Some Kawasaki KLR650 models will have switches that other models do not have, depending upon what country they are marketed in. To test the switches you will need a digital multimeter set on Ohms of resistance. The polarity of the meter leads does not matter for any of the switch testing.
This topic covers the testing of the following switches in order of appearance. Ignition switch, horn switch, turn signal switch, head light dimmer switch, starter lockout (clutch) switch, engine stop switch, starter switch, front brake switch, rear brake switch, side stand switch, neutral switch, gear position switch, cooling fan switch, water temperature sensor switch, cooling fan relay,starter relay (solenoid), the starter circuit relay and the turn signal flasher.
SAFETY FIRST: Protective gloves and eyewear are recommended at this point.
Ignition Switch
Testing
Remove the headlight cover/front number plate using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver.
Unplug the ignition switch six pin plastic coupler. Touch one meter lead to the white wire and the other meter lead to the brown wire. There should be continuity with the key turned on, no continuity with the key off.
Next, touch one meter lead to the black/white wire and the other meter lead to the black/yellow wire. There should be continuity with the key turned off, no continuity with the key turned on.
If any of the readings are not correct, the ignition switch is defective and must be replaced.
Replacement
The ignition switch on the Kawasaki KLR650 is bolted to the top triple clamp using tamper proof bolts. To replace the ignition switch, the top triple clamp must be removed and the bolt heads drilled off.
Remove the top triple clamp. See the Steering Removal topic for more information.
The photo is not of the KLR650, but it looks very similar. Center punch the ignition switch bolts and use an electric drill and a drill bit of approximately 1/2″ diameter to drill off the heads of the bolts. Remove the ignition switch from the top triple clamp and use locking pliers to remove the threaded portion of the two bolts from the top triple clamp.
Install the new ignition switch onto the top triple clamp using new tamper proof bolts. Tighten the bolts until the heads break off.
Reassemble the motorcycle.
Left Handlebar Switches
Remove the headlight cover/front number plate using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver.
Unplug the nine pin plastic left handlebar switch coupler from the wiring harness. If the horn switch, turn signal switch or headlight dimmer switch test bad, the entire left handlebar switch assembly must be replaced. The starter lockout switch can be replaced separately.
Horn Switch
Touch one meter lead to the black wire and the other meter lead to the black/yellow wire, using the half of the coupler that leads up to the handlebar. There should be continuity with the horn button pushed, no continuity when it is released.
Turn Signal Switch
Touch one meter lead to the orange wire and the other meter lead to the green wire, using the half of the coupler leading up to the handlebar. There should be continuity with the turn signal switch in the left turn position, no continuity with the switch off. Leaving the meter lead touching the orange wire, now touch the other meter lead to the gray wire, there should be continuity with the turn signal switch in the right turn position, no continuity with the switch off.
Head Light Dimmer Switch
Touch one Ohmmeter lead to the brown wire and the other meter lead to the red/yellow wire, using the half of the coupler leading up to the handlebar. There should be continuity with the dimmer switch in the LO position, no continuity in the HI position. Leaving the meter lead touching the brown wire, now touch the other meter lead to the red/black wire. There should be continuity with the dimmer switch in the HI position, no continuity in the LO position.
Starter Lockout (Clutch) Switch
The starter lockout switch allows you to electric start the engine if the transmission is in gear by simply pulling in the clutch lever. Touch one Ohmmeter lead to the blue/red wire and the other meter lead to the black/yellow wire, using the half of the coupler leading up to the handlebar. There should be continuity with the clutch lever pulled in, no continuity with the clutch lever released.
Right Handlebar Switches
Remove the headlight cover/front number plate using a #2 Phillips head screwdriver.
Unplug the six pin plastic right handlebar switch coupler from the wiring harness. If the engine stop switch or the starter switch test bad, the entire right handlebar switch assembly must be replaced. The front brake switch can be replaced separately.
Engine Stop Switch
Touch one meter lead to the black/white wire and the other meter lead to the black/yellow wire. There should be continuity with the engine stop switch off, no continuity with it on.
Starter Switch
Touch one meter lead to the yellow/red wire and the other meter lead to the brown wire. There should be continuity with the starter button pushed, no continuity when it is released.
Note: The engine stop switch must be in the Run position to test the starter switch.
Front Brake Switch
Touch one meter lead to the brown wire and the other meter lead to the blue wire. There should be continuity with the front brake lever pulled in, no continuity when it is released.
Rear Brake Switch
Remove the right side cover. See the Side Covers topic for more information.
Unplug the two bullet connectors, one with the brown wire and the other with the blue wire. Touch one meter lead to the brown wire and the other meter lead to the blue wire, using the half of the bullet connectors leading down to the rear brake switch. There should be continuity with the rear brake pedal depressed, no continuity when it is released.
Side Stand Switch
Remove the left side cover. See the Side Covers topic for more information.
Remove the Phillips head screw holding the kickstand switch cover in place. The switch attaches to the stand via a cable that runs down the left side of the frame.
The side stand switch is designed to keep you from riding with the side stand down. If it becomes unplugged, a wire breaks or the switch itself fails, the engine will not run. Unplug the two pin coupler with the green/white wire and the brown wire. Touch one meter lead to the green/white wire and the other meter lead to the brown wire, there should be continuity with the side stand up, no continuity with the side stand down.
Neutral Switch
Unplug the light green wire from the neutral switch in the left side engine case.
