Front Brake Switch Issue

[Oracle]

A couple of weeks ago I almost had a melt down at my right hand. I was traveling down the highway when I saw and smelled smoke and something burning. I pulled over and saw the wires from the front brake switch to the triple tree melting and fast. I had to disconnect the connector in the triple tree because the wires connected to the brake switch were melted together. When i got home and checked everything out, I realized I had no lights in the rear (blown fuse), the front brake switch was fried (melted with the pin stuck inside) , and the all of the wires were melted together from the brake switch and on/off switch almost down to the red connector. I rewired the harness from the connector to the on/off switch and ordered a brake switch. It came in a few days later so I wired it up, installed it, and worked like a charm; until today... I just happened to check the front brake after a ride because it was easy to grab and look back at with the darkness coming and saw it wasn't working. That's when i looked and saw the pin in the switch is stuck inside, just like the last one. This time no fried wires and I have lights in the rear... What could be going on?

[ppgflyer]

Have you checked under the rear fender to see if your harness has fallen out of the clips and onto the rear tire?
I discovered my 2001 had had this happen with a previous owner and they had made a very crude repair.

It may be that the insulation is worn away and wires are shorting out. The power comes directly from the front & rear brake light switch (they are in parallel) and back to the brake lights, if the brake light power wire (blue) is being shorted to the ground wire (black/yellow) under your rear fender then it will draw excessive current when you hit the brakes. It is probably a resistive short hence no blown fuse.

[Oracle]

I have not checked because I never thought of it... Thanks a bunch!!!

That's why I love this forum...

[Oracle]

Originally Posted by ppgflyer

Have you checked under the rear fender to see if your harness has fallen out of the clips and onto the rear tire?
I discovered my 2001 had had this happen with a previous owner and they had made a very crude repair.

It may be that the insulation is worn away and wires are shorting out. The power comes directly from the front & rear brake light switch (they are in parallel) and back to the brake lights, if the brake light power wire (blue) is being shorted to the ground wire (black/yellow) under your rear fender then it will draw excessive current when you hit the brakes. It is probably a resistive short hence no blown fuse.

I know this is an old post, but i wanted to update it with what I found a few days ago. There are a couple of wires under the finder that are being held together with black tape, not butt connector in sight... ugh... I am in desperate need of a rear tire so I have to get this fixed before I hand the bike over to someone and they cut the wire and make it worst.
Thank you again for your expertise, I really appreciate it.

[ppgflyer]

If you take your rear wheel off to get the tire put on and remove the side bags you should be able to fix it with a couple of solderless crimp butt splices and some heat shrink tubing without removing the fender.

Glad you found the damage.

[pipereed]

Is the sub loom not still available from Kawasaki?
Just looked through the parts list and is not listed?

[Oracle]

Originally Posted by ppgflyer

If you take your rear wheel off to get the tire put on and remove the side bags you should be able to fix it with a couple of solderless crimp butt splices and some heat shrink tubing without removing the fender.

Glad you found the damage.

I'm so glad you said that, I've been under the impression I have to remove the rear fender to get the tire off... I'm not letting them take my bags off, I've heard horror and expensive stories from people who left it on because they didn't want to spend 5 minutes doing so...

[GinKings]

You don't have to remove the fender, but you will have to raise the bike higher, so the tire can roll out from under the fender. I had to raise my 1600 about 15", which was right at the limit of the cycle jack I was using. I'm guessing your bike would be similar.

[Oracle]

Sounds so much better than what i was thinking... I almost made life much harder for myself... lol

[pipereed]

So the loom isn't available from Kawasaki?