New Bike (to me) with Two Electrical Issues

Just picked up this bike. It's a 1984 Kaw GPZ 1100 (essentially a factory hopped-up KZ 1100). The bike has two "issues" that I'm hoping that you guys can point me in the right direction. Bike starts and runs fine thus far (only had it for a day).

1 - The turn signals don't work at all. The seller told me that a couple of months they just stopped working. I'll check the fuse this eve, but if it's not blown, any ideas?

2 - On the dash, the "warning" light is flashing and the "battery" light on the tank display is also flashing. I assume that the warning light is flashing because of the battery issue. The owner showed me receipts from 2 years ago that he replaced the stator and the voltage regulator with brand new (old stock) Kawasaki parts (he even gave me the old parts in the new boxes) and said that he has not had a charging problem since (other than the dash lights). He also put a new battery in the bike at the same time.

He told me that he thought that the battery light was flashing due to the bike having a new sealed, maintainence-free battery that is not like the batteries made when the bike was designed and that the diagnostic part of the bike's electronics don't know how to deal with the newer battery and see it as an error, but it works fine.

I hit the little voltage test button on the tach and it showed it charging at about 14ish volts. Any thoughts on this? I've started her a half of dozen times and rode her around a little and no issues yet.

Thanks so much!

I also sent the above in a PM to one of the more knowledgeable forum people here (Mfolks) and he got back to me within minutes with this (THANK YOU MFolks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I'd first replace the siver flasher relay(it looks like a two pronged silver can).I believe there are two flasher cans on these bikes;one for the turn signals, the other for the four way(emergency) flashers.

Yuasa used to make special batteries for the GPz's with a sensor that connected to the bike's electrical system. They quit making them some years ago. To get around this problem on my bike, I got a 9 volt battery holder, connected the Plus(+) terminal to the sensor lead and grounded the Negative(-) terminal to the frame.

I used a battery holder with a built in switch so the battery isn't on all the time(one more thing to turn on and off)."

As I mentioned in the private message, replace the flasher can and check the left handle bar switch pod for corrosion.

The high/low beam switch is there along with the four way emergency switch,turn signal switch,and horn switch(they all probably need cleaning).

Oh, the little red switch (emergency switch maybe) on the on the upper right inside part of the left bar controls does nothing either. I'm assuming that it's the emergency blinkers switch which makes sense if the turn signal switch does nothing either.

Yes, that's the four way flasher switch. Some European GPz's don't have them(I believe).

Figure on spending a good day going through the many and various electrical connectors spraying and cleaning them.
I do my bike at the end of the riding season by opening (disconnecting) the connectors one at a time, spraying it with electrical contact cleaner, and working (mating and de-mating) several times until I'm happy with the pins and sockets being clean.

The headlight housing has a majority of main harness connectors, all should be checked for corrosion along with both handlebar switch pods.
__________________________________________________________
Why WD-40 Should Not Be Used On Motorcycle Electrical Items.

For many years, I was proponent of the use of WD-40 on fuse clips, fuses, switches and connectors. After hearing of other peoples experience with intermittent and sporadic activity, I shrugged it off as maybe they did something wrong in the application of the product.

It wasn’t until the time I rode my 1982 GPz1100 B2 model to downtown San Diego that I encountered the problems others had gone through.

After concluding my business downtown, I walked to where my bike was parked, turned the key to unlock the forks, and prepared to start the engine. The key was in the “On” position, yet I had no lights in the dash panel, the fuel pump was not running(I have FI), and the horn and tail light were not working.

Stumped as to why nothing electrical was happening, I remember my earlier conversations about how WD-40 will over time become a non-conductor(more like an insulator). I had some pieces of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper in my tool kit and with them was able to scratch away the coating from the WD-40 on the fuses and clips.

After removing the insulating film, the bike started and ran like it should. Since that time, I’ve told people about the problem with WD-40. If you must use a contact cleaner, I recommend getting some “De-oxit” from Radio Shack Stores or any good electronic supply store. www.deoxit.com is their website.

very, very good info! Once again, thank you MFolks! Got my insurance today (Progressive Online, $116 per yr, full coverage). Going to Motor Vehicle Administration this coming Thurs to do all the tag/title stuff and should be on the road officially after that.

I'm 43. Before this GPZ, I had other sport bikes in the 80's and 90's. A few old GSXR's (two 86's and one '89), an '84 Interceptor, a Triumph T595 (later renamed to 955i), etc, etc. I had a bad street bike accident in 1998 and the wife asked that I stay off the street for a while, so I went back to my dirt bike roots (that I did in my teens and twenties) and rode ATVs and dirt bikes for the past 12 years.

For the last couple of years, I've had the itch to come back to the street. I didn't want another GSXR type bike as I'm out of that phase. This seemed like a good bike to go with. Old school and fairly comfy, but yet powerful, etc. Everything that I was looking for. I really can't wait to start logging some road miles again! Thanks to all of you (and especially you MFolks). I see that you are in Missouri. I have family scattered around the state out there. Beautiful state! I'm in Maryland. Nice roads for riding here as well.

My wife and I moved from southern California(East San Diego) about 7 years ago to get out of the crowding and increased crime. My Brother and his wife were just back there last week,and he mentioned the crowding and how he almost got rear ended several times from drivers following too close.

I miss the beauty of San Diego, but not the way it's become with the crowding. The area has some wonderful roads for bikes like the road to the Hale observatory on Palomar Mountain,the route to Julian,Otay lakes road around the lower lake, and Sunrise highway up into the mountains.

Just sent this PM to Quad:

"I got my problem sorted out the other day, seeing how it was my first electrical issue I was kinde proud that I managed to find the source of the problem my self, with some prior hints from my dad

Having checked all the fuses, seeing that they where OK, I took power directly from the battery to the flasher relay, which made the flashers/indicators work. This ment the problem was between the relay and the battery, and not the other way.

Using the wiring diagram I pinpointed the problem to either where the 10 amp fuse gets power from the wire that suplies the other three 10 amp fuses with power, or where it connects to the fuse. So I checked the inside of the fuse box, and there it was! One of the cables to one of the fuse clamps to the flasher relay had come of I just solderd it on, and it then the flashers worked!"


Seeing how easy it was checking if the flasher relay works or not, I think it's wastefull to just replace it before even making sure it's really broken or not.

If I would get another bike with the flashers not working at all I would probalby check thins in this order:

1: Is the fuse broken?
2: Can there be current between battery and relay?
3: Check if relay works, using both the ground cable it is conected to, and just holding it to the frame...this would sort out in which are the problem lays.

Well, maybe this will help someone, I'm pleased I got them working again at least. Just installed a new relay on the bike for my heat grips, will see if that worked today