Author Topic: New Concours Owner with a few questions  (Read 1419 times)

Offline qiksho

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New Concours Owner with a few questions
« on: December 03, 2020, 08:26:29 PM »
Hi guys,

I bought a 95 concours two days ago for $300. Overall it appears to be in pretty good shape and mostly complete. The bike hasn't been licensed in 4 years and it is evident that the carbs are leaking. I suspect someone on here has written up a nice how to about carb tear down and cleaning. I'll be looking for it shortly with the search.

I ordered carb kits off ebay (I hope they are decent) and will start taking inventory of what all I need. I do see I am missing the kill switch button and gas tank mounting bolts. I'm sure there is more...Any thoughts on where to look for parts that won't break the bank?

I also noticed that the luggage bags don't seal anymore. Is there a replacement seal I can buy?

I used to have a zx600 and then a zx1100. I sold the 1100 ninja after a very nice decade of riding and 35k trouble free miles. I didn't intend on having another bike yet (4 kids under the age of 9) but I couldn't pass it up.

Anyway - I'm glad I found this forum and I hope to learn from all of you.

Happy riding!
-Brandyn

Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

gpineau

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2020, 09:16:57 PM »
Steve can show you most of what you need to check.

get the carbs off https://youtu.be/aLl9SnKZW4U
 
put them back on https://youtu.be/WJpRePt9GNA

valve adjust https://youtu.be/NpeG93CqFPw

check for hydro lock https://youtu.be/4W6k3pTdAXw

Offline JP

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2020, 09:51:20 PM »
Steve can show you most of what you need to check.

get the carbs off https://youtu.be/aLl9SnKZW4U
 
put them back on https://youtu.be/WJpRePt9GNA

valve adjust https://youtu.be/NpeG93CqFPw

check for hydro lock https://youtu.be/4W6k3pTdAXw

It doesn't get much better than that. Stick around and surf, good info.


I guess I never noticed before but Steve's not a bad lookin' guy!

Offline JP

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2020, 09:53:02 PM »
Knock it off!!

Offline Boomer

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2020, 02:44:14 AM »
Welcome Brandyn,
Sounds like a bargain buy.  ;D

- The kill switch will probably require sourcing the whole right switchgear pod. Plenty available on eBay. There are also a few on here who have parts collections. I know I do, but the shipping from the UK would make them too expensive.
- The gas tank mounting bolts are M6 but the threads often get stripped. They are not really needed as the saddle prevents the tank from coming off.
- The side bags were never fitted with a rubber seal. If they leak badly then the aluminium frames might be damaged or there may be plastic damage. I've only ever had water get into mine after riding all day in torrential rain. You can get inner bags that help with that or just pack your clothes inside plastic bags.

JP, why are you talking to yourself?  :rotflmao:
George "Boomer" Garratt
Wickford, UK


Offline George R. Young

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2020, 07:29:34 AM »
Best HowTo I've found on cleaning carbs:
https://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Cleaning_the_carbs_2
65 CB160 (67-69), 69 350GTR (69-72), 72 R5, 73 RD350 (73-84), 82 XZ550 Vision (84-03), 01 Concours C10 (03-19), 89 EX250 (11-14), 00 SV650S (14-16), 03 SV650S (19-)

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2020, 06:56:40 PM »
Thank you for the warm welcome! I greatly value the tutorials and videos. gpineau you saved me a bunch of time looking for these items. Thank you!

The hardest part of all this is I am in the middle of grad school and have school work to do. I honestly should be writing a paper right now and instead I am here on the forum...
Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #7 on: December 05, 2020, 04:48:36 PM »
I took a break from writing my paper to go out and tinker a few minutes with the bike. I found that the main 30amp fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse and it seems the instruments all work, but I don't have power to the headlight (high or low) and nothing happens when I click the starter button. I don't yet have a manual. Is there another fuse I should be looking for with the main being blown? If not, advice on either of these circuits?

Unfortunately, it seems the kid I bought it from did mess around with the carbs some. I can see some things are half apart and a few pieces are missing.
Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

gpineau

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #8 on: December 05, 2020, 06:57:33 PM »
The headlights don't work until the motor is running. I uploaded te manuals

http://gpineau.com/CYCLE%20FILES/
you can find schematics in them

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #9 on: December 05, 2020, 07:54:22 PM »
The headlights don't work until the motor is running. I uploaded te manuals

http://gpineau.com/CYCLE%20FILES/
you can find schematics in them

Gpineau, you are the best! No reason for me to spend any more time tracing wires. In my head I figured they would work like my old zx11 and zx6. Maybe it has been long enough now that I am faulty in my memory and they also didn't turn on the headlight until running. hmm...I bet I am remembering incorrectly.



Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #10 on: December 05, 2020, 08:56:45 PM »
Ok I was able to get the bike to turn over! Headlights work once starter engages it appears. It seems the starter button is really finicky. If I recall I had a similar problem on my zx11 and had to take apart the switch and clean it.

Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline Rick Hall

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #11 on: December 05, 2020, 10:56:06 PM »
Gpineau, you are the best!
...

