’91 JS550-C1: Improving on “great!” 0 · the mail. When we get them at KMC, we send them out...

Inside!n Super service tips!

Fall 1990 T h e Kawasak i T e c h n i c a l M a g a z i n e Vol. 3 No. 3

’91 JS550-C1:Improving on “great!”

0n the outside, the ’91 JS550-C1appears little changed from lastyear’s fast-selling JS550-B1. Liftoff their respective engine covers,though, and the difference be-tween the two is suddenly clear:The new JS550-C1 boasts an al-most completely new engine-andthat makes the great even greater!See page 2. . .

ROUTE LIST: o SERVICE o PARTS o SALESP L E A S E R E T U R N T O S E R V I C E L I B R A R Y

S H O P T A L K / T E C H N I C A L

’91 JS550-C1: Improving on “great!”by Patrick KellyInstructional Designer/Instructor

Although the enginepowering the exciting new’91 JS550-C1 is based onthe familiar JS550-A/Btwin (having the same75mm x 60mm bore andstroke, and the same 41peak hp output), it boastsa number of changesdesigned to increase Iow-and mid-range torque andto make engine startingeasier.

n Cylinder HeadHeading the list ofimproved features isa new cylinder head withredesigned combustionchambers. The new headboosts the compressionratio from a sedate 5.7:1to a much less conserva-tive 7.2:1.

The new head tops off anew aluminum alloycylinder with cast ironliners, replacing the all-cast-iron cylinder used inprevious years. Becausethe new aluminum

2 l K-Tech News

cylinder expands at nearlythe same rate as thealuminum pistons, the pis-ton-to-cylinder wallclearances can be muchtighter for reduced pistonslap.

nDouble RingsThe pistons themselvesare also new and nowhave two steel compres-sion rings instead of onecast-iron ring. Double com-pression rings allow heatto be transferred from pis-

ton to cylinder wallmore efficiently,

and also resultin longer pis-

ton ring

service life.The new steel rings

are plated with a special“Q.B.” (quick break-in)chrome plating.

nReed ValvesThe -Cl’s engine alsofeatures an extensivelyrevised intake system.Cylinder-mounted reedvalve assemblies, similar

to those used onthe ’90 KX125,control the flowof air/fuel into thecylinder. A rede-signed intakemanifoldjoinsthe reedvalve as-semblies toa new,

smaller car-buretor, the44mm Mikuni

having beenreplaced by a

38mm Keihin.The new intake system

is completed by a newscreen type flame ar-rester, replacing the nickelchrome alloy type used inearlier JS550 models.

The intake changes—new carb combined withreed valve induction—contribute much to the sig-nificant increase in Iow-and mid-range power out-put, and to the new 550’simproved starting.

nn Electronics And MoreThe maximum rpm limit ofthe new engine (8000rpm)

is now controlledelectronically by

the ignitorunit, eli-

mina-ting therpm

limiter

valve inthe fuel

returnline. Otherchanges in-clude newcrankcases to

complement thenew cylinder, anew startermotor designedto draw less cur-rent, and newgray enginepaint with a

corrosion-resistant cleartop coat.

What do all of thesechanges add up to? Agreat JET SKI® watercraftmade even better for1991! o

n See the Hot Line!Have you ever wonderedwhat sort of solid-statedigital computer magic weuse to get the job done onthe Kawasaki Hot Line?Well, if you are planning tobe in Nashville for thedealer meeting in October,you will have a chance tosee first hand how our sys-tem works. We’ll have acomplete Hot Line station(technician and all) set upin the Tech Servicesbooth. We’ll be happy todemonstrate the systemfor you and answer anyquestions you have. o

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

by Ray St. JohnSupervisor, Technical Writing

“What, son, you want toknow where Assemblyand Preparation Manualscome from? Well, I guessyou’re old enough for thereal story. . .”

