If you are reading this article, your ignition switch has most likely burned out.
Most Kawasaki motorbike models have two resistors—one for regular use and another for when the push-to-cancel button is pressed.
So, if any of these resistors burn out, you can easily tell because you will experience identical signs of a failed kill switch.
Depending on the model of your bike, it may be an inconvenience to replace the resistors because some resistors are only sold at Kawasaki dealerships and cost around $40.
Rather than getting the resistor at such a ridiculous price, I recommend bypassing your ignition switch resistor altogether by creating your high-resistance wire.
What does an ignition resistor do?
The main purpose of the ignition resistor is to reduce the voltage when the ignition is turned.
In the following steps below, I’ll list the steps involved in a Kawasaki ignition bypass
10 Steps on How to Bypass Kawasaki Ignition Switch Resistor
- Take the bike’s battery out.
- Disconnect the connectors for your kill switch and starter relay. The lights or horns on your bike shouldn’t be working at this point. If they are, check to confirm that each connector end has completely been removed from its housing.
Tip: Do not just squeeze the connectors because sometimes, it doesn’t completely come off. Simply use your hands to pull them out.
- Find the ignition switch resistor, which is often situated behind the cylinder head on the back of the engine.
- Separate both connections by heating each end or using a desoldering braid.
Note: Keep any residuals that may help you join both connections later. - Attach a new wire to each of these exposed ends that lead to your starter relay and kill switch.
- The starter relay wire should have a female connector, which you will use to accept the male connector.
Note: A male connector is a plug with a solid pin for a center conductor. A female connector is known as a jack and has a center conductor with a hole to accept the male pin.
- Repeat step 7 for the second wire.
- Use butt connectors or solder heat shrink tubing to reconnect any exposed wires to their original locations. If you can’t get to this stage without cutting the wire, just twist it together, put it in a slip-on wire loom, and then securely wrap it in electrical tape for safety.
- Plug the connectors in again. But before then, ensure the kill switch is in the ‘stop’ position.
After plugging the connectors, put the kill switch in the ‘run’ position.
Your bike should come on and be ready to start. Try starting your motorbike. If it starts, you have done everything correctly.
- Finally, reinstall the right clip-on switch cluster and clean up the wiring harness connections.
Final Thoughts: Can you Bypass Kawasaki Ignition Switch?
You certainly can. The processes listed above are all you need to follow to get this result.
All you need is basic wiring knowledge, and you are good to go.
Here’s a little tip if you get confused about the rewiring part.
- The orange with black tracer is for the kill switch
- The brown wire is designed for the tail light
- The black wire with White Tracer is for Grounding
- The gray wire is for the instrument cluster light and horn
- The orange wire is for ignition
- The orange with white tracer is for the cooling fan
- The orange with Yellow Tracer is for Engine Control Unit
- The red wire is for Power (+12v)
I hope you found the steps helpful in your goal to bypass the Kawasaki ignition switch resistor.
