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dibdob69 Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 42 Location: Near Warwick in the UK
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 3:11 pm Post subject: Newbie with Electrical Problems |
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Newbie with Electrical Problems
I have a 03 1150gsa and have always fancied a k11 so i just got myself a 93 k1100lt But when i turned up to collect it the chap told me the battery was flat and it woulds not start we gave it half an hour on his charger but it would only click when you pressed the start button, The bike had been MOTed last month and only done 5 miles since so i took a chance as he seemed like a good chap but i think i have made a mistake
I have had the battery on charge for about 24 hours but still i only get the starter relay clicking, i tried another battery and tried jumping it of my car but no change. I have pulled the relay and had a look and it looks OK inside but when i looked inside the box of relays the temperature control relay is missing ?
Also on the list of things that don't seem to be working are the lights, Horn, screen and the radio, The hazard lights work but the indicators all flash when you press the left, right or cancel button and is the fan supposed to come on when you press the top second from left switch on the fairing ?
Please help  |
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Ernie-NH Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 982 Location: Bristol, New Hampshire
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Hello "...dbdo69"...
One of our more resourceful and inspiring members in Australia, provided us all with a simplified version of the K1100 electrical schematic which has enabled many of us to finally resolve electrical issues unique to our individual machines... It is only fitting that you too should avail yourself of this rarified and definitive technological gem as defined by none other than the K11 master "Drikko" himself !!! Be sure to add this to your shop manual.....
<<< http://www.k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10675&highlight= >>
Best regards.....// Ernie in NH _________________ AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7 |
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Stoked Steve Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 01 Sep 2004 Posts: 1402 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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You need a new battery before going any further. Our K's are extremely sensitive to a low or dying battery. You'll just be chasing phantoms if you try to go any further with the current one.
Odyessy makes a good replacement (PC680 about $125 US$) maintainence free one, not sure if those are available in the UK.
Once a new, properly charged battery is installed, we can start to help you diagnose the issues (hopefully there won't be any with a fresh battery!).
My 2 cents, (or pence!). _________________ Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom
Last edited by Stoked Steve on Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:48 am; edited 2 times in total |
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whyoldbill Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 440 Location: in the boonies, northwest of Columbus, Ohio
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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skdonlan wrote: | You need a new battery before going any further. Our K's are extremely sensitive to a low or dying battery. You'll just be chasing phantoms if you try to go any further with the current one.
Odyessy makes a good replacement (PC680 about $125 US$) maintenece free one, not sure if those are available in the UK.
Once a new, properly charged battery is installed, we can start to help you diagnose the issues (hopefully there won't be any with a fresh battery!).
My 2 cents, (or pence!). |
What he said, x 2! _________________ '02 - GL1800
The desired effect is what you get when you improve your interplanetary funksmanship - George Clinton |
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drikko Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 20 Nov 2009 Posts: 1966 Location: Brisbane, OZ
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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Ernie-NH wrote: | Be sure to add this to your shop manual.....
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But that's only the OZ models, the Brit ones are different
Any AGM battery that fits will help things along  _________________ K1100RS '97
Laverda RGS 1000 '84
Jim Young Trailer Sailer 5.7M WB
DISCLAIMER:- Anything I say may have been when I was drunk so please don't take it personally.
'Bigamy is having one wife/husband too many. Monogamy is the same.'
Oscar Wilde |
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Jim Site Admin

Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 3841 Location: WHERETHEFUNNEVERENDS
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:33 am Post subject: |
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Welcome to the K11OG!
+ 1 on the new battery.
It won't hurt anything to spray your kill switch and sidestand switch with contact cleaner. If you are comfortable working on things that fly apart, you can take the kill switch apart and clean it You can also pop the side panels and tank off and clean every connector you see. _________________ Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repairing
1992 K75RTP 46,000
"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed." |
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Number 6 Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 481 Location: Paris area, France
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:35 am Post subject: |
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He said it won't start even with a jump start from the car, so a new battery shouldn't be enough.
Check the side stand switch (and the kill switch too, you never know). _________________ I am not a number, I am a free man.
94 K1100LT |
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Inge K. Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 458 Location: Norway
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:06 am Post subject: |
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You got worn brushes and/or dirty commutator at the starter.
The problem with lights, flasher, horn and screen also indicates this.
All this is feed through the load shedding relay, this relay is grounded
through the starter brushes and commutator.
Search for starter dismantling/cleaning.
Inge K. |
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Number 6 Flying Brick Rider

Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 481 Location: Paris area, France
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:24 am Post subject: |
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Inge K. wrote: | You got worn brushes and/or dirty commutator at the starter.
The problem with lights, flasher, horn and screen also indicates this.
All this is feed through the load shedding relay, this relay is grounded
through the starter brushes and commutator.
Search for starter dismantling/cleaning.
Inge K. |
Didn't pay attention to all the details, but I can only +1.
Try to hit the starter itself with the back of a screwdriver, it is behind the engine on the left, just over the gearbox. If you manage to run the starter afterward it confirms the worn brushes (hitting should set the brushes in position again but it won't last). _________________ I am not a number, I am a free man.
94 K1100LT |
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Ernie-NH Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 982 Location: Bristol, New Hampshire
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:54 am Post subject: |
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Good morning "...dbdo69"
First.... Welcome to "K11OG",,, plus, "good", "bad", or "marginal"... you should start K-life with a new high CCA, sealed battery like the PC680.
Second....in addition to the "drikko schematic" get a good colored schematic, ( found here in the stickies ) and have a print-shop blow it up to big size. Then mount it in your shop for reference.,, and YES ""clean every connector you see." as Jim says, and then make it a ritual to do the same EVERY year at the same time.
Third.... also do as Inge advises, if the bike has not been religiously cared for. After I first got my K1100, I was chasing electrical gremlins before nearly every ride. I then got to my Starter ( big job by the way ! Details at IBMWR K-maintenance ) and disassembled it. I could not believe the quantity of crud, internal grunge and small debris that had built up within the starter housing and the poor state of everything including the armature itself. I cleaned and degreased everything meticulously, redressed the armature pole gaps and replaced the brushes..... and viola ! All the gremlins vanished and the bike has been electrically flawless ever since...
Good luck, please keep us in the loop as you proceed...// Ernie in NH _________________ AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7 |
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dibdob69 Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 42 Location: Near Warwick in the UK
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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Big thanks to all you chaps
I managed to get hold of a new battery today but when i got home tonight i thought i would try hitting the starter motor with a big hammer first and she fired up first push of the button
I have fitted the new battery just to be on the safe side but the one fitted was a Odyessy PC680 and seems to charge up fine so i will keep that as a spare.
The lights and horn now work but the screen doesn't, looks like someone has fitted a new switch and the relays both click but no movement Is there a way i can get it down ?
I think theres a problem with the ABS when i looked at the screen switch i noticed one of the wires had broken away from the switch, in-fact a lot of switch wires behind the faring weren't connected, Also the red triangle light is on all the time
As for the radio it was not connected to anything ?
I bought the LT as a cheap winter bike so i think i might take the ABS stuff off, I don't have ABS on my GSA and never felt like i needed it.
Last edited by dibdob69 on Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ted Site Admin

Joined: 03 Apr 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: Further
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2011 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I have the same problem with my Windscreen - fortunately I stumbled across a roadside fix for a windscreen stuck in the up position due to a faulty switch here:
http://k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10331&highlight=windscreen
Yours might be frozen guides tho - Jim wrote the Bible on getting at those to clean and lubricate.
Still haven't gotten in there to fix it, got the screen where I like it (slightly above all the way down) and left it there  _________________
Ted
KOG#1 |
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Inge K. Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 458 Location: Norway
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:28 am Post subject: |
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dibdob69 wrote: | but the screen doesn't, looks like someone has fitted a new switch and the relays both click but no movement |
Lay a fingertip on the screen motor while activating the switch (both directions).
If you feel any movement, the motor or the mechanism is stuck.
if you don`t feel any movement, check fuse #9.
dibdob69 wrote: | Also the red triangle light is on all the time |
Check your brake light switches, brake light bulb and tail bulb.
Inge K. |
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malcolmt Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 369 Location: Parys, S.Africa
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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Ernie-NH wrote: |
Hello "...dbdo69"...
One of our more resourceful and inspiring members in Australia, provided us all with a simplified version of the K1100 electrical schematic which has enabled many of us to finally resolve electrical issues unique to our individual machines... It is only fitting that you too should avail yourself of this rarified and definitive technological gem as defined by none other than the K11 master "Drikko" himself !!! Be sure to add this to your shop manual.....
<<< http://www.k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10675&highlight= >>
Best regards.....// Ernie in NH |
Ernie,
That was a Laverda diagram Drikko posted
I keep having odd intermettent hassles on my K11, there sees somthing odd with the kill switch, sometimes it dosent KILL. And today I switched the key off and the bike carried on running !!!! Hmmm _________________ ******************************
A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
****************************** |
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Ernie-NH Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 982 Location: Bristol, New Hampshire
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Malcomb....
I apologize for the error on the Schematic... however, I used it to resolve my lawn mower problem and later a surly wash tub, it did the trick ! I wouldn't wonder if it suited the K11 to a "T" as well....
Best regards all.........// Ernie in NH _________________ AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7 |
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Ernie-NH Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 982 Location: Bristol, New Hampshire
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Malcomb....
I apologize for the error on the Schematic... however, I used it to resolve my lawn mower problem and later a surly wash tub, it did the trick ! I wouldn't wonder if it suited the K11 to a "T" as well....
Best regards all.........// Ernie in NH _________________ AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7 |
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dibdob69 Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 42 Location: Near Warwick in the UK
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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Had a look at the screen today, The switch is new and both relays click but I'm getting no power through to the motor ? |
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Inge K. Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 30 Apr 2011 Posts: 458 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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And fuse #9 is OK?
Inge K. |
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dibdob69 Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 42 Location: Near Warwick in the UK
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Inge K. wrote: | And fuse #9 is OK?
Inge K. |
Sorry yes fuse 9 is fine  |
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Ernie-NH Flying Brick Rider
Joined: 14 Oct 2009 Posts: 982 Location: Bristol, New Hampshire
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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Hello "....dob69"...
There is a cam operated switch fitted to the drive that "pushes/pulls" the two cables. IF it goes beyond 'reset' the motor will get no power, OR if that switch has failed, the motor will get no power. Disassemble the drive and check that switch for "function" and if good, check that it has not gone beyond reset... When I took my screen drive and cables apart they as well as the gear drive itself were filled with grunge, and the switch plunger had stuck 'closed' from the last operation of the screen. If your fuse is good, and the motor runs when disengaged from the assembly, home in on the switch itself. IF the motor does not run.... well guess you know what that means, eh?
Good luck....// Ernie in NH _________________ AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7 |
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