A&P manuals come inthe mail. When we getthem at KMC, we sendthem out to you in theweekly dealer mailings.Every year several newmanuals are publishedcovering new or changedmodels; we send them outpromptly. Models un-changed since the pre-vious year are covered bythe previous year’s A&Pmanuals. Models thatdon’t change for severalyears might use the sameA&P for all those years,unless there has been acrating change.

The A&P manual sys-tem for motorcycles andATVs features a base orgeneral A&P manualcovering all the productsin a “generic” way: There’sone general manual formotorcycles and one forATVs. Each model thengets a supplement to thegeneral manual coveringpoints unique to it. Thissupplement also has awiring diagram, cable rout-ing illustrations and a fewtune-up specifications toget you on (or off) the road.

The watercraft andutility vehicles each havetheir own, very completeA&P manual. Additionally,the MULE 1000 has anA&P wall chart outliningassembly procedures andillustrating fastener sizesand types.

“Daddy, where do A&P manuals come from?”

There aren’t any port-able generator A&P man-uals because there is solittle to do. The Owner’sManuals cover it all.

There isn’t space in thisparticular issue of K-TechNews to list all the A&Pmanuals and supplementsthat are currently avail-able, but you can findthem all in the Parts RetailPrice Guide. All A&Pmaterials (with only a fewexceptions) have the partnumber prefix “99931.”Just check the descriptioncolumn for the model youwant.

(The exceptions are theMULE 1000 and KZ1000-P; they have the prefix“99964.“) o

NEWS!NEWS! NEWS!n Watch your mailbox forthe special KawasakiDealer Video entitled “Cus-tomer Service”-and bringyour questions to the Na-tional Dealer Meeting!

Micro-by “Micro” Mike JeffersParts Publications Specialist

The MULE 1000 printed parts catalog has been up-dated and reissued. Parts information on the Air FilterSystem Sealing Kits and corresponding parts lists are in-cluded on Pages B-6 and C-4. A reprint of F.D.M. Bul-letin UV 90-02 (Air Filter System Sealing) and all ServiceBulletins are included in the back of the printed catalog.To order use P/N 99960-0031-02.

Printed parts catalogs are also available for the MULE2010 (P/N 99960-0032-02) and the MULE 2020 (P/N99960-0033-02).

n To further enhance the usefulness of the partsmicrofiche, we are adding the Assembly and Preparationmanual. Each microfiche will be updated as soon as theA & P manuals are available.

n A limited supply of Utility Warranty Flat Rate Manualshave been printed and are now in stock. The manuals,P/N 99960-0034-01, may be ordered from the West Dis-tribution center.

n I would appreciate any suggestions on how to in-crease the usefulness of the Micro-K system. Direct yourcorrespondence to Kawasaki Motors Corporation, P.O.Box 25252, Santa Ana, Ca 92799-5252, “Micro-K ReportCard,” or call (714) 770-0400 ext. 2573.o

The Technical Magazine l 3

G U E S T S P O T

Fall 1990Vol. 3 No. 3©1990 Kawasaki MotorsCorp., U.S.A. (KMC).All rights reserved.

K-Tech News Staff

PublisherKawasaki Tech Services

Publications ManagerDon Church

Executive EditorGary Herzog

Editor-in-ChiefGregg Thompson

Regional Editors

North and EastFred DeHart

Central and SouthWalter Rainwater

West and CorporatePatrick Kelly

Contributors

Jerry Heil, Mike Jeffers,Tevis Moffett, SteveNickless, Joe Nowocinski,Keith Pestotnik, John Porno,Steve Rice, Ray St. John

Graphics/Production

Graphic ArtGregg Thompson

Copy EditorPat Shibata

ProductionNickless Communications

Published by Kawasaki. Allsuggestions become theproperty of KMC. Sending aservice suggestion givesKawasaki permission topublish and/or use it withoutfurther consideration.Specifications subject tochange without notice.

