Not all warning lights mean the same thing
Some mean stop immediately. Some mean book a service when convenient. Knowing which is which saves both unnecessary panic and expensive damage.
Your manual has the definitive list of symbols for your model. What follows is the general logic that applies across motorcycles — use it to decide what to do in the next five minutes, then confirm against the manual.
Stop as soon as it is safe
| Light | Why it is urgent |
|---|---|
| Oil pressure | Continuing to ride can destroy the engine in minutes. Stop, switch off, check oil level once cool. If the level is correct and the light stays on, do not ride |
| Coolant temperature / overheating | Stop and let it cool. Do not open the cap while hot — the system is pressurised and will scald you |
| Engine management light flashing | A flashing light generally indicates something more serious than a steady one. Ride gently to somewhere safe and stop |
Ride carefully, get it looked at soon
- ABS light. Your brakes still work, but assume the anti-lock function is not available. Increase your following distance and brake more progressively, especially in the wet. A common cause is a dirty or damaged wheel speed sensor, which is not expensive
- Engine management light, steady. The bike has logged a fault. Note whether anything feels different — power, idle, fuelling — and get the code read
- Traction control light. If it stays on rather than flashing during acceleration, the system may be disabled
Before you book anything
- Note the exact conditions. Cold or warm, at what speed, after how long, does it clear on restart
- Photograph the dashboard. Intermittent faults that vanish before the mechanic sees them are the hardest to diagnose
- Check the simple things: fluid levels, anything you fitted recently, any connector you may have disturbed during a wash
- Write down any code exactly as displayed
An important caution about clearing codes
Do not clear a fault code just to make the light go away. The code is the only evidence of what happened. Clearing it means the mechanic starts with nothing, and if the underlying fault is real it will return anyway — sometimes after the damage is done.
Report yours
Code:
Model, year, mileage:
Which light:
Steady or flashing:
When it appeared — cold start, motorway, after rain, after a service:
Any change in how the bike runs:
Code if displayed:
Diagnosis and cost, once you know:Come back and post the resolution. Threads that end without an answer help nobody, and this is exactly the information people search for.