it. I recommend looking for an online video, or a thread here in HDF for details of the procedure.

 

Yeah that was my plan was to start going through the brake switches. I changed the levers on my bike awhile back and had a few issues with the front switch last year, so I wouldn't be surprised it its the front.

Thanks for the suggestions and I'll keep you posted what I figure out.

 

When you changed to LED's, how many "load resistors" did you add? I'm asking because I am getting ready to change out my front and rear turn signals to LED's as well on my 94 RK.

 

I added two load resistors - I picked them up from my local auto zone for like $16; I used self tapping screws and attached them to the frame under the seat. it worked out pretty nicely- I had to run all new electrical anyway since the old wiring on the rear of the bike was destroyed it wasn't bad at all.

I'll snap a few pictures and post them if you want. The new blinkers and wiring came out pretty clean.

 

1 load resistor for the front and 1 for the rear turn signals or?

 

I connected the resistors to the rears blinkers which since they are all on the same circuit fixes the hyperflash problem with LEDs; Something I did come across the new LEDs in the front are a two wire (NO Ground); I purchased a 2 wire to 3 wire harness converter from a local shop near me in mass. (Deadbeatcustoms.com); I had an issue while test riding it; At some point I blew the 15A lighting fuse; Testing the blinkers everything worked great. (Except for my front head light which is on that circuit as well. When I blew the fuse it was acting like a ground and made the blinkers work. My old blinkers had a ground built into the light; When I changed the fuse the front signals stopped working. I ordered the harness and installed it and problem solved I got everything back - Except the rear brake which I'm troubleshooting now.

 

Unfortunately that front brake switch is delicate and prone to failure. Consult your FSM if you have one, or see if you can find a video explaining the process.