4 l K-Tech News

by Don ChurchManager, Service Trainingand Communications Dept.

Now you can share witheveryone in your storeproven ideas, tips andstrategies for getting newcustomers and keepingcurrent ones. You will findthe ideas presented in athree-volume videoworkshop produced by thevideo training specialistsat CareerTrack priceless.

A careful review of thethree tapes included in theprogram “How To Give Ex-ceptional Customer Ser-vice” will help you winyour customers’ devotion,loyalty, and repeat busi-ness. Best of all, they’ll in-crease the satisfactionyou get from your job.

The CareerTrack videoworkshop is one of thebest training investmentsyou can make. Kawasaki’sConsumer Services andService Training Depart-ments have reviewedmany video trainingprograms on the subjectof customer service, andnone compare with thecontent and valueprovided by CareerTrack.

In Volume I you’ll learn:What customer servicereally means to you, yourcompany, and your cus-tomers. . .The real reasonbehind most customer dis-satisfaction (and what todo about it). . .The impor-tance of “self-talk” andhow it affects your at-titude. . .Three sourcesyou can draw on to helpserve customers better. . .The 90-10 rule of cus-

CONTlNUED ON PAGE 5

The quest for exceptional service:CareerTrack video training

paper and magazine arti-cles proclaiming that what

the customer really wants is service, service, service.

CareerTrack’s Cathy Kachur:Don’t miss this seminar!

Customer service is amuch talked about subjecttoday. Daily you hearreports from the automakers, all battling for tophonors in the ConsumerSatisfaction Index (CSI).And you’re exposed to aconstant barrage of news-

Given all this, you won’t want to miss an exceptionalpresentation entitled “How To Give Exceptional Cus-tomer Service” by Cathy Kachur at the Nashville DealerMeeting. Kachur (pronounced “kah-HOOR”) is one of thetop speakers for CareerTrack, the nation’s leading busi-ness seminar company which conducts over 3,500 semi-nars a year throughout the United States, Canada,Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Cathy herself has trained thousands of professionals.Her topics cover the range from communication skills toconflict management with “How to Give Exceptional Cus-tomer Service” as her specialty. People who attendCathy’s programs speak of her in glowing terms with ad-jectives like “practical,” “informative,” “enthusiastic,” and“motivating.”

CareerTrack will also have a booth in the product dis-play area where you can ask questions and see thevideo cassette training program on “How to Give Excep-tional Customer Service” which will be offered exclusive-ly to Kawasaki dealers at a special discounted price.- Don Church

G U E S T S P O T

Kawasaki hosts VICA motorcycle mechanicsMichigan State competitionby Fred DeHart minutes to complete theTechnical Services Instructor requirements in one workOne Saturday morning in station before moving onJune, 10 teenagers and to the next. Each wasrepresentatives from their judged on his safety, per-high schools converged at formance and job skills.

Competition in the VICA regionals was intense.

an early hour on Kawa-saki’s Grand Rapids Train-ing Facility. Before the daywas over, one of the 10would be the Michiganstate champion in theVocational Industrial Clubsof America (VICA) Motor-cycle Mechanics program.

Kawasaki provided useof the training facility andtools. American Honda’sDoug Jackson, mean-while, the Michigan DistrictManager, helped developthe contest criteria andprovided product.

Six work stations wereset up to test the students’different skills. Each wasmanned by a judge from alocal school VICA programor an area motorcycledealership associated withthe VICA program. Eachstudent was given 30

Vocational IndustrialClubs of America (VICA)is a national organizationfor trade, industrial, techni-cal, and health occupationstudents. There are12,500 clubs in thenation’s high schools, post-secondary schools, andjunior and community col-leges. VICA provides op-portunities for studentswanting to excel and ex-pand their educationbeyond the normal cur-riculum. The associationstresses leadership, highstandards of workman-ship, business skills, tradeethics, and safety. For themotorcycle industry, thismeans quality entry-levelmechanics-somethingsorely needed.

