Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: BrianK on August 07, 2016, 10:10:39 AM
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My 2009 has a windshield mechanism that has decided it will work when it wants to usually after I put some time/miles on it. Most of the time when I first start riding it doesn't cooperate but later in the day it will function. I used the search function to see if anyone has had a similar issue but I'm probably not putting in the correct terms because I am not getting any good hits. I rarely use it but it not working is not an option because I am extremely anal about this type of thing. Anyone have experience with this issue or a S.W.A.G.?
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Can't say that I've heard of that one. You may have to dig out the voltmeter and electrical diagram. Shop manual wouldn't hurt either. Barring have any of that around I would start by unplugging and plugging any connector going to the mechanism.
When it does work, does it work smoothly up and down?
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If it seems more problematic going in one direction than the other then I'd start with one of the relays. I've got a Gen II so I can't be specific on where to find them on a Gen I , also the Gen IIs are connected through the ECU and I don't think the Gen Is are. If I'm reading the wiring drawing correctly it appears that when the up relay is activated that the windshield motor gets 12v+ power through the up relay but is grounded through the down relay, and vice versa. If that's true then the problem could be in either relay even if it is only troublesome going in one direction.
I think I'd try (while the bike is cold) turning the bike on and tapping each of the relays lightly with a screw driver handle while holding the up button and see if anything happens. You might also make sure the windshield fuse is firmly seated (Fuse #5? Fuse box #3?).
Good luck!
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Can't say that I've heard of that one. You may have to dig out the voltmeter and electrical diagram. Shop manual wouldn't hurt either. Barring have any of that around I would start by unplugging and plugging any connector going to the mechanism.
When it does work, does it work smoothly up and down?
Yes when it works it works fine
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If it seems more problematic going in one direction than the other then I'd start with one of the relays. I've got a Gen II so I can't be specific on where to find them on a Gen I , also the Gen IIs are connected through the ECU and I don't think the Gen Is are. If I'm reading the wiring drawing correctly it appears that when the up relay is activated that the windshield motor gets 12v+ power through the up relay but is grounded through the down relay, and vice versa. If that's true then the problem could be in either relay even if it is only troublesome going in one direction.
I think I'd try (while the bike is cold) turning the bike on and tapping each of the relays lightly with a screw driver handle while holding the up button and see if anything happens. You might also make sure the windshield fuse is firmly seated (Fuse #5? Fuse box #3?).
Good luck!
Thanks I guess I'll start digging in probably next weekend. I'll be sure to report my findings for future reference.....
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Here's my S.W.A.G. Open your switch box and see if the contacts are dirty, oxidized or worn. Seems like when contacts are not nice and shiny they can get intermittent.
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Here's my swag..
Pull everything off the front end, pull the mechanism, motor, and asociated traks and gears...
Clean everything. Grease everything, and plug the motor in and cycle it before reassembling... then reassemble it all, and get on.
Its a freaking '09
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Sorry.
Technology has limits.... and mechanical parts need some care.
I'm sure you can get this fixed like if you don't burn up the motor in futile attempts of making it work.
Pull, examine, clean, fix, and reinstall...
.been working for many years.
Its just something us old buttwipes toss out to younger people, to get them into a mindset of "ownership", which includes some problem solving.. please don't be a person that can't handle the responsibility of some pre emptive, or repair basics... man, how did we land people on the moon. And get them back?
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Here's my swag..
Pull everything off the front end, pull the mechanism, motor, and asociated traks and gears...
Clean everything. Grease everything, and plug the motor in and cycle it before reassembling... then reassemble it all, and get on.
Its a freaking '09
.
.
.
Sorry.
Technology has limits.... and mechanical parts need some care.
I'm sure you can get this fixed like if you don't burn up the motor in futile attempts of making it work.
Pull, examine, clean, fix, and reinstall...
.been working for many years.
Its just something us old buttwipes toss out to younger people, to get them into a mindset of "ownership", which includes some problem solving.. please don't be a person that can't handle the responsibility of some pre emptive, or repair basics... man, how did we land people on the moon. And get them back?
