Check to see if you have a good connection between the rear bulb and it's socket.

 

did you recently do anything up in the brake perch area? new grips, levers? sounds like you broke the tit off of the brake light switch. easy way to check that, pull on your brake lever to expose the switch then push it in with a small screwdriver. if the brake light goes off, that's the problem.

the way I fixed mine was to drill a very small hole in my brake lever and thread a button head screw in. the button head gave enough height to depress the switch in and turn the brake light off. a whole lot cheaper than the $50+ hd wants for the switch. or the $25 from j&p (including shipping)

 

I had changed the bars out about three weeks ago. That turned out to be the problem. I went out a little while ago and disassembled the switch housing and tested the brake switch plunger and the brake light worked fine. What was confusing me is that I thought the brake light was not coming on at all when it was actually on full time. I reassembled the switch housing very carefully and it is working properly now. Thanks for the help.

 

To the OP, over the years when riding at night I will activate all lights. Then while I am on the road I'll look for any of my brake light reflections on some objects when I am stopping. Just try it you'll see what I'm talking about. During when stopped sometimes the light will reflect on shiny surfaces of vehicles behind you. Just one of those street smart things.

 

The tail light has 2 filaments, the Brake light filament is done, get a new taillight bulb.

 

Yeah, you have to be careful with the advice here. A lot of guys are just shooting from the hip.

 

I have recently discovered my brake light is not lighting up when I push the hand and the foot lever.
Checked with a test light and I have power. Jumped the rear switch, bulb did not illuminate. Bulb is good. Just the taillight filament is lit. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestion.

 

I have recently discovered my brake light is not lighting up when I push the hand and the foot lever.
Checked with a test light and I have power. Jumped the rear switch, bulb did not illuminate. Bulb is good. Just the taillight filament is lit. If anyone has any ideas I'm open to suggestion.

 

It's possible for one filament in a dual filament bulb to go bad and not the other, it has happened to me a couple times. I would check it with a known good bulb.

 

I've switched the bulbs twice. Same result. Think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet and take it somewhere.