Key in off: Electrical system is on 83 Spectre 750

Hello,

When I put the key to off, the electrical system stays on. Headlights, etc....

Anyone have a clue of what the problem could be.

I remedy the problem by disconnecting the positive wiring to the battery and then reattaching it. This solution does not work on the negative side of the battery. On a side note..... I have a battery tender attached to the battery between rides because of a potential regulator/rectifier going bad. I don't think the tender is the problem.

Could it be a relay or wiring problem?

Please help

I suspect the ignition switch has failed internally. www.z1enterprises.com should be able to get a new one for you. Before ordering a new switch, open up the headlight housing(remove the headlight ) and look for crossed wires/burned connectors.

Excuse my couple or 3 dumb qestions.

Is this a new problem ?
When you say "off" do you mean with the key fully counter clockwise or fully clockwise ? Some bike ignitions have a key position which will leave the lights on. parking lights. I found this out the hard way when I got my bike first and I ran the battery flat.
Am I reading your post correctly when you say you remove the negative battery lead and everything still stays on ?

Odd, I've just developed this problem this year and it is only the head light, idiot lights and markers that are powered. After a while if you switch it to on and back to off it turns off. Seems like it gets hot then after it cools down it is fine again, does yours do this too?

The key is in the labeled off position.

The lights that I have noticed so far are the headlights, lights on the panel like the neutral light, The turn lights, etc. All of the lights that would be on if the key was in the on position.

With the key in the off position. I disconnected the negative lead and the lights went off. But when I reconnected it, the lights went back on. I then disconnected the positive lead to the battery and then reconnected it. The lights went off like they should be with the key in the off position. For some reason disconnecting and reconnecting the positive lead to the battery resets something. It get annoying doing this after every ride.

This is new problem that has developed in the past two months. It was an intermittent. Every couple of rides I would have the problem. But now, the problem occurs every time. There was a couple of rides where It would take 30s or so for the lights to turn off in the with the key in the off position. I've tried turning the key from off to on and back to off after a ride but with no success.

The problem also exists if the bike is cold.

Tried cleaning the many and various electrical connectors?

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website.

On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach.
Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.

Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you.

Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting).
I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation.

Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........

Your problem is nearly exactly the same as mine except the negative pole disconnect will work most of the time but I rarely do that as if I just wait a minute or two it will turn off with the key. I have had my harness off and did a complete rework of it including replacing bad ends or complete sections. I have the coil power and headlight relay modifications to supply power directly. I recently wired in a Wolo Bad Boy air horn with a relay also but the problem had already started prior to that being installed.

Do you have a totally stock harness?
If you leave it in the "off" position will it go off on its own or do you have to go back to the key and turn it on then off again to get it to go off like I do?
Do you leave the key in the ignition when parked (thinking it might be garage or shed kept)?

Hello...]I was having the same problem.
After some frustration in thinkin I was gonna have to replace whole ignition switch (new key tumbler and all) on my 440 I was shown that the are easily taken apart and cleaned. There are two small screws on the bottom of the switch. You will find that it easily comes apart for inspection and cleaning. There werent any springs or bearings in my switch, so Im not cure if there are any in your s, but I would doubt it. Once apart there are like two or three parts in there, only go back in one way. You will easily see the copper looking contact points that may need cleaning. Take note of the small round contact points one of the parts. It looked as mine had been rubbed flat and was subsequently not making good contact. I replaced mine with a donor switch and problem was resolved. I can get the donor switches for you from my local parts yard for like 20 bux if you need one in the end. Like MFolks shared a good cleaning may resolve issue.

I hope this helps some....

Here in the Filebase is a wiring diagram for your bike. kzrider.com/filebase/cat_view/101-1983/208-kawasaki-kz-750-n2
Although the section with all of the switch contact points are not included, your service manual will show this. Then you can un plug the switch connector in question and check the contacts, through the system, Ignition, and handlebar switches. You should be able to find the problem.

Thanks guys...... I'll give you all progress updates.

Please do as I am looking at your results for a possible short cut on mine.

I did notice that you too have a battery tender connection and when I moved mine to a assured no touch position the issue has temporarily at least went away.

Can't get a lot of seat time right now as the temps are over 110°F as adjusted for humidity.

When it breaks a bit I'll take if for a longer tide and see if the problem comes back.