Touch one meter lead to the post that the light green wire was plugged onto and touch the other meter lead to ground (battery negative post or a ground wire). There should be continuity with the transmission in neutral, no continuity in gear.
Cooling Fan Switch
Drain the coolant. See the Coolant Replacement topic for more information.
Unplug the red/white wire connector and remove the cooling fan switch from the left side radiator using a 14 mm wrench. Be careful not to drop or impact the switch as it could be damaged.
Fill a pan with tap water and suspend the cooling fan switch with a wire so that the threaded portion of the switch is immersed in the water. Make sure the switch does not come in contact with the pan. Using a digital multimeter set to Ohms of resistance, connect one meter lead to the black wire and the other meter lead to the body of the cooling fan switch. Polarity of the meter leads does not matter. Place a thermometer in the pan and heat the water on a burner. Gently stir the water as it heats up and notice at what temperature the meter shows continuity.
the cooling fan switch is no continuity below 201° F or 94° C, continuity between 201° and 212° F or 94° and 100° C)
Install the cooling fan switch and torque it to specification.
cooling fan switch torque: 8.8 N-m or 78 in-lb
Fill the radiator with coolant. See the Coolant Replacement topic for more information.
Reassemble the motorcycle.
Water Temperature Sensor Switch
Drain the coolant. See the Coolant Replacement topic for more information.
Unplug the yellow wire connector and remove the water temperature sensor switch from the cylinder head using a 14 mm wrench. Be careful not to drop or impact the switch as it could be damaged.
Fill a pan with tap water and suspend the water temperature sensor with a wire so that the threaded portion of the sensor is immersed in the water. Make sure the sensor does not come in contact with the pan. Using a digital multimeter set to Ohms of resistance, connect one meter lead to the body of the sensor and the other meter lead to the connector. Place a thermometer in the pan and heat the water on a burner. Gently stir the water and compare your readings with specification.
the water temperature sensor is 100 to 150 Ohms at 80° C or 176° F, 52 to 78 Ohms at 100° C or 212° F)
Install the water temperature sensor switch and torque it to specification.
water temperature sensor switch torque: 8.8 N-m or 78 in-lb
Fill the radiator with coolant. See the Coolant Replacement topic for more information.
Reassemble the motorcycle.
Cooling Fan Relay
Remove the fuel tank. See the Fuel Tank topic for more information.
Pull the rubber relay holder from the tab on the frame and remove the rubber holder.
Unplug the four pin plastic coupler from the cooling fan relay and remove the relay. The coupler will have a blue wire, a red/white wire and two white wires. Use a length of wire to connect the blade in the relay that plugs into the black wire to the negative post of the battery and a second length of wire to connect the positive post of the battery to one of the blades in the relay that plugs into one of the white wires. A set of jumper leads from Radio Shack makes this job much easier. You should here a faint click from the relay, if not touch the second blade that plugs into a blue/black wire. If the relay does not click with either connection it is faulty and needs to be replaced.
Caution: Do not let the two wires touch each other as this will result in a short circuit and possible fire.
If it does click, with the lengths of wire still connected to the battery use your digital multimeter set on Ohms of resistance to test the resistance between the remaining two blades in the relay. The meter should show continuity, no continuity when one of the wires is disconnected from the battery. If not, replace the starter circuit relay.
Reassemble the motorcycle.
Starter Relay (Solenoid)
Remove the seat. See the Seat topic for more information.
Remove the Phillips head screw holding the kickstand switch cover in place.
Pull back the rubber cover and disconnect the starter motor cable from the starter solenoid using a 10 mm wrench.
Unplug the plastic coupler from the starter solenoid, there will be a black wire and a black/yellow wire. Connect the two blades in the solenoid that plug into the black wire and the black/yellow to the battery with two lengths of wire (the polarity of the wires does not matter). A set of jumper leads from Radio Shack makes this job much easier.
Caution: Do not let the two wires touch each other as this will result in a short circuit and possible fire.
The solenoid should make a very loud click. Touch one Ohmmeter lead to the terminal where the battery cable is bolted and the other meter lead to the terminal where the starter motor cable was bolted. There should be continuity, no continuity when one of the wires is disconnected from the battery. If not, replace the starter solenoid.
Starter Circuit Relay
Remove the Phillips head screw holding the kickstand switch cover in place.
Remove the starter circuit relay from the bracket on the frame down tube, slide off the rubber holder and unplug the four pin plastic coupler from the starter circuit relay. The coupler will have a blue/red wire, a black wire and two yellow/red wires. Use a length of wire to connect the blade in the relay that plugs into the blue/red wire to the motorcycles negative battery post and a second length of wire to connect the positive post of the battery to one of the blades in the relay that plugs into one of the yellow/red wires. A set of jumper leads from Radio Shack makes this job much easier. You should here a faint click from the relay, if not touch the second blade that plugs into a yellow/red wire. If the relay does not click with either connection it is faulty and needs to be replaced.
Caution: Do not let the two wires touch each other as this will result in a short circuit and possible fire.
If it does click, with the lengths of wire still connected to the battery use your digital multimeter set on Ohms of resistance to test the resistance between the remaining two blades in the relay. The meter should show continuity, no continuity when one of the wires is disconnected from the battery. If not, replace the starter circuit relay.
Turn Signal Flasher
There is no accurate way to test the turn signal flasher other than to substitute with a known good component.