When my lights are off and I use my breaks the side light comes on. Is this normal or do you think I am shorting out somewhere.

 

Welcome to the forum, from what you have described you certainly have a problem, that should not happen.
Let us have some more info, is the bike new, has it any mods, has it just started happening etc.
Also we love pics.

 

If key is ON, then yes brake lights will work. Do you really want to be driving down road and have your brake lights not work???

 

I think the problem is that the side lights come on when applying the brakes, not the brake lights themselves..... possibly

 

I noticed the side light comes on when I apply the breaks when I was in the garage. Not while driving. The bike is a 1995 CBR 1000f . I am putting it back together for its MOT. I have replaced both front and back switches.

 

Factory lights have 3-wire connector for front lights. One wire is for always-on position lights and other is for winkers.

Do you have aftermarket 2-wire lights?

I suspect somehow your brake-light wires got connected to your turn-signals. Best to remove any aftermarket lights and restore everything back to stock factory OEM configuration.

 

Only in the US, in the EU it was (not sure if it still is) illegal to have running lights on so EU bikes only had 2 wire connectors. When I brought my F4i back from the states I had to disable the running lights before taking it for its MoT (state inspection)

 

Ok, so just brake circuit crossed over to winkers. Bizarre...

 

Well, it's the UK, what did you expect. I mean they drive on the wrong side of the road.