Kawasaki would like tothank all those who par-

cipated in this contest in- of Pioneer High School including the judges, the fac- Ann Arbor had won thetory representatives and state title. He later wentthe students themselves. on to win the national com-

Oh yes: When the dust petition. Congratulations,settled, Michael Hackbarth Michael! o

Preview, preview. . .Remember the video program we sent to you lastDecember entitled “Servicing Your Bottom Line”? Theresults of the survey accompanying the video showeda majority of dealers expressing the need for training incustomer service skills and techniques.

In a matter of days you will be receiving a specialvideo program from Kawasaki’s Technical ServicesDivision on this very subject: “Customer Service” is thetitle and it is very important that you watch this videoprogram before the Dealer Meeting in Nashville. Thisnew Kawasaki Dealer Video “sets the stage” for aserious discussion on how you can create a climate ofservice excellence in your store. It’s chock full ofproven ideas, tips and strategies that will help you trainyour people, win your customers’ loyalty and get theirrepeat business.See you in Nashville! o

CareeTrack videoCONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

tomer service. . .The tac-tics used by organizationswho are winning with cus-tomer service.

In Volume II you’ll learn:specific phrases, vocaltechniques and body lan-guage that build rapportwith customers. . .Dealingwith the emotional cus-tomer. . .How to keep your-self cool-what to do whenan angry customer verballyattacks and abuses you.

In Volume Ill you’lllearn: Basic customerneeds and feelings. . .Away to deliver bad newswithout alienating your cus-tomer. . .Dealing with typi-cal customer complaints. . .

Skills to use to handlecriticism. . .Qualities thatkeep customers comingback. . .Developing a sys-tem for measuring cus-tomer satisfaction.

The three video tapes inthis program offer overfour hours of valuable in-struction. And, to help youget maximum results from“How to Give ExceptionalCustomer Service,” wehave developed a Discus-sion Leader’s Guide andWorkbook which are in-cluded in the program. Allthis is offered to Kawasakidealers exclusively for$125.00. Call (800) 325-5854, ext. 2801, to orderyours today. o


T I P S F R O M T H E S P E C I A L I S T S

MemoriesIn order to maintain theradio preset stationmemory and run the clock,the Voyager XII radio usesa small amount of currenteven with the ignition off.A small computer in thecruise control means theZG1200-B models useslightly more current thanthe -A models did. The op-tional CB radio also hasmemory and requires powerwhen the ignition is off.

If you are dealing with adead battery problem on aVoyager XII and suspectan abnor-

compare them to thevalues charted below.These values were takenwith a digital meter inseries with the negativebattery cable on a few“known good” vehicles.

NOTE: Don’t ever try tostart the engine with themeter in series with the bat-tery. The meter makes a bet-ter fuse than starter cable. Infact, the current draw fromthe starter motor is morethan enough to let all thesmoke out of your meter...- Tevis Moffett

mal “ignitionoff” currentdraw, takesome rea-

STANDARD WITH CBZG1200-A1 2.4 mA 22.4 mAZG1200-B1/4 5.0 mA 26.0 mA

dings and

The little things. . .When you are doing anykind of routine main-tenance on a customer’smotorcycle, remember tohonk the horn. If it is weakor flat sounding, take thetime to adjust it.

On the back side of thehorn is a small Phillipsscrew and locknut.

Loosen the locknut andturn the screw in and outwhile honking the horn.When you’ve found theloudest setting, tighten thelocknut.