I appreciate your insight and I've read numerous knowledgeable responses from you on many inquiries so I value your opinion <--not sarcasm
FYI I'm 47 yrs old ridden, raced, built, repaired motorcycles and cars since I was a teenager. Since the advent of the internet and car/motorcycle forums one of the lessons I have learned (usually the hard way) is if my current model bike/car has an issue more times than not I am not the 1st to have it and usually members before me have diagnosed and already come up with the most effective solution. Unfortunately there have been times when I have wasted time/money only to read later that I could of achieved the desired results using an already taken easier cheaper path. I mean I could of taken everything apart cleaned it, lubed it, reassembled it only to have it work for a week and then fail again then post about it on here and have someone say oh that is a common issue while you had it all apart you should of done blah blah blah now you'll have to do it all over again and by the way since you lubed it but didn't do blah blah blah you probably smoked the motor.
So my hard learned lesson is to throw up an inquiry first, at the peril of annoying the old buttwipes of the forum, because with all my experience I admittedly still don't know all, even though I do know about preemptive maintenance, the bike is new to me I need some time to undo the original owners neglect :chugbeer:
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Thanks I guess I'll start digging in probably next weekend. I'll be sure to report my findings for future reference.....
Sounds electrical to me..connections or possibly the motor.
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Here's my swag..
Pull everything off the front end, pull the mechanism, motor, and asociated traks and gears...
Clean everything. Grease everything, and plug the motor in and cycle it before reassembling... then reassemble it all, and get on.
Its just something us old buttwipes toss out to younger people, to get them into a mindset of "ownership", which includes some problem solving.. please don't be a person that can't handle the responsibility of some pre emptive, or repair basics... man, how did we land people on the moon. And get them back?
Yeah that could do it, unless one of the relays are bad, or if the switch gear that lather mentioned is bad, but then everything up front would be cleaned and greased and ready for the moon launch..and that wonderful overwhelming feeling of "ownership" would give you such a high that you would no longer care that the windshield won't go up and down except when it feels like it.
...sarcasm over...maybe, ....I wish I could tell you exactly what it is but I haven't heard of any common windshield problems that would set a history of failed components to point to.
I'd check the relays first, then the switch gear....( I hate working on switch gear, it never wants to go back together without pinching a wire or some such problem) I'd check the switch electrically with a meter before tearing into it, if it's working fine electrically then my advice is to leave it alone. Do as much diagnosis with a meter as you can before tearing into stuff. At least..that's the opinion of this old buttwipe, who was never the tech editor of anything.
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Sorry for being so short on patiance, I was just attempting to get in inspection of the parts that "move" out there.
While that is being done, electrical analysis can be taken on a bit easier also, at the important connections inside.
Since the bike came out, I have to say I've only seen reports of failure about 10 times, a couple of those were related to actual motor/drive malfunction, more were related to cleaning and lube of the mechanism, and only 2 or 3 were directly electric issues.
The disassembly and inspection thing seems the most fruitful to me, as once you are assured the mechanical drive is in fact not jambed, its on to electrics.
I find that many problems that pop up like this, are the result of someone twiddling with your bike when its parked, and you can't see it, people tend to push and pull and twist stuff, like a shield that's left up, and you never know that someone messed with it till it stops working...
Kinda like people twisting the stove knob on your bike when its unattended, and messing up the knob.
Best of luck sorting it out, hopefully its something simple, that assembly is a high cost item.
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Sorry for being so short on patiance, I was just attempting to get in inspection of the parts that "move" out there.
While that is being done, electrical analysis can be taken on a bit easier also, at the important connections inside.
Since the bike came out, I have to say I've only seen reports of failure about 10 times, a couple of those were related to actual motor/drive malfunction, more were related to cleaning and lube of the mechanism, and only 2 or 3 were directly electric issues.
The disassembly and inspection thing seems the most fruitful to me, as once you are assured the mechanical drive is in fact not jambed, its on to electrics.
I find that many problems that pop up like this, are the result of someone twiddling with your bike when its parked, and you can't see it, people tend to push and pull and twist stuff, like a shield that's left up, and you never know that someone messed with it till it stops working...
Kinda like people twisting the stove knob on your bike when its unattended, and messing up the knob.
Best of luck sorting it out, hopefully its something simple, that assembly is a high cost item.
