I posted "the klr has a reputation for blowing fuses."  It should 
 have been "the klr has a reputation for blowing headlight fuses."  I 
 am not aware that they klr has a higher than normal problem with the 
 other two fuses.
 
 oops
 
 
 
 
 
 --- In 
DSN_klr650@egroups.com, "Steve Anderson"  
 wrote:
 
 > The klr has a reputation for blowing fuses.  This is something I 
  
posted to
 
 > the list back in March.  It may help.
 > 
 > ============================
 > 
 > 
 > I have seen a lot of comments on blown headlight fuses, and was one 
  
of the
 
 > unlucky ones that HAD a problem.  First thing I noticed, was that 
  
my bulb
 
 > had loose bits of filament bouncing around in there, shorting who 
  
knows
 
 > what. Second thing, as with all bikes I've ridden, the high/low 
  
switch is of
 
 > the "make before break" variety, meaning that while during the 
  
transition
 
 > while switching, BOTH filaments are lit.  In some of my bikes, 
  
while on the
 
 > trails at night I used to take advantage of this by deliberately 
  
putting the
 
 > switch between high and low, to run both filaments, getting the 
  
combined
 
 > light output/coverage. Point is, even with the stock 55/60W, WHEN 
  
both
 
 > filaments are lit, it is consuming at least 115W.  BTW cold 
  
filaments have
 
 > an initial "inrush" current slightly higher than the rated load.  
  
115W @ 12
 
 > V = 9.58A (momentarily for those of you that don't cheat and put 
  
the switch
 
 > in the middle.  Tail lamp 5W + ~10W for instrument lights (possibly 
  
another
 
 > 20W or so fro the turn signal).
 > 
 > Bottom line: this gives us 130W @ 12V = 10.83A minimum, momentarily 
  
while
 
 > switching the high/low beams, on a completely stock KLR, with out 
  
the turn
 
 > signal running.  Nearly 1 amp more than the 10 amp fuse.  I was 
  
always
 
 > taught to wire a circuit with 20% margin meaning that 10.83A + 20% 
  
= 13 A
 
 > circuit.  Since it appears that all the wiring on this circuit is 
  
18AWG, and
 
 > 18AWG is "safe" running 15 amps forever and ever, even at high 
  
temps, check
 
 > the National Electric Code (NEC) if you don't believe me, I 
  
replaced the 10
 
 > amp fuse with a 15 amp unit.  I have also replaced my bulb with a 
  
90/55
 
 > (13.33A total momentary w/o turn sig).  I have not blown a fuse 
  
since.
 
 > 
 > 
 > Now before I get some nasty responses, I am NOT trying to say that 
  
this IS
 
 > the fuse blowing problem, I don't have the data to support that.  I 
  
am only
 
 > trying to post a reasonable hypothesis to this issue....
 > 
 > 
 > Steve (no blown fuses) Anderson
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > 
 > --- In 
DSN_klr650@egroups.com, Tom Vervaeke  
  
wrote:
 
 > > Hello:
 > >
 > > Need some bits of advise on what's up. On a dual sport ride last
 > > Saturday my headlight stopped functioning. We had just completed
 > > a long day (400 miles) of street and dirt. Was driving back 
  
towards
 
 > > home when my friend in front of me (on the street) waved me up and
 > > said my headlight had just gone out, i.e. it was on and then it
 > > just stopped. I selected low beam and no luck. No headlight. 
  
Rushed
 
 > > a bit to get home but made it home about 1 hour prior to dark. 
  
Whew.
 
 > >
 > > According to the manual there are 3 things that can go wrong:
 > >
 > > 1. Bulb burns out.
 > > 2. Blew a fuse
 > > 3. Problem with switch on handlebar.
 > >
 > > I immediately removed the headlight bulb and examine it. It looked
 > > fine to me but I put in the spare bulb and no luck. It was not the
 > > bulb. Put old bulb back in. I also checked for voltage at the
 > > headlight socket and no luck. No juice anywhere there. I have made
 > > no mods to the bike that would affect this. The only thing in
 > > that area I did lately was to override the clutch safety switch by
 > > doing the modification listed on the KLR mods page. Not sure how
 > > this could affect that.
 > >
 > > Wife summoned me to go out to dinner. No more time to work on KLR.
 > >
 > > So, the only two other things it can be is the fuse or the switch.
 > > It appears there are two fuses under the seat and another one up
 > > front for the radiator fan. I will have time tonight to remove the
 > > side panels and seat in order to get to the fuses. Are there any
 > > other fuses? Both the owners manual and the service manual are 
  
really
 
 > > pretty pathetic and don't even state which fuse is which. I'm 
  
guessing
 
 > > it's not the fuse and I can't imagine what could have caused it to
 > > blow as I was riding down the street. I came across Arne's write 
  
up
 
 > > on the replacement of the fuse box with the blade type fuses and 
  
the
 
 > > location moved to the side of the bike so it can be accessed 
  
without
 
 > > removing side panels and seat. This now seems like a very good 
  
idea.
 
 > >
 > > If I rule out the fuses, what specifically in the switch should I
 > > look for? I'm guessing that as soon as I open it up about 13,000
 > > small springs and things are going to fly to the four corners of 
  
my
 
 > > basement.  The high-low beam switch is the one I'm guessing 
  
they're
 
 > > talking about. It appears to be functioning correctly.
 > >
 > > Thanks for any ideas. If anyone has been through this I'd like to 
  
hear
 
 > > about it.
 > >
 > > Best,
 > >
 > > Tom V
 > > A13
 > >
 > >
 > > =====
 > > =========================================================
 > > Tom Vervaeke, Colorado, USA |Email: tom_vervaeke@y...
 > > '99 Kawasaki KLR-650, 5.0K  |Ph: 719-495-2152 (home)
 > > '96 BMW R1100GS, Black 61.5K|Ph: 719-590-2133 (work)
 > > Colorado DualSporters Group |Ph: 719-650-4578 (cell/riding)
 > >  Try: 
http://www.egroups.com/group/Colorado-Dualsporters
 > =========================================================
 > >