You might be surprisedhow pleased the customercan be over a little thinglike this! - Steve Rice

I’m pumped!The ZG1200 Voyager XII fuel pump can be tested thesame way as described in the Vulcan 88 manual: Supplybattery power as shown in this diagram and measure thefuel pressure on the output side. The pressure should be

1.6-2.3 psi. - Steve Rice

Voyager cruise control infoWant to know more about the cruise control systemfound on Kawasaki Voyagers? The Kawasaki TrainingDepartment has a handout used in its training coursesthat contains information not found anywhere else. It in-cludes in-shop dynamic testing procedures of the sys-tem and large easy-to-understand schematics. You canget one of these handouts by attending the VoyagerFamiliarization course at your nearest Kawasaki trainingfacility, or you can get one by calling (714) 770-0400,ext. 2472, and requesting a copy. o

TR90-02 CorrectionsWe just noticed that Training Bulletin TR90-02 ismissing some manuals:

oNEW! Meter Fix (Quick repair of Kawasaki l-landTester P/N 57001-9831, free with any manualordered before October 31, 1990.

oNewly revised Cruise Control Troubleshooting Guide;o Voyager 1300 Audio System Troubleshooting Guide;o Voyager XII Audio System Troubleshooting Guide;o Team Green Race Preparation and Maintenance

(Tips for KX Engines, Forks, and Shocks).These old favorites are also available:

o Police Motorcycle Maintenance;o Watercraft Fuel Systems Video Reference Manual.

6 l K-Tech News


Add to your special tools collectionHave you ever had any difficulty installing the rubber hold down straps on JET SKI®

watercraft batteries and fuel tanks? Well, if you have, Kawasaki has a tool that maymake life a little easier for you. The strap tool makes installing these pesky straps abreeze and you won’t even skin a knuckle. Order yours today P/N 57001-1294.

n Also, due to the numerous inquiries from dealers, Kawasaki has acquired a floatgauge that will make setting carburetor floats much simpler. The width of the gauge isadjustable and float height is marked in 1 mm increments. You can order one underP/N T57001-287. - Joe Nowocinski

Test leadsEvery time it’s necessary to check anelectrical component or its connec-tions at the wiring harness, you areconfronted by an amazing array ofdifferent wiring terminal ends. Often aset of jumper leads that will connectto the terminal will make the job easierand faster.

Test leads are easy to make usingthe wiring terminal kit, special tool P/NT96000-012. You will also need wireand a few alligator clips. Shown hereare a few of my favorites. Make adifferent set any time you run into anew problem. Soon you’ll have agood selection of special test leadsthat will make your job easier.- Fred DeHart

Meter fixChecked the price ofKawasaki’s Hand Tester(P/N 57001-983) lately? Ifyou bought one severalyears ago, you made awise investment in testequipment. However, ifyou accidentally let thesmoke out of your meterand it is now gatheringdust, your investment isnot paying off. Often youcan fix this importanttroubleshooting tool.

The Kawasaki TechnicalTraining Department hasput together instructionsfor repairing several com-mon failures. If you have adamaged tester and wouldlike to try fixing it, call theKawasaki Training Depart-ment at (714) 770-0400,ext. 2472, and we willsend you the information. o



Decal R&R: A cure for “fear and loathing”By Gregg ThompsonSr. Product Support Specialist

Most of you who havetackled the job beforewould agree that replacingdecals on personalwatercraft can be a pain inthe . . . well, neck. But thereare some techniques andchemicals that can saveyou time and make the joba little more pleasant.Here are some that I’vefound helpful.

nn RemovalIn general, decals comeoff easier if they are warmto the touch but not hot.You’ll know when they aretoo warm because theywill stretch rapidly all of asudden and then tear.

Putting the boat outsideon a warm day with thedecal in direct sunlight will

Pull this way. . .

get it pretty close to theideal temperature. Theweather doesn’t alwayscooperate but a heat gunor blow dryer will alsowork. These will quicklyoverheat the decal, too, soyou’ll have to develop a“touch” for using them.

Pull the decal at a 90 de-gree angle to the surface.Do not lay the decal overand pull parallel to the sur-face. The sharper theangle of the decal at theedge where it is separat-ing from the vehicle sur-face, the more likely it is to

8 l K-Tech News

leave adhesive behind.And, as you know, in thisjob adhesive is yourenemy.

