Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Burbs on May 03, 2014, 07:47:37 AM

Title: My bike just died
Post by: Burbs on May 03, 2014, 07:47:37 AM
For some reason my bike just died this morning as it was warming up. To keep it short and sweet, here is what happened;

-As the bike was warming up I heard a repeated clicking sound from the KIPASS area
-All of a sudden I saw a flash of the key on the screen, then immobilizer error then I turned it off
-Switched FOB's and attempted to start the bike and the screen went blank
-No more flashing red light, no clicking sound
-Went inside my house for 10 minutes and came back out to a red blinking light, turned the key and the screen came on, pressed the starter then it died


Some key facts;

-This happened to me last year http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=14178.msg173865#msg173865 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=14178.msg173865#msg173865)
-I put a brand new battery as it seemed to me it was a battery issue and then the bike ran fine
-Rode the bike yesterday and did hear the clicking sound but nothing happened
-Bike is attached to a battery tender when not riding
-Just attached the battery tender and it the red light was not flashing which would be an indication of a battery issue
-FOB batteries were replaced after my last incident as well however there was no flashing on the screen of needing a new battery

Any thoughts what this could be again? Bike is out of warranty so I'm a bit nervous what the issue could be.

Thanks,

Chris
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: B.D.F. on May 03, 2014, 07:59:09 AM
Loose and / or corroded battery terminals. Also, check the battery's ground cable where it attaches to the frame just to the right of the battery.

Brian


For some reason my bike just died this morning as it was warming up. To keep it short and sweet, here is what happened;

-As the bike was warming up I heard a repeated clicking sound from the KIPASS area
-All of a sudden I saw a flash of the key on the screen, then immobilizer error then I turned it off
-Switched FOB's and attempted to start the bike and the screen went blank
-No more flashing red light, no clicking sound
-Went inside my house for 10 minutes and came back out to a red blinking light, turned the key and the screen came on, pressed the starter then it died


Some key facts;

-This happened to me last year http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=14178.msg173865#msg173865 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=14178.msg173865#msg173865)
-I put a brand new battery as it seemed to me it was a battery issue and then the bike ran fine
-Rode the bike yesterday and did hear the clicking sound but nothing happened
-Bike is attached to a battery tender when not riding
-Just attached the battery tender and it the red light was not flashing which would be an indication of a battery issue
-FOB batteries were replaced after my last incident as well however there was no flashing on the screen of needing a new battery

Any thoughts what this could be again? Bike is out of warranty so I'm a bit nervous what the issue could be.

Thanks,

Chris
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: maxtog on May 03, 2014, 08:50:47 AM
Loose and / or corroded battery terminals. Also, check the battery's ground cable where it attaches to the frame just to the right of the battery.

+1

It is always the first thing to check.  I got stranded by it once, myself and with very odd symptoms.  Computer just freaks out.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: Burbs on May 03, 2014, 08:53:00 AM
Last time the terminals were bad, this time they look fine but I am going to grab some cleaner to be on the safe side.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: mike on May 03, 2014, 10:01:38 AM
Loose and / or corroded battery terminals. Also, check the battery's ground cable where it attaches to the frame just to the right of the battery.

Brian





yep..
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: Burbs on May 03, 2014, 10:51:18 AM
Looks like that fixed it. The terminals didn't seem too corroded but I guess it was just enough to cause an issue.

Thanks for the help fellas.

-Chris
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: maxtog on May 03, 2014, 12:31:39 PM
Looks like that fixed it. The terminals didn't seem too corroded but I guess it was just enough to cause an issue.
Mine weren't even hardly corroded, just not tight enough.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: MAN OF BLUES on May 03, 2014, 04:08:49 PM
yep
the resistive coating that forms during the charging cycles when on a tender are basically invisible, but once cleaned using abrasive techniques, you get the understanding that "it may look ok, but it isn't"..
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: martin_14 on May 04, 2014, 01:02:14 AM
good info here to keep in mind...
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: Conrad on May 04, 2014, 06:05:51 AM
While you were at it, I hope that you did as Brian suggested below?

Loose and / or corroded battery terminals. Also, check the battery's ground cable where it attaches to the frame just to the right of the battery.

Brian

Looks like that fixed it. The terminals didn't seem too corroded but I guess it was just enough to cause an issue.

Thanks for the help fellas.

-Chris
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 04, 2014, 07:03:03 AM
I'll repeat this ad-nauseam, but this is the darndest bike for battery connections coming loose or developing invisible corrosion.  It isn't a bad idea to check them once a season or even at every oil change depending on your mileage.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: martin_14 on May 04, 2014, 09:17:22 AM
I'll repeat this ad-nauseam, but this is the darndest bike for battery connections coming loose or developing invisible corrosion.  It isn't a bad idea to check them once a season or even at every oil change depending on your mileage.

maybe that's what's been keeping mine from developing this. I take it off the bike at the end of the season and clean all the contacts before putting it back on before starting the season...
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 04, 2014, 10:35:36 AM
Wise man...
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: B.D.F. on May 04, 2014, 11:59:55 AM
Yep, the C-14 does seem to develop loose battery terminals more than the average bike. I cannot say that with any real confidence, it just seems to be pretty common with this bike.

Preventing corrosion on battery terminals is fairly easy- any type of grease will go a long way to eliminate it. Some people use Vaseline with good success and spread some on their battery terminals as well....  :yikes: :rotflmao:  I find just a touch of motor oil and fully tightening them works well enough on my bike.

Brian

I'll repeat this ad-nauseam, but this is the darndest bike for battery connections coming loose or developing invisible corrosion.  It isn't a bad idea to check them once a season or even at every oil change depending on your mileage.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: clogan on May 04, 2014, 03:32:21 PM
I'll repeat this ad-nauseam, but this is the darndest bike for battery connections coming loose or developing invisible corrosion.  It isn't a bad idea to check them once a season or even at every oil change depending on your mileage.

Jim:
My C-14 is nothing compared to my KLR! Seems like everything vibrates loose on the thumper, including battery terminals. It's the first thing to check when having a no-start. I am often tempted to carry a tube of thread locker with me. A few rides ago, I lost the right side peg bolt. Vibrated loose, and fell off somewhere along the way. Such is life with a KLR. Still, wise to check any bike's battery terminals.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: Burbs on May 05, 2014, 06:13:39 PM
Going go have to take all the advice and just check it every so often. I'm just glad it wasnt anything really serious.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: B.D.F. on May 05, 2014, 08:10:10 PM
With a fob in your pocket, how serious can anything really be?

Brian

Going go have to take all the advice and just check it every so often. I'm just glad it wasnt anything really serious.
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: Stephen.G.Fiddes on May 07, 2014, 09:05:45 PM
Jim:
My C-14 is nothing compared to my KLR! Seems like everything vibrates loose on the thumper, including battery terminals. It's the first thing to check when having a no-start. I am often tempted to carry a tube of thread locker with me. A few rides ago, I lost the right side peg bolt. Vibrated loose, and fell off somewhere along the way. Such is life with a KLR. Still, wise to check any bike's battery terminals.

I recently installed the bearinged up shifer bearings, and didnt use thread locker, looked the bike over as usual one day on my way out and saw the bold had backed out to only having two threads holding my shifter on!!!  Put thread locker on it and re-installed.  That could have been ugly!
Title: Re: My bike just died
Post by: stevewfl on May 07, 2014, 10:03:01 PM
With a fob in your pocket, how serious can anything really be?

Brian


^^^  THAT (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)