Here's an idea. KIPASS hidden button.

[firehawk618]

I have read many stories about the dreaded KIPASS leaving people stranded or them having to use a rock and whatnot to get it working.

From what I understand the root cause of the failure is simply that microswitch that gets pressed when you press in on the ignition switch.

Why not be pro active and wire in a hidden button so that if it starts acting up one could just resort to their hidden button to trigger the KIPASS?

I'll study the schematics but it really cannot be that hard to do.  Find the 2 wires that the button that the ignition switch connects when pressed, tap into that pair and run it to your hidden button.  That way the regular KIPASS button would work but you have a back up button to wake up the bike if needed.

Leaves the anti theft completely intact and would give a piece of mind that you wouldn't have to resort to the KRock or unplugging and replugging in connectors to get going again......

Hell, depending on how they factory button works it might even be possible to wire it into an existing button on the bike.  Of course analyzing the schematic would be necessary first.

[B.D.F.]

Believe it or not, I have had that same idea! What a coincidence.

Just so you can jump ahead though, you cannot get to the circuit that is the basis for the KiPass activation switch because it is buried in the ignition housing. That said, there may be another work- around for this problem.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=6976.msg82841#msg82841

 

Brian

I have read many stories about the dreaded KIPASS leaving people stranded or them having to use a rock and whatnot to get it working.

From what I understand the root cause of the failure is simply that microswitch that gets pressed when you press in on the ignition switch.

Why not be pro active and wire in a hidden button so that if it starts acting up one could just resort to their hidden button to trigger the KIPASS?

I'll study the schematics but it really cannot be that hard to do.  Find the 2 wires that the button that the ignition switch connects when pressed, tap into that pair and run it to your hidden button.  That way the regular KIPASS button would work but you have a back up button to wake up the bike if needed.

Leaves the anti theft completely intact and would give a piece of mind that you wouldn't have to resort to the KRock or unplugging and replugging in connectors to get going again......

Hell, depending on how they factory button works it might even be possible to wire it into an existing button on the bike.  Of course analyzing the schematic would be necessary first.

[maxtog]

Why not be pro active and wire in a hidden button

There is really no need for the "hidden" part- there is nothing dangerous or secret about the microswitch on the stove key.  At least, not that I know of, anyway.

[firehawk618]

Good point.

I didn't read the link you posted yet.

After looking at the schematic I can see it will pretty much require using a VOM to figure out what pair of wires wake the bike up.  That is assuming it's a digital circuit and not some K-line or canbus type.  The schematic only shows a group of wires going from the ignition switch branching off to various modules and wouldn't ya know they don't label what each pin is on those modules.

Does anyone know of a factory service or repair manual that can be viewed online?

[firehawk618]

B.D.F. lol I just skimmed your link.  I see you're a few hundred miles ahead of me on that one. 

[maxtog]

Does anyone know of a factory service or repair manual that can be viewed online?

Sorry, Kawasaki doesn't provide or allow that.

[B.D.F.]

It is an old, well known problem and I have had a C-14 since 7/2007. Kawasaki has improved but apparently not eliminated the problem. Now of course the percentage of people who do suffer the problem has always been small but really it should be -0- in my opinion. After the first few people got stuck, I decided to see if I could introduce a work- around for the problem which I did way back. Unfortunately it required cutting into the factory harness which some people cannot or will not do. So I sourced the parts and cobbled together the bypass in the link I already posted. So far they have saved three (3) people from certain death! OK, maybe not certain death but either being stuck or having to do a lot of twiddling / hammering on the bike in the hope (without certainty) of getting it started. I am a long distance, timed event rider myself and to be honest, I just could not tolerate the idea that I might have to futz around with the bike at a fuel stop or similar and possibly lose an event over such stupidity as the failure of a switch worth about $0.03 (when you see one, you will be surprised that they ever work).

But I do think you had a great idea there!   

Brian

B.D.F. lol I just skimmed your link.  I see you're a few hundred miles ahead of me on that one.