On wide decals alwayspull first from one corner,then the other corner, thenthe middle and back to acorner again. Do this tokeep the area of decalbeing pulled from the sur-face at any one time asnarrow as possible. Thenarrower the area, thefaster it goes. If it startsleaving adhesive behind,slow down. If it breaks offwith a “snap,” you’re pull-ing too fast or it’s notwarm enough.

Decals that are locatednear fuel filler caps are dif-ferent from the others. Youwon’t like them. They areharder to pull off, tearmore easily and have amore tenacious (grey) ad-

. . . NOT this way!

hesive that is more likelyto stay on the vehicle.Often these decals will notcome off without heat.

Remove the remainingadhesive with “elbowgrease” and either mineralspirits or an adhesiveremover such as 3MGeneral Purpose Ad-hesive Cleaner No.08984. Plain mineralspirits works a little slowerbut costs a lot less.

It helps to use a terrycloth towel which providesa kind of “soft abrasive.”Keep the adhesive wet

while rubbing briskly.Larger areas of adhesiveshould be softened withthe cleaner and scrapedwith a plastic spatula first.The softened adhesive willball up and most of it canbe picked off. Whatremains can then berubbed off with the toweland cleaner.

n InstallationStart with a clean surface.Even the smallest flaw ordirt particle will show afterthe decal is installed. Mix

Decal “‘special tools.”

a batch of soapy water ina large bucket. Liquidlaundry detergents workwell because of their low-suds formulas. There mustbe enough soap in thewater to make your fingersslippery when dipped in it.

Apply the solution to thevehicle with a towel, not a

spray bottle. Rememberthat bubbles are now yourenemy! With the surfacewet, peel the backing offthe decal, dip it in the solu-tion and position it on thevehicle. Use a plasticspatula and firm pressureto squeegee the solution

and bubbles from underthe decal.

Always work from thecenter toward the outsideedges. After it hasthoroughly dried, removethe protective paper. If youmissed any bubbles, youcan put a small cut with arazor blade in the centerof the bubble and squeezeout the air or fluid.

After you’ve done a fewof these using some ofthese new tricks, you’ll besurprised how quickly thejob will go. o

Work bubblesfrom centeroutward

KLF220 rich runningAfter servicing a new KLF220, have you ever found it id-ling poorly and running rich with the engine warm? Ordoes the engine stall when the handlebars are turned allthe way left or right?

If you run into one or both of these problems, checkthe choke cable for freeplay. If the cable has no freeplay,it may be holding the enrichener plunger off its seat inthe carburetor very slightly.

Sometimes just rerouting the cable will solve the prob-lem. If it doesn’t, you can either try a new cable or trim(shorten) the old cable housing slightly to provide asmall amount of freeplay. - John Porno

C O M P E T I T I O N

Playing to win the racing gameby Steve NicklessEditor, JET SKIER MAGAZINE

A key contribution to thesales success of Kawa-saki’s JET SKI® watercrafthas been the strong com-petition program whichhas grown up around it.With the able leadership ofthe Southern California-based International Jet SkiBoating Association(IJSBA), JET SKI® water-craft racing has become aninternational phenomenon.

Given day-to-day direc-tion since 1987 by its vicepresident, former TeamGreen manager BruceStjernstrom, the IJSBAmembership organizationsanctions everything fromone-day “Fun Days” to theprestigious World Jet SkiFinals, from a variety oflocal and regional cham-pionships to the ultra-im-portant National JET SKI®

Tour, an eight-race U.S.series televised in its en-tirety by ESPN.

“Racing is good for busi-ness,” say the principalsat several of Kawasaki’smost successful JET SKI®

stores-businesses whichput their financial and tech-nical resources wheretheir marketing mouthsare. While most agree it’shard to measure accurate-ly, dealers who use com-mon sense when addingorganized JET SKI®

racing to their arsenal ofmarketing weapons reporta measurable impact ontheir bottom line.

