K11 Owners Group

[Flying Duck]

I was about 15 blocks from leaving my friend's house, taking a left from a left turn lane up a hill at a major intersection of two four lane roads. Right at the apex of my left turn the LT stalls, restarts for a millisecond, then dies altogether. I pulled onto the double yellow center line and let the cars behind me pass. When there was a gap in traffic I duck walked it to church parking lot next to me.

I 'd looked for my cell phone before I went out it but didn't see it so decided I didn't need it. I was regretting that now.

I tried to start he bike several times, no luck. For some reason, my first guess was that it was where I'd shorted the sidestand switch so I looked under the seat. I was almost right. It wasn't my short but the wire going into the factory connector:



I didn't have my cell phone but at least I had my camera.

The way I'd had it zip-tied it to the frame rail must have put it under stress.

I only carry the factory tool kit with me in town so I used the pliers to clip the other wire the off of factory connector, stripped both wires and twisted them together. And off I went.

Just another reason the hate the sidestand switch. And a reminder to always take my cell phone.
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93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
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[tmoons]

Looks familiar. I did a clutch job, all went well, had no parts to spare…
But starting... no… turning over yes…

In the end I found out the switch it self was missing a little cap on the knob that is pushed down… so it did not make contact…. I took the connector apart, (as it is designed to do so) and connected the 2 leads. Works like a charm.

[Milton]

Correcto you are Mr. Duck. I just read your post and then rushed down to my bike to trace my burnt wiring. That is the little bugger that caused my ill fated weekend. Evil little bugger that it is.

I saw your picture and said to myself "self that looks exactly like the connector and wire colors that melted". I was just assuming that it was the gear selection indicator as I did not remember that the side stand has a switch and some wires unless I leave it down sometime! Well that will be an even easier fix than the selector and the rest I have to do.

It got me once before when I first got the bike. Purchased it in Carlsbad, CA. Test rode it, paid the guy and off I went. Got into the valley somewhere and there was a wreck and slow traffic and hot weather and what do you know I'm boiling over. Pull into a CalTrans station, convenient, let her cool down and add some of my drinking water. After about 20 minutes I try to start her up, no go. Damn this guy screwed me. Try calling him up but no answer, he's off cashing the cashiers check. Fiddle farted around for about 40 more minutes; pulled a plug to check for spark everything seems to work. Decided to move it out of the way, taking up a parking space. Sit on the bike lift it up and as soon as I put my foot on the side stand to pull it up I remembered reading that it is switched. Try starting it again and it just starts so easy, argh. Ride another 60-80 miles, on my way to Barstow, and get into some Friday afternoon get-the-hell-out-of-Dodge traffic and bingo I'm boiling over again. Pull into an interchange gas station motel restaurant area. Take some plastic off and get my fingers in on the fan and I can barely turn it, it too had melted the brush holders, its frozen. Wait around about 4 hours for the traffic to get better, it doesn't. Decide I'd better get going or I'm not going to get anywhere. Buy 4 liters of bottled water and off I go. Traffic is still slow temp gauge starts to climb so the only thing I can do is lane split. Do this for about 6-8 miles, damn that is scary. I can understand why they do it but I can't believe its legal. After the traffic improves I'm off to the races and make it home with 4 liters of water.

Thanks,
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Jethro Tull: Thick as a Brick!

1992 K100RS 48K. Dead for now.
1998 Triumph Tiger 43K->56K. Doin it in the dirt.
1978 Honda CB400T 32.5K. For my boys.