Rigging turn signals as running lights

[storysunfolding]

Is there any easy way of doing this for turn signals with only two wires? Maybe a special relay or whatnot? I want to make the g/fs bike as visible as it can be.

[CNF2002]

First you would have to bypass the existing relay so it has a constant current, make sure its still fused. Then bypass the switch, cut the wires going in and going out and splice them together. That'll light them up any time the bike is on.

As I understand it you wanted to change your blinkers into running lights.

I would keep your existing blinkers and just run new lamps off of a hot wire...run the single wire up to each lamp and ground the other wire as close to the lamp as you can. There might be an open slot in your fuse box, too. If you're trying to splice them off of the blinkers themselves, that won't work.

[storysunfolding]

True, but that won't keep them working as turn signals anymore would it?

[CNF2002]

No and I reread your post and think I misunderstood what you were asking so I edited it.

[storysunfolding]

Right, but the bike would look goofy with extra lights. It's the xs 400. What if I put another relay upstream of the turn signal relay that would give power to the turn signals when the bike was running but would switch to the turn signal relay when the turn signals are activated. I have so many things going on right now that I'm not sure if that even makes sense

[CNF2002]

Well whatever your FIRST relay along your circuit does, thats what is going to affect your second, and so on...so if you have a 3 second relay you'll have 3 seconds of current going into the next relay, so if thats a 5 second relay, its still only going to light for 3 seconds.

I think for what you want to do you would have to completely rewire your blinkers. You want a constant feed going to the lights, but when you hit the switch one set would have an interrupt relay.

Now another option is to do it like the old style auto taillights...run a new hot line up to your blinker lamps and put in a dual-filament bulb, so that they are constantly on but will light up brighter when your blinker is switched. I think that would be the easiest way, but I'm just thinking off the top of my head.

[Nibblet99]

replace the relay... you can get ones which allow the current to the lights to be broken when the relay is triggered instead of made

[storysunfolding]

Nibblet-

Where can I find something like that?

[flynrider]

Is there any easy way of doing this for turn signals with only two wires? Maybe a special relay or whatnot? I want to make the g/fs bike as visible as it can be.

Don't have the answer to your question, but I was wondering something. I used to ride an XS400 and I thought the front turn signals already did double duty as running lights.

If you're considering this mod for the rear signals, you should check with your local motor vehicle authority. In most states that I've lived, it's not legal to have anything but red running lights on the rear of any vehicle.

[storysunfolding]

Nope- XS 400 turn signals only come on when you ask them to, the rest of the time they are dark. I'm going to get red covers for the back turns signals.