“There are no hard andfast numbers on the finan-cial return,” says HowardMooney, president of theFlorida-based Action JetSki Inc. which owns Jet

Ski of Miami. “But there isa measurable return,definitely.”

Jet Ski of Miami openedin 1986 and has neverbeen out of the JET SKI®

sales top four; racing,says Mooney, has played

explains owner Ed Miller.“And we figured with thetelevision and all, it mightbe a good thing.

“It was expensive,”Miller goes on. “But wefeel real good about it. Wegot some good results.”

1991 National Champ Jeff Jacobs flies the PJS flag.

a significant part in itsgrowth.

Deciding to go racing isthe easy part; it’s fun foreveryone involved. Know-ing how far to go with it isthe tough part. Jet Ski ofMiami cut back on itsracing involvement thisyear (“You have to weighthe investment against thebenefits, the return,” saysMooney). Others in-creased it: The Anaheim,California-based Perfor-mance Jet Ski (PJS), forinstance, added eventsponsorship to its alreadysignificant rider-supportprogram in 1990.

“We got the opportunityto sponsor the LongBeach (Calif.) race-thefirst race on the NationalTour, held over theMemorial Day weekend,”

The perennial numberone West Region Kawa-saki JET SKI® store,Miller’s Performance JetSki can also boast a hugeshare of the high-perfor-mance aftermarket. PJSgoes racing not only forthe marketing benefits butalso to explore the perfor-mance envelope and hassince it opened in 1980.

But a dealership doesn’thave to make its ownpipes or port its owncylinders to derive a tech-nical benefit: The need to“think sharp” under pres-sure at a race is greathands-on experience for aservice technician. (It’ssuch a good deal, in fact,that the personalwatercraft-training divisionof the American Motor-cycle Institute added rider

Steve Laham, owner ofthe Grand Rapids,Michigan-based Butch’sJet Ski Shop, has usedsuccess in midwesternregional races over theyears to great effect. Cus-tomers at Butch’s comefrom as far away as Illi-nois, Indiana and Wiscon-sin, attracted by the shop’sextraordinary success atthe regional racing level.

Racing is a great way towiden a store’s “sphere ofinfluence” as proven bymany over the years:Sammy White’s Texas-based Kawasaki Citychain has helped launchand further the careers ofa huge number of riderswho, in turn, have spreadthe Kawasaki City gospelof “good service and gooddeals” all over the South-west (not to mention na-tionally with good resultson the National Tour).

“It’s a great way to get

sponsorship to its market-ing efforts almost two yearsago-and has kept it.)

Racing at the NationalTour level can be expen-sive, although the expan-ded ESPN coveragemakes even that justifi-able in a few instances:PJS got an awesomeamount of national ex-posure this year as starrider Jeff Jacobs’ won anunprecedented fourth Na-tional Championship.

There are several moreaffordable racing venues,though: local IJSBA racesand close-at-handregional series make awonderful starting point.

your name out in front ofthe public,” says Jet Ski ofMiami’s Howard Mooney.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11



BatterywarrantyOne common questiondealers often have for theHot Line staff is: “AreKawasaki OEM batteriescovered by the basic war-ranty?”

The answer is, “Yes.”The original battery in anyKawasaki vehicle iscovered by the basic war-ranty. And any OEM re-placement batteryinstalled under warranty iscovered for the remainderof the basic warranty.

But if you have a batterythat you are consideringfor warranty replacementthere are a couple thingsto remember. First, theKawasaki warranty coversonly “defects in materialsand workmanship.”Kawasaki does not con-sider a sulfated batterydefective. Sulfation is acondition that results fromthe battery being stored ina discharged state for along time.

If, during the basic war-ranty, a battery fails totake a charge in one ormore cells, or won’t hold acharge for several dayswhile not connected toany electrical load andthere is no sulfation evi-dent, it can be considereddefective.

