Horn help...

The only thing not working on the Z1R is the horn.

Can someone help with the color of the horn wire that comes from the L/H housing control wiring loom?

Please don't give me a link to the wiring diagram, as its not helping.

The way most Kawasaki horns are wired is the horn is electrically "Hot" and the horn button gives it a ground when it's pushed. Looking at my bikes wiring diagram, I see a Black with white stripe for one side of the horn and Brown with white stripe being the other side. Kawasaki tends to keep the wiring colors for many bikes the same for ease of production.

I'd check the left handlebar switch pod for signs of corrosion and/or where the soldered connection may have crumbled.

Does the horn blow if hot wired to the battery posts?

Good Fortune!

MFolks wrote: The way most Kawasaki horns are wired is the horn is electrically "Hot" and the horn button gives it a ground when it's pushed. Looking at my bikes wiring diagram, I see a Black with white stripe for one side of the horn and Brown with white stripe being the other side. Kawasaki tends to keep the wiring colors for many bikes the same for ease of production.

I'd check the left handlebar switch pod for signs of corrosion and/or where the soldered connection may have crumbled.

that is where the Horn failed on my 82 LTD, right at the small switch inside the left handlebar control. the wire simply fell off where it was soldered. Re-soldering Both wires, and the horn never worked better while I've owned it anyway. cleaning the switch contacts while in there of course.

Patton wrote: Does the horn blow if hot wired to the battery posts?

Good Fortune!

Yes Patton,it works of the battery...but the horn was never connected when I received the bike so I don't know which wires come from where and theres no black and white wire on the loom.

The Horn wiring is most likely along the back-bone of the frame under the fuel tank. It comes out close to where the Ignition coil wiring is. The Hot, Brown or Brown/ white stripe is switched by the Ignition and goes through the fuse panel. Then the ground contact, made by the switch, should be Black/ white stripe. Like already posted.

0Z.Z1R Mk2 wrote:

Patton wrote: Does the horn blow if hot wired to the battery posts?

Good Fortune!

Yes Patton,it works of the battery...but the horn was never connected when I received the bike so I don't know which wires come from where and theres no black and white wire on the loom.

Sorry if already covered ---

Normally, there are two wires attached to the horn.
Switched positive to one horn terminal.
And ground via pressing horn button to the other horn terminal.
It doesn't matter which wire is attached to which horn terminal.

With ignition switch ON, one of the two wires furnishes battery++ to the horn.
Same as a hot wire from the positive battery post.

The other wire attached to the horn goes to the handlebar horn button.

Pressing the horn button serves to ground the wire.
Same as a hot wire from the negative battery post.

Could use an ohmmeter to verify that wire through the horn button is reaching ground when the horn button is pressed.

Good Fortune!

When the bike was in stock configuration ---

Switched battery++ was via a brown wire attached to the horn.

Grounding through the pressed horn button was via a black/white wire from the horn to the horn button.

Might be mistaken, but don't recall any relay being involved.

Good Fortune!

OK,can confirm the horn button is working, and yes a black & white wire comes from it.

Tracing the b&w wire finds it going to a relay...1 side of the relay goes to the horn.

But don't know from where to go from there.

0Z.Z1R Mk2 wrote: OK,can confirm the horn button is working, and yes a black & white wire comes from it.
Tracing the b&w wire finds it going to a relay...1 side of the relay goes to the horn.
But don't know from where to go from there.

The wiring diagram shows b&w wire going into and out of a "connector" (along with 8 other wires), but not through a relay.

Perhaps a more powerful aftermarket horn was installed at some time in the past which required a relay.

The horn should blow if the horn is (a) itself functional, (b) has switched battery++ at one terminal, and (c) its other terminal reaches ground through the horn button when the horn button is pressed.

Perhaps pressing the horn button is failing for whatever reason to provide a ground for the horn terminal.
Might result from such things as a malfunctioning horn button switch, or an internally broken b&w wire, or a bad connection at the horn button switch or the horn terminal or through the multiple connector.

All presupposing that the horn is itself being furnished with sufficient battery++ voltage.

Good Fortune!

Patton is right, no relay was used from Kawasaki.
If you are having problems understanding the use of the relay, this might help. If not for your horn, maybe a future project.
www.rattlebars.com/mtz/hornrelay.html

Here's another explanation for how a relay works:
www.2carpros.com/how_to/how_do_i_check_a_relay.htm


A relay is remote control switch, designed to carry the current for higher amp items that would burn out the small electrical contacts in the horn switch.

Most relays are rated between 30 and 40 amps for car and motorcycles.Perhaps the relay is energized by pushing in the horn button. If it was wired correcty, you should hear the relay "Click" when the coil for it is energized. The relay may be bad, or has a wiring problem.

Here's website for relays and relay sockets that are pre wired:
www.mcmelectronics.com/product/26-1942