Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
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MoonStomper
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Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by MoonStomper »

Recently and on and off some over the past year I have had electric jolts at the levers occasionally especially when turning some revs. Checking wires from the light and kill switch on back I discovered a red wire that was rubbing the frame beneath the tank with a telltale black spot. After fixing that it happened again with the yellow wire having disconnected itself. Both these wires are part of the lighting system. The zaps felt like that jolt you might get when grabbing a wet spark plug wire or a weak electric fence.

Anyways, I heat shrunk tubing over the connections and rewrapped the wiring harness in those areas as well as wrapping some zip ties to provide a little more vibration protection from the frame and radiator. The heat shrink tubing should keep the connections snug too.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by Slick_Nick »

Yep that'll do it.
'00 KDX 220R
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by billie_morini »

Moonstomper, I need this! My hands go numb after 20 to 30 minutes.of.riding due to herniated neck disks. It's necessary to stop & let feeling return. Jolts from hand controls will be electrical stimulation therapy for me. Maybe it'll be possible to ride longer with less stopping.
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by KDXGarage »

Shocking! to say the least.
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by bufftester »

lol diy tens machine
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by KDXGarage »

HA HA HA!! bufftester, damn
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by MoonStomper »

I’m telling you I’m glad I got that one sorted. It was driving me crazy!
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by Slick_Nick »

One day I was riding, we were soaked to the bone, it was pissing rain, the bike and myself were both drenched. I went to hit my kill switch with a wet glove on, and got the full voltage of the spark plug straight up into my arm haha I guess the rubber seal on the switch had failed and let just enough water in that I was able to complete the circuit!
'00 KDX 220R
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by MoonStomper »

During the race Sunday I had no issues. This morning went for a rip was getting light shocks intermittently on my clutch lever again. Light is working still. I’ll have to inspect the wiring harness aft of the ignition coil next.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by bufftester »

Inspect carefully around any zip ties/fasteners. I assume you haven't floated the ground for a lighting kit?
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by MoonStomper »

Inspected harness aft of ignition coil and rewrapped and resecured. Resecured the tail light pigtail (not used), and inspected spark plug wire.

Still getting a random pop from the lever and safety wire on the left grip, especially at high rpms.
Could it be the spark plug wire or something with the ignition coil? I wonder if the insulation on the plug wire breaks down over time.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by Slick_Nick »

Absolutely it could be.
'00 KDX 220R
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by bufftester »

Since it's enough to feel it at the bars I would suspect the coil since it has a direct tie to frame. The magneto doesn't really put out enough to feel it. The stator could, but you could isolate that fairly easily just by removing it. Only way to check would be to drop a different one in. Possible it could be some kind of breakdown in the CDI unit backfeeding through ground, but I would suspect the bike wouldn't be running great if that were the case. Have you tried putting a meter on it while running the motor to see what kind of voltage you're getting? Seems odd you'd get it from grip safety wire since that shouldn't be in contact with anything but the rubber grip.
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by MoonStomper »

Grip was worn through btw… finally took it to my suspension buddy who also knows his way around multi meter very well. We ohmed everything out and it all checked good. Then noticed a black wire coming off the CDi that had a connector with bare metal showing. It must have been grounding on the frame.

Taped that up good, resecured everything and problem solved. Bike is running more smoothly too. Just didn’t know at the time how much better it could be. Amazing.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: Getting ZAPPED ⚡️ at clutch and brake levers

Post by KDXGarage »

Congratulations on getting it all sorted out!
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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