Morning Tony.

Yes, you should have brake light (on both ignition switch positions) and tail light (in second position only) without engine running - they run off the battery.

Hi Alan,  That's what I thought.  So I'm going to go ahead and guess that it's what all have said that my ground (earth), is bad?. 

Are you able to test the circuits with the battery and a couple of long lengths of wiring? For example, disconnect the rear brake light switch and connect the battery direct to the two wires in the loom (brown and green/yellow?).

Hey guys, got the tail light and brake light working as it should thanks to all your suggestions/help.  Cleaned all connections to include ground and she's working like a charm.  Thank you all, looks like I can now register it for the street and start enjoying it, well after I ensure oil pump is putting out enough (I have another thread on that with good suggestions - as usual)... 

Side note, electrical as well.  I can't get my left rear turn signal to work, I ground it but nothing, if I remove the socket assembly (if that makes sense), from the housing and ground that it will light but if I try and ground the assembly using a test light it wont light but the test light will...  Oh how I loath electrical!!! 

Thanks again for all your help guys!

Seems like you have located the problem. 

A test light is not a good substitute for a ground conductor as the filament of the lamp has considerable electrical resistance. A piece of wire would be better. 

If the test light is illuminating that is a indication you are measuring across a break (open) in an energized circuit.

In this case it may likely be oxidized connections in the ground circuit for this turn signal that are not conducting current (open).

Not sure about this model but others I've had were fussy about the frame connection (large ring lug)  that was also the mechanical mount for the turn signal.

Yes, the test light lighting when "substituting" it for a ground means current is flowing and you have a bad ground. 

Thank you for the reply, The turn signal is new (reproduction) but I think I understand what you're trying to tell me, I'll try grounding with a plain wire to see if that makes a difference.  Thanks again...

Thanks Mark, as is painfully obvious electrical escapes me.  I will give it a go with just a piece of wire to see what I get. 

Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE electrical!  So I took a brake from dealing with the turn signal after reading comments on how I was checking ground wrong with my test light.  I decided a couple of hours later to get back on it with just a length of wire to test ground.  I turned the key on and had nothing, I thought that maybe I drained the battery with all my other testing so I put the trickle charger back on it which took it back up to 100% pretty quick. still no power to any lights or horn, nothing!  After playing with the wiring checking connections all of a sudden I have power again. The worst part of that is I have no idea what I did to get the power back. 

I did test the turn signal with a length of wire which was successful so I connected it as shown in picture and did the same to the other side.

 

If you were testing for bad ground wrong with the test light, then I do it wrong all the time.