Hazard Flashers only work with key in ON position?

[luvmy40]

I just noticed my Hazard flashers only work when the key is in the run/on position. Is that normal for the Gen 2s?

Seems useless to me.

The gen 1 flashers worked regardless of key position.

Edited August 9, 2021 by luvmy40

[M61A1MECH]

Pretty sure that is correct, I think my Goldwing was the same, pretty useless if you need to leave the bike to get help and you want to alert other drivers that the bike is on the shoulder. No way I am leaving a bike on the shoulder with the key in the ignition, even if it broke down.

[saddlebum]

I would be rewiring to a constant live/Bat point.

[circa1968]

Looking @ the electrical diagram, yes that is the way its wired, to only work with the key in on position.  The hazard switch appears to just provides the ground path for energizing the hazard relay.  

Best case, you could simply hardwire the hazard & flasher relays directly to fused power, straight from the battery, rather than switched power.  But need to spend some time looking at the other circuitry involved & how that would impact other functions.  The hazard & flasher relays are on the same power circuit (switched/fused) as the brakes & turn signals, so would need to make sure those two relays can have their power isolated without messing up any other functions.  Power to the relays actually comes through the normally closed brake switches.

 

[circa1968]

My last sentence was incorrect, its in parallel to the brake switches, not inline (wasn't fully caffeinated when I looked @ the spaghetti diagram).

Looks like you have two options. 

Easy option is to isolate that entire circuit from the switch, which would then allow all functions (i.e. brake lights, blinkers, etc) on the circuit to work without the switch being in the on position.  Just rewire the power side of the signal fuse to the battery directly.

2nd option, a bit more complex, would be to isolate the hazard/flasher relay power from the rest of the circuit and wire it straight to the battery via a fused line.

[N3FOL]

On 8/9/2021 at 7:51 AM, M61A1MECH said:

Pretty sure that is correct, I think my Goldwing was the same, pretty useless if you need to leave the bike to get help and you want to alert other drivers that the bike is on the shoulder. No way I am leaving a bike on the shoulder with the key in the ignition, even if it broke down.

I will also never leave my key on the ignition even if it broke down.  If I need hazard lights, I will have to stay close to the bike until help arrives.  On the other hand, I don't want the feature of being able to turn on your hazard lights even with the key in the ignition.  I just don't want any  random person turn on my hazard lights and leave it on.  

[saddlebum]

31 minutes ago, N3FOL said:

 I just don't want any  random person turn on my hazard lights and leave it on.  

Interesting point. Besides now-a-days they have some very effective LED road flares, saves from using up the bikes battery or convenient if the bikes battery is already Dead. https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=LED+road+flares

Edited August 11, 2021 by saddlebum

[N3FOL]

@saddlebum Nice product!  Being LED and battery operated, it should last for a long time if needed in an emergency.