Motorcycle Repair: electrical, yamaha xs 850, stator coil

Question
I have a 81 Yamaha xs 850 midnight special when i am riding it and turn the turn signals on they will blink until put on the brake, if i give it gas while i am braking they will blink again it also seems like i am having a hard time keeping the battery charged up. I have been told that it is probably like a voltage regulator or something along that line that is wrong with it. I have had the bike for about a year and it runs well for the most part.

Answer
Hi Ryan.
 You could have a couple of problems, but let's deal with one at a time.

1)  It sounds like you have a possible bad stator coil.  Test it by starting the bike and checking the voltage across the battery terminals.  You should have 13 - 15VDC across the terminals.  Less than that and you have a bad or failing coil.  This could be part or all of the problem.

2)  If the coil is fixed and the problem continues, then you have a short in the signal system.  Probably where the wires cross with the taillight/brakelight.

Start with that and let me know what you find.
Good luck.
FALCON