My KiPass story

[lonekazoo]

My brother just picked up his new Ducati 1199 Panigali the other day, and wanted me to go on a long-ish ride.  After riding for a while at a nice brisk pace, he asked me if we could switch bikes.  I didn't need much time to answer.  I'm sure by now most of you know where this story is going.

We had our Sena intercoms on, and I hopped on the Panigali  and started to leave the rest area.   I pulled out first, and within about 10 seconds he says "something is wrong with your Concours."  I stopped, let him catch up to show me.   He tells me that a red light came on and the display was flashing a bunch of warnings.  I came back to look and everything looked normal.  We shrugged our shoulders and started again on our way.  Well--same thing; he yells at me to stop.  This time I had reached the end of the on-ramp and was in traffic, but pulled off on the very narrow shoulder.   He thought it was overheating, and was ready to get off my bike.  I was afraid that my ride on the beautiful red 1199 was about to come to an end before even making it to second gear; and maybe forever, if he thinks I can't take care of my own bike.

We checked all sorts of things, before it hit me that it seemed to happen only when I wasn't there to watch, and BINGO, I realized it had to be the KiPass transponder.  Sure enough, I had it in my pocket and as soon as I got a few feet away and he started to drive, it would throw an error on the dashboard.

The moral of the story:  If you're about to step out on your Concours--especially with a sexy red Italian bike--leave the KiPass at home, or she WILL know about it.

[maxtog]

[twowheeladdict]

You must have an '08 or '09?  My '12 doesn't do that.  But the '10+ have the passive keyfob as well as the active one.

[maxtog]

You must have an '08 or '09?  My '12 doesn't do that.

Yes the 2nd gen does do that.  If one uses an active fob to start the bike and then separates the fob from the bike while it is running, the bike will display some type of "transpoder error."  If one then shuts off the bike, I think it can restarted within a short amount of time, after that,  it is a no-go (until one brings the active fob back in range, or uses the fob passively)

My G37 acts almost the same exact way... except it also "dings" a few times while displaying the "No key" warning.

[B.D.F.]

Your '12 will do that too I think- start the bike, move the fob 'out of range' (call it 10+ feet away) and ride the bike; when the bike passes a certain speed it will probe for the fob (easy boys!) and if it does not find one, it will give you that LCD transponder warning. This only works when you start the bike using an RF fob though. If the bike is started by using the fob held against the ignition switch housing (any fob, active (remove) or passive, as long as it is not using the RF portion) when the fob is taken out of range (only inches away from the ign. sw. housing in this case) the bike will not register an error.

There are two parts to the authentication system on KiPass and they are not related. The RF portion is under the seat and needs and active fob to work; an active fob is one that has a battery and can broadcast an RF signal to the bike. RFID fobs work w/in about 5 feet of the center of the bike, and if the bike is started this way, KiPass will poll or probe for the fob at very specific times as long as it is running- if I remember right when the bike passes 20 KPH in speed, is shifted into 6th gear and perhaps one other instance.

The passive system is in the ignition switch housing and does not use RF (radio frequency) to communicate with the fob, it uses a 'web' can read the fob w/in a very short distance. This system does not require a battery in the fob. When the bike is started with this portion of KiPass, it does not probe (easy!) for the fob because it is expected that the rider would put the fob somewhere more than one inch away from the ignition switch housing while riding.

Here is the part that can be confusing: all fobs with batteries have both an RF and RFID portion to them- they will work using the RF if they have a battery with enough power to broadcast after being polled (easy!) but also have a portion that works with the RFID part of KiPass intended to be used when the fob battery is too weak or dead. That is when you have to hold the fob against the ign. sw. housing to start the bike. RFID only fobs that were supplied as the second fob with 2010 and later (second generation) C-14's do not broadcast and can only be used on the ign. sw. housing on the bike. Any C-14 can use any style fob but the first generation bikes were supplied with two active fobs while the second generation bikes are supplied with one active and one passive fob.

And the princess rode off into the sunset on the C-14 while holding her fob. The End.

Brian

You must have an '08 or '09?  My '12 doesn't do that.  But the '10+ have the passive keyfob as well as the active one.

[VirginiaJim]

And the princess rode off into the sunset on the C-14 while holding her his fob. The End.

Brian

FIFY

[B.D.F.]

Your version is less fairy tail like than mine was....

(yes, I know that is the wrong kind of 'tail' for this use. Maybe the wrong kind of fairey as well....)

Brian

FIFY

[VirginiaJim]

 

[lonekazoo]

Thanks for the detailed reply, Brian.

I was beginning to think big brother might play a role in determining if my bike should start or not as I walk up to it 

George

[VirginiaJim]

Say not those words out loud....you don't know who's listening....and yes, I am paranoid!

[B.D.F.]

Well that is what the fob is for.... really.... gov't spying! Sure it seems innocuous in your pocket but really it is listening and perhaps even.... watching. 

Back when the gov't was subsidizing those digital / analog TV converter boxes through PBS, some no- goodnick was spreading the rumor that they were really spy boxes watching the occupants of the living room..... or bedroom.... or perhaps even the bathroom. The look on people's faces when.... er, that rumor was spread was priceless. I still fully believe that way, way back in some people's mind they still wonder.     

By the way, just to point out that KiPass is not a Kawasaki invention or product- it was developed and patented, at least the security algorithm, quite some time ago. Kawasaki simply buys the hardware and installs it, the same way they buy the tire pressure sensors from LDL in France and use them.

Brian

Thanks for the detailed reply, Brian.

I was beginning to think the NSA or IRS might play a role in determining if my bike should start or not as I walk up to it 

George