Meh I'll take you being cranky every once in awhile I've learned a lot about my bike from reading your posts on a variety of subjects, seems like a very small price to pay. Knowledge is King :nuts:
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:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :chugbeer:
again, sorry, I'm always around to try to assist, and save people pain.
:-\
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Meh I'll take you being cranky every once in awhile I've learned a lot about my bike from reading your posts on a variety of subjects, seems like a very small price to pay. Knowledge is King :nuts:
Just stay off of his lawn! :rotflmao: :stirpot:
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Update...
Took it all apart tested motor lubed everything all is working now. I did not take the switch apart if the issue crops up in the future I will check that. Thanks for all the help! :chugbeer:
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I had a similar issue with my '09. One day winscreen wouldnt go up. After an hour or so of riding it started working fine. A few months latter it stopped working again. When i hit the swich i could see the lights dim so i knew the switch was good and the motor was getting power. I was still under extended warranty so i just took it in rather than investigate myself. They said the motor was bad and replaced the entire motor and track assembly. Luckily it was under warranty because the bill was nearly 1k.
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Update...
Took it all apart tested motor lubed everything all is working now. I did not take the switch apart if the issue crops up in the future I will check that. Thanks for all the help! :chugbeer:
Good to hear that its sorted.
I was going to suggest that the GTR does have 4 settings which can be predetermined by yourself, I was wondering if that might be the reason why your screen seemed faulty
just a thought :)
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Good to hear that its sorted.
I was going to suggest that the GTR does have 4 settings which can be predetermined by yourself, I was wondering if that might be the reason why your screen seemed faulty
just a thought :)
He has an 09- no pre-sets on that model year
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He has an 09- no pre-sets on that model year
Also, I am not aware of "4 presets" on any model year. Starting with Gen2 (2010+) they added a single preset memory and auto-lower (which can be overridden by holding the adjuster button when you turn off the ignition).
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He has an 09- no pre-sets on that model year
Also, I am not aware of "4 presets" on any model year. Starting with Gen2 (2010+) they added a single preset memory and auto-lower (which can be overridden by holding the adjuster button when you turn off the ignition).
Oh come on now max'...you knew what he meant..."4 [possible] settings" (like O.C. typed) any one of which that can be stored in the single memory. Picky word picky persnickdedly... ::)
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Oh come on now max'...you knew what he meant..."4 [possible] settings" (like O.C. typed) any one of which that can be stored in the single memory. Picky word picky persnickdedly... ::)
Exactly.... my 2016 bike certainly has this feature, and I seem to recall my 2008 model having a 'similar' feature, maybe that was U.K Euro spec ? ;)
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Oh come on now max'...you knew what he meant..."4 [possible] settings" (like O.C. typed) any one of which that can be stored in the single memory. Picky word picky persnickdedly... ::)
No, I actually had no idea what he was talking about. Words really do make a difference. I didn't understand what you were saying either at first because I have never actually used/changed the memory setting before; not until I thought about it a moment and then remembered and went back and read the manual to verify what I remembered. For some stupid reason, I was originally thinking the memory would remember whatever infinite single position the user wants.... but it really is only a single position from one of four presets: high, medium, low, or bottom.
Now everything makes sense!!
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My superior gen 1 '08 has a perfect memory...it stays where I put it.
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Strangely, mine does too.
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No, I actually had no idea what he was talking about. Words really do make a difference. I didn't understand what you were saying either at first because I have never actually used/changed the memory setting before; not until I thought about it a moment and then remembered and went back and read the manual to verify what I remembered. For some stupid reason, I was originally thinking the memory would remember whatever infinite single position the user wants.... but it really is only a single position from one of four presets: high, medium, low, or bottom.
Now everything makes sense!!
I highlighted the most important part of your post.
Ahhhh, now you've hit it outta the park max'. :goodpost: Great recovery, and a great tip for half of what takes place on almost every forum regardless of main theme (motorcycles, cars, cameras, tools, etc etc.)
Apologies for the persnickdedly comment. :-X :-[
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I always try to help, sometimes I might make a comment or observation that is incorrect - I don't know all there is to know about the GTR/Connie - but I do try to make every day a school day
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;D