It's a Colorado thing ;)

As you note, the headlight comes on after you bump the starter.

Also suggest you clean the contacts, but NOT with standard aerosol contact cleaner that may/will dissolve plastics. Isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip or "acid" brush is your friend.

Rick
Rick Hall     1994 ZG 1000 "Sam"      xCOG #1914 (CO)
  GfNi H.P.   DOD #2040   1kQSPT 14.16   IBA #3274
    The Kawasaki Concours page at: www.zggtr.org

gpineau

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #12 on: December 06, 2020, 07:58:16 PM »
I once got stuck at a friends house after a BBQ when my Honda shadow would not start.  It was running fine when I arrived.  It would crank and crank until the battery died. We jumped it with a car battery but same thing.  We were about to roll it into his garage when it hit me! The last thing I did when I arrived was hit the kill switch. So I flipped the kill switch a few times an behold! it started.  One Spray with carb cleaner cured it.  Old bikes need more TLC when it comes to the electrical system.

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #13 on: December 06, 2020, 09:37:54 PM »
I once got stuck at a friends house after a BBQ when my Honda shadow would not start.  It was running fine when I arrived.  It would crank and crank until the battery died. We jumped it with a car battery but same thing.  We were about to roll it into his garage when it hit me! The last thing I did when I arrived was hit the kill switch. So I flipped the kill switch a few times an behold! it started.  One Spray with carb cleaner cured it.  Old bikes need more TLC when it comes to the electrical system.

I did end up flipping the kill switch a few times in the course of things as well as gave the neutral switch some exercise. Maybe that also had something to do with it. Thank you for the videos by Steve. I also learned why some of the wiring is/was modified by watching one of his videos. Apparently he suggests modifying the ground system. It also appears that one of the previous owners had wired up a few other gadgets that are no longer on the bike. I can see mounting holes and added on and then cut off circuits. Hopefully, these don't cause me a bunch of extra work.

I see people referring to antlers when it comes to the C10. What are they talking about?

I'm tempted to keep the bike in the garage and do the carbs with my oldest son over the few days break I get for Christmas. This will mean both of my vehicles will be in the driveway again this winter... but come March I can probably have the bike ready to ride.  :D
Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline Boomer

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2020, 03:55:38 AM »
Antlers are the L-shaped bits that the side bags attach to.
You can see one clearly here.

or here


If you remove the antlers you can fit blanking panels that make her look much sleeker when riding without the side bags.


By the way, sometimes odd intermittent electrical faults can be remedied by giving the fusebox/J-box a good thump.
If that fixes the problem, chances are your J-box circuit board needs the solder reflowing or even relays replacing.

George "Boomer" Garratt
Wickford, UK


Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2020, 03:30:07 PM »
Thanks, Boomer! One more mystery solved.
Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline connie_rider

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #16 on: December 08, 2020, 11:27:22 AM »
Qiksho, welcome to the Forum.

Before you get too deep in buying parts and fixing, do the hydrolock test.
ie; Because the bike has carb problems, there is a chance it has been hydrolcked.
If so, repairs will get a lot more major.
Fingers crossed for you.   Let us know what you find out.

Ride safe, Ted

Offline qiksho

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #17 on: January 05, 2021, 08:01:45 PM »
Qiksho, welcome to the Forum.

Before you get too deep in buying parts and fixing, do the hydrolock test.
ie; Because the bike has carb problems, there is a chance it has been hydrolcked.
If so, repairs will get a lot more major.
Fingers crossed for you.   Let us know what you find out.

Ride safe, Ted

I did the hydrolock test and all appears good on that front. Unfortunately, I did uncover a few more problems that will cost me some time/money.

I am missing many of the tabs on the upper fairing. They were using big fender washers with a locknut on the inside. I guess I will try some of that plastifix and see if I can remake the tabs. I also found that the underside of the bike is completely wet with oil. It seems I am leaking from a shaft that sticks out on the right side of the bike (at minimum). The biggest issue is with the carbs. I think the choke slide is bent as well as the bracket that holds the throttle cable. As I took apart the carbs I found the casting for the carb holding the throttle bracket is broken :( and someone has covered the carb bowl with silicon. I guess I will either need to source that carb or buy a rack to get that one as it is the most unique.  :(

I was able to find a guy parting a bike and get many of the parts I am missing so I guess that is a plus.
Current bike: 95 Concours
Past bikes: 92 zx6 & 93 zx11

Offline Boomer

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Re: New Concours Owner with a few questions
« Reply #18 on: January 06, 2021, 01:22:33 AM »
That oil leak must be from the Balancer adjuster as I can't think of anything else that sticks out of the right side.
On the left side there are several (gear change, clutch pushrod, water pump drive) and there are also a couple of oil feed pipes.
There is an oil pipe just there and quite often the crush washers on the banjos split, so check those before you start to worry about the Balancer adjuster seal.
The leak could also be from the Y pipe that feeds oil to the head from the oil pump. It sits behind the headers and I have seen a few with pinholes in them.
George "Boomer" Garratt
Wickford, UK