[stocker350]

The '73 cb350 I just picked is doing some strange things. When you turn the blinkers on they only blink about once a minute. I figured the battery was low so I put it on my trickle charger. The trickle charger never switches over to storage charge regardless of how long it's left connected. I know the trickle charger works properly because it switches over to storage charge on my cb400f after a short time.
The PO told me the battery is new and it seems way to clean to be over a month or two old considering the previous PO stored the bike under a tarp in a parking lot during our raining Northwest winter.
What should I check first?

 

[tbpmusic]

Brand new batteries can be bad, happened to me not long ago...don't assume it's fine, it doesn't seem to take a charge, so.........

Your 350 ain't gonna Act Right in any way if the battery is compromised.

 

[stocker350]

Maybe I'll just buy one of these to be safe. It'll need a new battery some day.
http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/m ... YT12C.html

 

[66Sprint]

Pop your 400F battery into the 350....I'll bet everything works....However, flash rate can be very slow if low (wrong) wattage bulbs were used....

 

[tbpmusic]

Maybe I'll just buy one of these to be safe. It'll need a new battery some day.
http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/m ... YT12C.html

That's way too expensive - get one at the auto part store for $30.
You can't expect more than a couple seasons out of them, for the most part - why spend a truck load of money??

 

[stocker350]

Maybe I'll just buy one of these to be safe. It'll need a new battery some day.
http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/m ... YT12C.html

That's way too expensive - get one at the auto part store for $30.
You can't expect more than a couple seasons out of them, for the most part - why spend a truck load of money??

I here ya but I have an underlying reason for getting one of those. My 400 has a battery that is to small because a local shop convinced me it would be fine when I was converting it to cafe. The battery is about 5"x2"x1.5" and only 2.5 A/H. It's looks really cool because you can see right through the bike but I can't sit at stop lights with the head light on for very long or it will die.
The reason I ordered the sealed battery is because it can be laid on it's back, so while I will use it in the 350 I will also use it as a template for the new battery box I'm making for my 400.

Here's pic of the 400 the existing battery rests under where I sit.

I looked at the bulbs and they look correct but I really have no idea is there a way to find out exactly what the stock ones were?

 

[tbpmusic]

At only 2.5 amp hours, I'm not sure that's enough to run turn signals and lights, etc.

That's only about 10% of the capacity of the stock system...........
You're going to get very friendly with your battery charger.

 

[stocker350]

At 2.5 amp hours, I'm not sure that's enough to run turn signals, etc.

Yeah, that's why I'm getting ready to put a stock spec battery back in there. I like the open look so I figured with the sealed battery I can lay it on it's back and the battery box only needs to by about 2" deeper than it is now. It will still barely show under the seat. I can't believe the shop that convinced me to run the small battery will be in business long because almost everybody I talk to has had a bad experience there.

I trickle charge every night and the head lamp is on a toggle so I run it only when needed.

 

[tbpmusic]

I trickle charge every night and the head lamp is on a toggle so I run it only when needed.

I think it's "needed" anytime you drive on public roads, by law........

 

[stocker350]

I trickle charge every night and the head lamp is on a toggle so I run it only when needed.

I think it's "needed" anytime you drive on public roads, by law........

haha, just another reason why I regret listening to those guys at that shop. It's like they build every bike to look cool but not be ridden. I've passed several cops with the light off and I haven't been hassled yet but I know it'll happen sooner or later.

 

[jayel]

federal headlight on laws passed in 77? anything older than that should be grandfathered in .... like seatbelts not legally required in pre 64 cars, state laws vary but I'd bet you could beat a headlight on law if your bike was old enough and you were willing to spend the money and time to do it

here's a list of fed/state requirements

http://www.bkva-ii.org/Motorcycle%20Equ ... 202006.pdf

 

[stocker350]

federal headlight on laws passed in 77? anything older than that should be grandfathered in .... like seatbelts not legally required in pre 64 cars, state laws vary but I'd bet you could beat a headlight on law if your bike was old enough and you were willing to spend the money and time to do it

here's a list of fed/state requirements

http://www.bkva-ii.org/Motorcycle%20Equ ... 202006.pdf

I thought that might be the case. Thanks for the tip.

 

[kirkn]

Hmm.... I dunno 'bout that.

The thing that would be grandfathered in would be the bike's CAPABILITY to have the headlights turned off. That is, a vintage bike owner would not be required to remove the ON/OFF switch and hard wire the lights to be on.

However, the law can indeed require headlights to be ON during daytime hours. No grandfathering of anythere, there. That is, you need to have the lights on in daytime, and that's that, whether your bike's charging system is up to the task or not.

If you've passed cops with it, and your state has a 'lights-on' type law, you should merely consider yourself lucky, not that lights are therefore not required...

Just my opinion, tho.

 

[tbpmusic]

No, you're right Kirk.

The grandfather part only involves the handlebar switch. That will allow the bike to pass safety or title-related inspections.
It's still up to the individual state as to whether or not you ride with lights on.
It's definitely required in my state, and there wouldn't be any arguing about a ticket, either.
You'd either have to fast-talk your way out of it on the spot, or just pay up later.....

 

[66Sprint]

In Virginia, you would be fully covered by "Grandfathering" IF you are running type 1 antique plates and abide by the restrictions that apply to that..... (Exempted from inspection, ONLY for parade or special event usage, OR allowable 150 miles per YEAR to "exercise" the engine, OR to the shop for repairs and "test drives" done after repairs are completed...Daylight usage ONLY!)
IF the vehicle is running type 2 antique plates, it can be used for "daily" commutes, but it must pass the inspection code that was required at the time of its manufacture...For example, no retrofitting turn signals if it wasn't originally equipped with them, and and current minimum lighting/reflector surface/areas don't apply, but all the lighting must work, both wheel must have brakes, etc,etc... and daylight usage only still applies)
If you want to run daily and at night, you must run a current plate, pass CURRENT inspection codes including turn-signals and have the capability to run full time lighting (and run them)... However, Hand signals are considered legal signals, and "factory" lighting is usually considered to be adaquate (so there's a bit of leeway).....

Are you as confused as I am?........

 

[stocker350]

Haha, well regardless of the laws or what have ya, I'm working on fixing the issue because it's just plain safe to ride with lights on. I'm not going to stop riding until it's fixed though.

 

[stocker350]

So I got the new battery in, new exhaust, and cleaned for hours. The bike is coming along nicely.
After putting in the new battery the blinkers blink more often but I'd like them to be a little faster. I was planing on keeping the stock blinker housing's but removing the posts and changing out the bulbs for LED's. My next question, questions are this:

Will LED's cause the blinking to be even slower or faster?
If they cause the blinking to be slower or they don't change the timing at all how do I speed up the blinking?
I think I'll change the tail light for this too:
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_c ... Id=&mmyId=

I want the bike to look stock but just be cleaner so IMO removing the blinker posts and going with a smaller tail light will aid in my vision.

 

[66Sprint]

You'll need to run all four as LED's...and use a LED purposed flasher.....IF you have the "running light" feature up front you MAY need to eliminate it......Depends on the specific bike....

 

[stocker350]

Cool, yeah I figured I'd run all four indicators LED. The LED purposed flasher? Is that a replacement of the stock one or an addition to the wiring some where.

 

[66Sprint]

Special for LEDs.... replaces stock one...The LEDs don't draw enough current to heat-up the standard flashers....won't work with them..... I believe the replacements are electronic rather than electro-mechanical...