Im 16, im rebuilding a vision and honestly have no idea what im doing. I bought some new blinkers for my bike and after hooking them up, they turn on but don't blink. Ive asked around and people are saying it has something to do with the relays, but after googling it so i can buy a new one, i cant find any. Does this bike even have one and if it doesn't what else am i doing wrong?
The Prophet of Doom has graciously made available all sorts of technical information regarding the XZ series, just look at any of his postings and see the links he has provided. You could benefit from access to an owner's manual but also probably need a 'shop manual' for specific information and a wiring diagram.
A signal relay is set at the factory to blink at a reasonable rate when a specific amount of current is drawn through it. If you are trying to use LED blinkers in a system designed for incandescent bulbs the LEDs can't draw enough current to make the relay blink. If you try to draw too much current (like too many bulbs) the relay will blink much faster.
Fret is right. I'm also guessing they are LED units. If that's right there are three options:
1) swap them out for incandescent / halogen indicators.
2) get a set of ballast resistors (load resistors) to draw enough current to make them blink. You will need one per bulb at about $5 each, though sometimes one for each pair will do the trick. Wire them across the the two wires that feed each indicator unit.
3) replace the flasher unit with an LED compatible one (3-pin). There are about $10. I've not done this on an XZ, and not sure if it will work with models with self cancelling indicators (11K, 16R) They may not be plug compatible - you need to be able to read the circuit diagrams on the relay to check your wiring is correct.
If you don't know what you are doing, then option 1) is the easiest. 2) is not so hard
Recently experienced this as well, but I was not using LED bulbs so that could be a culprit here. Either way, if your bike currently runs, start it up and try again. As Fret Not pointed out, drawing too little or too much current could cause them to act up. Mine would only stay lit and not blink until the bike was running. Wouldn't hurt to buy new $5 12v bulbs either, as this solved my woes.
Simple test and beats chasing electrical gremlins that may or may not exist.
Thanks you guys, really helped me out. Im probably just gunna purchase some new blinkers and go from there. But my bike hasn't started yet so i will wait till then to test what inheritance suggested. Thanks again