Kawi2strokes.com Forum

I can't get the horn to work on the S1C I just finished. The horn works on the bench but not on the bike and I'm sure it's a ground problem but I can't find it. I checked continuity on the black and the brown wire and it shows no breaks(although I know a connection can pass a continuity test and still fail under load). The only way the horn works on the bike is if I alligator clip a lead to the horn ground post with the horn wires connected and clip the other end of the lead to a good ground like the head, but it of course beeps continuously no matter what I do with the actual horn button. I cleaned the paint from the areas between the horn mount pieces, the horn stud and tapped the horn mounting holes to make sure I had a good connection. I took the complete left switch gear from the next bike I'm restoring(1976 KH250 B1)and mounted it on the handle bars, plugged it all in and it won't fire the horn either. I thought this would tell whether the horn button was the culprit but it still doesn't work. I checked both horn switches with a meter and they function. Any ideas where my ground problem is? I guess I haven't checked to see if I have a connection between the handle bars and the switch housing. Does the housing ground everything to the bars?

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1969 H1, 1971 G3SSA, 1974 G5, 1973 H2A, 1975 S3A, 1975 H1F, 1973 Z1, 1988 HD FLTC, Captain America chopper, 2000 Excelsior Henderson, 1965 Bridgestone BS90

Attach the clutch cable and it should work.

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Answers are here: http://kawatriple.com/

No, the horn is not grounded to the chassis by its bracket, the horn has an isolated circuit within itself.

Does the horn power in wire have full battery volts when key is in run?

If you run an ohms test to ground from the horn button wire, and push the button, does the meter read full connection, Rx1 scale?

One thing that might need to be done is to literally mount the horn in place, and power wire to its terminal, turn the key on, ground the ground terminal of the horn, and try to set the stop (the screw that sets the horn tone). That will assure the horn works on the chassis, and you can go forward to the button circuit from there.

I had a similar problem with my H1. When I installed black superbike bars the horn stopped working. The left switchgear has no ground wire in the bundle, it gets it's ground through the handlebars from the right switchgear. Make sure you have good ground contact from the body of each switch to the handlebars. Scrape paint off if necessary, it won't be seen under there.

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We don't need no stinkin' Cams!

Let us know when you figure this one out GUTS...........................

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72 H2, 75 H2C

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. When I disconnect the horn and put the meter to the wires and push the button it shows full voltage. I just got back from visiting my pal Leroy so I will continue tomorrow.

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1969 H1, 1971 G3SSA, 1974 G5, 1973 H2A, 1975 S3A, 1975 H1F, 1973 Z1, 1988 HD FLTC, Captain America chopper, 2000 Excelsior Henderson, 1965 Bridgestone BS90

X

The clutch cable's hooked up. Crazy question, why does the clutch cable need to be in place?

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1969 H1, 1971 G3SSA, 1974 G5, 1973 H2A, 1975 S3A, 1975 H1F, 1973 Z1, 1988 HD FLTC, Captain America chopper, 2000 Excelsior Henderson, 1965 Bridgestone BS90

When you hit the horn button it looks for a ground path via handlebar. The handlebar is isolated from ground via rubber mounts. If the clutch cable is attached it provides handlebar with a ground path to engine... the same as putting a jumper wire from handlebar to ground.

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Answers are here: http://kawatriple.com/

Clutch cable is another ground, but the clutch perch must also be in good contact with the handlebars as well as the switch housing. If you are using stock (or other chrome bars) this shouldn't be an issue, but I just wanted to mention that the handlebars are the intended ground path. As Dale said, they are isolated but the right switchgear has a ground wire to complete the circuit. Does your headlight work? I don't think the signals use this ground path but the ground wire inside the right switch housing should be in place (and good contact) for the headlight and H/L beam...

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We don't need no stinkin' Cams!