Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: OregonLAN on May 19, 2011, 01:39:41 PM

Title: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: OregonLAN on May 19, 2011, 01:39:41 PM
So, for the very first time, I decided to wash my bike.

It appears that the gauges aren't sealed very well because there are some small water droplets on the inside of the speedo and tach. What's the easiest way to go about removing/disassembling the gauges? While I'm in there, I'm going to try and seal it better too...
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Pokey on May 19, 2011, 01:46:18 PM
That is really strange, I have ridden in allot of rain and wash my bike all the time. ???
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Tactical_Mik on May 19, 2011, 01:54:48 PM
I agree with Pokey.  I ride in the rain all the time and only wash my bike when it really, really needs it.  Sometimes, I even pressure wash the plastic panels at the car wash to get the really heavy stuff off and haven't had moisture in the guages.  Might want to take a look and possible call a dealer and discuss it at length and maybe get a warranty fix.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: OregonLAN on May 19, 2011, 02:12:33 PM
Nah, it's not important enough to take to a dealer; I don't trust them anyways. I'm sure the seal is just pinched or seated improperly around the edges. I had a similar issue with my Suzuki.

Here are some pictures of the water droplets:
(http://www.oregonlan.com/zggtr/water1.jpg)
(http://www.oregonlan.com/zggtr/water2.jpg)

I was just wondering if anyone had any information on how to remove the gauges before I end up removing unnecessary plastic to get to it...

Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Gearhead82 on May 19, 2011, 02:34:15 PM
I didn't like how loose my gauges were so I fixed them last weekend so this is fresh in my mind.  Here's what I did:

-Remove windscreen
-Remove both of the black fairing covers on the left/right side of the instrument panel (the ones that come down across the top of the fairings)
-Remove the 2 screws beneath the windshield and the 2 black plastic "rivets" holding the plastic panel beneath the windshied.  To remove the rivets, just use something to push on the center of the pin until it "pops" in a little, then pull out the whole rivet.  Then remove the black panel.
-I think the instrument cluster itself is just held on by 3 small bolts (1 on top, 2 on the bottom) that you will need an 8mm (might have been 10mm) box wrench to remove.  They are mounted on some rubber pieces.  A magnet is helpful to make sure you don't drop the bolts.

That's as far as I went as I didn't need to remove the cluster but that should point you in the right direction.  BTW, I firmed up the gauges a little by adding a thick nylon washer between the bolts and the rubber mounts.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Conrad on May 19, 2011, 02:37:01 PM
So, for the very first time, I decided to wash my bike.

It appears that the gauges aren't sealed very well because there are some small water droplets on the inside of the speedo and tach. What's the easiest way to go about removing/disassembling the gauges? While I'm in there, I'm going to try and seal it better too...

Jim's gonna have a field day with this one.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: OregonLAN on May 19, 2011, 02:51:28 PM
I didn't like how loose my gauges were so I fixed them last weekend so this is fresh in my mind.  Here's what I did:

-Remove windscreen
-Remove both of the black fairing covers on the left/right side of the instrument panel (the ones that come down across the top of the fairings)
-Remove the 2 screws beneath the windshield and the 2 black plastic "rivets" holding the plastic panel beneath the windshied.  To remove the rivets, just use something to push on the center of the pin until it "pops" in a little, then pull out the whole rivet.  Then remove the black panel.
-I think the instrument cluster itself is just held on by 3 small bolts (1 on top, 2 on the bottom) that you will need an 8mm (might have been 10mm) box wrench to remove.  They are mounted on some rubber pieces.  A magnet is helpful to make sure you don't drop the bolts.

That's as far as I went as I didn't need to remove the cluster but that should point you in the right direction.  BTW, I firmed up the gauges a little by adding a thick nylon washer between the bolts and the rubber mounts.

Thanks for the information, especially concerning those plastic rivets. I was wondering how they came off...
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Assassin 11B3P on May 19, 2011, 03:14:24 PM
use a dremel.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: ZG on May 19, 2011, 03:38:09 PM
Wow, haven't seen that before...  :o 
 
I'd just park it in the sun for a bit, breakin that open seems like alot of work.  :-\
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Conrad on May 19, 2011, 03:51:46 PM
Yep, I thinik that's the first report of water in the gauges.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 19, 2011, 04:37:28 PM
So, for the very first time, I decided to wash my bike.

It appears that the gauges aren't sealed very well because there are some small water droplets on the inside of the speedo and tach. What's the easiest way to go about removing/disassembling the gauges? While I'm in there, I'm going to try and seal it better too...

I have no sympathy for you.  Washing a bike causes nothing but heart ache and misery.  In my case, it ran roughly one time and the next time I did it I had a KIPASS ignition no start.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: OregonLAN on May 19, 2011, 04:46:23 PM
Wow, haven't seen that before...  :o 
 
I'd just park it in the sun for a bit, breakin that open seems like alot of work.  :-\

It's sitting in the sunshine right now.

My primary concern is to prevent it from happening again. This weekend I will have the plastic off to plug up that pair valve line. That's probably when I will do it.

Luckily my KIPASS still works fine. The first time it fails, I'll be installing a bypass switch.
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: MAN OF BLUES on May 19, 2011, 05:48:03 PM
don't know how the water got in there.... ???
http://youtu.be/OXc5ltzKq3Y (http://youtu.be/OXc5ltzKq3Y)
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: ZG on May 19, 2011, 05:51:08 PM
don't know how the water got in there.... ???


 :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:


That's awesome, love it!!
Title: Re: Help removing the gauges please.
Post by: Conrad on May 20, 2011, 04:50:47 AM
I have no sympathy for you.  Washing a bike causes nothing but heart ache and misery.  In my case, it ran roughly one time and the next time I did it I had a KIPASS ignition no start.

Tole ya