Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: lather on April 02, 2017, 06:39:27 PM
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Went to the gym today and rode the 09, which has been resting for a few days after our 2200 mile ride to Big Bend National Park.
After about 3 hours at the gym I tried to start her to head home but no KIPASS activation. I was able to activate it by whamming the knob (whoa!) in rapid succession 8 or 10 times. I started the engine but by now it had started to rain. I was on their covered "porch" so I played with it for a while and was able to repeat the above two more times, making sure the steering was not locked in case I needed to access Brian's BYPASS gizmo. The rain fizzled to a slight drizzle so I started again, using the same autoerotic technique described above. I made a stop at the nearby market for a Weihenstephaner Korbinian to soothe my frazzled nerves (when I got home of course). Same deal.
Once home I tried the knob and same result. I tried the BYPASS just for fun. It worked like a charm. I then pulled the knob and sprayed copious amount of SuperTech Carburetor Cleaner in the openings around the keyhole. That seems to have resolved the problem. I got activation on first press every time on ten test tries.
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What did you wham the knob with?
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My hand!
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I thought only a rock was the approved manner in such situations
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I was tense due to tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings that kept popping up on my phone. Failed to follow proper procedure and search for a rock! ???
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Who needs a rock of any kind after 3 hours in the gym?? ;D ;)!!!!
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Who needs a rock of any kind after 3 hours in the gym?? ;D ;)!!!!
After 3 hours in a gym I'd need a rocking chair.
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I'd need an ambulance..
Might not be a bad idea to remove the knob (sounds painful in more ways than one) and spray in the revealed slot around the 630 to 9 o'clock position with a cleaner. Hadn't thought of carb spray (I used contact cleaner), but as long as it doesn't leave a residue it should help keep this from happening. I haven't done mine yet this year.
Thanks for the reminder.
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Make sure anything you spray into the slot plastic friendly.
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Good point.
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Those of use who never remove the knob and thus never offend the KIPASS gods and don't have this problem. ;D
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Glad to hear you did not actually get stuck.
After all these years, I am still amazed that Kawasaki has not fixed that problem. It is a simple case of not designing something to be fail- safe and is easily corrected, at least from the manufacturer's point of view. Then again, I never particularly subscribed to the stastical method of addressing all problems; just because the odds are very good one will not have this problem, the odds are of little comfort to those who do.
And just to echo what others have said, you may want to be careful what solvent(s) you squirt into the key well (Easy Boys!). Not all solvents are friendly to all plastics, and that assembly is filled with plastic parts that really need to retain their shape to work.
Brian
Went to the gym today and rode the 09, which has been resting for a few days after our 2200 mile ride to Big Bend National Park.
After about 3 hours at the gym I tried to start her to head home but no KIPASS activation. I was able to activate it by whamming the knob (whoa!) in rapid succession 8 or 10 times. I started the engine but by now it had started to rain. I was on their covered "porch" so I played with it for a while and was able to repeat the above two more times, making sure the steering was not locked in case I needed to access Brian's BYPASS gizmo. The rain fizzled to a slight drizzle so I started again, using the same autoerotic technique described above. I made a stop at the nearby market for a Weihenstephaner Korbinian to soothe my frazzled nerves (when I got home of course). Same deal.
Once home I tried the knob and same result. I tried the BYPASS just for fun. It worked like a charm. I then pulled the knob and sprayed copious amount of SuperTech Carburetor Cleaner in the openings around the keyhole. That seems to have resolved the problem. I got activation on first press every time on ten test tries.
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Those of use who never remove the knob and thus never offend the KIPASS gods and don't have this problem. ;D
I rarely remove mine, but in fairness, it probably depends on how much it sits outside, how much crap is in the air, weather, all kinds of strange and unusual factors. (Note I didn't use "etc" since I guess that is somehow offensive to some people)
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I rarely remove mine, but in fairness, it probably depends on how much it sits outside, how much crap is in the air, weather, all kinds of strange and unusual factors. (Note I didn't use "etc" since I guess that is somehow offensive to some people)
etc offensive? I guess you can't please all of the people all of the time eh?
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et cetera
If you always spelled it out would it be pretentious instead of offensive?
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Thanks for all the replies Note: I always try to reply to replies to my topics without delay when I can. Was getting "cannot access server" message last two days.
I wish I had waited until I bought some plastic safe contact cleaner. The carb cleaner I used is contain toluene, acetone and heptane. It is hard on some plastics. But I am an impatient bastard whenever my ride is ailing!
Anyway, I tested the switch just now and all seems fine. Actually it is working better than ever. Since I purchased the 09 last April I always noticed the knob was slightly balky compared to my 08 now it is quite smooth like the 08.
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..... smooth knob..... and you do not think that could have used an 'Easy Boys!'?
:-)
Brian
Thanks for all the replies Note: I always try to reply to replies to my topics without delay when I can. Was getting "cannot access server" message last two days.
I wish I had waited until I bought some plastic safe contact cleaner. The carb cleaner I used is contain toluene, acetone and heptane. It is hard on some plastics. But I am an impatient bastard whenever my ride is ailing!
Anyway, I tested the switch just now and all seems fine. Actually it is working better than ever. Since I purchased the 09 last April I always noticed the knob was slightly balky compared to my 08 now it is quite smooth like the 08.
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I think I've posted this before but I made this short video to prove to someone who didn't believe it that the C14 stove-knob actually has a clutch mechanism in it to prevent someone from accidentally or intentionally damaging the key:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hulec8ZNLJo&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hulec8ZNLJo&feature=youtu.be)
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Yep, I've turned it 360 degrees a time or two..
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Every smooth knob should come with a good clutch
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Every smooth knob should come with a good clutch
And at least once a day.
Words to live by!
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And at least once a day.
Words to live by!
I wish :-[