When replacing a bat-tery under warranty, al-ways use an OEMreplacement battery so itwill continue to be coveredby the basic warranty. Andremember: Kawasaki’s ex-tended coverage (the“Good Times ProtectionPlan”) does not cover bat-teries.- Gregg Thompson

10 l K-Tech News

Warranty, basic or extended?Understanding the differencesby Gregg ThompsonSr. Product Support Specialist

The Kawasaki Basic War-ranty covers every com-ponent and system on thevehicle or generator fordefects in materials andworkmanship. The sameholds true for our 90-dayparts and accessories war-ranties.

The “Good TimesProtection Plan”, however,has some exclusions thatare covered by the basicwarranty. Make sure thatpeople in your dealership-especially your servicemanager, service writerand sales people-arecompletely familiar withthe coverage and limita-tions of Kawasaki’s ex-

tended coverage plans. covered and that nor-Always keep copies of the mal wear is not. o“Good T imesProtection PlanCertificate” (P/N99995-593-01)posted in thes e r v i c e a n dsales depart-ments for thecustomers tosee and for yourown reference.When dealingwith customersr e g a r d i n gK a w a s a k i ’ sBasic Warrantyand the GoodTimes Protec-tion Plan, keepin mind that onlyd e f e c t s a r e

TR1200-A2/B2: Let there be light(s)!Are you having trouble with TR1200 taillights? Well, ensuring that the rear cross mem-ber and taillights have a good ground solves most trailer lighting problems.

Here’s the fix: Before installing the rear cross member during assembly and prepara-tion, remove the taillight mounting nuts holding the ground wire lugs on both sides ofthe rear cross member. Scrape the paint from around the taillight mounting holes. In-stall the ground lug, lock washer and nut onto the taillight stud. Seal the ground con-nection with RTV sealant (P/N K61079-007).

The same procedure may be necessary at the three large bolts that secure the crossmember to the main frame tube. Here, remove the paint from inside the bolt holes.- Jerry Heil

Remove paintto ensure good

contact. Have a time- ormoney-saving

service tip to share?Send It to:

EditorK-TECH NEWS

Kawasaki MotorsCorp., U.S.A.

9950 JeronimoIrvine, CA 92718


WEST650 off shore “bog”By Keith PestotnikRocky Mountain Kawasaki

Your 650-powered JETSKI watercraft or JETMATE has been runningwell today and you’reready to head out againafter a short break on theshore. You fire ’er up, hopon and accelerate away atwide open throttle only tohave the engine bogbadly. But it’s not really abog; it just seems to wantto produce only about 3/4of its normal power.

SOUTH & CENTRAL

Then, about 300 to 500feet from shore (still atWOT), it mysteriously “‘takeshold” and goes withno other problemsfor that ride.

Here’s an-other clue:when itwas “bog-ging” if youhad released and re-opened the throttle, theboat would have immedi-ately accelerated normally.

If both of these

symptoms are present,the problem is probablyair in the high speed cir-cuit of the carburetor,caused by a leaking high-speed check valve dia-phragm (P/N 16087-3702).

To correct this, bend theflap of the check valvediaphragm with yourfingers at a 45 degreeangle towards the smallsteel plate that covers it.Bend it carefully so that,once reinstalled, the flapwill fully seal the hole inthe steel cover plate.Probe it with a scribethrough the hole to verifythis. If it’s bent incorrectly,

you’ll actuallymake the

problemworse.

Be sure to clean the car-buretor and set the inletlever arm height to factoryspecification before reas-sembly. o

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

been added to a revised Electrical Troubleshooting class.There are new courses, too: For current and aspiring

Utility Vehicle technicians, we’re designing an all-newcourse covering the operation and repair of all the mem-bers of the growing Mule family.

The best news of all is that these are just a few of thesurprises we have in store for you in this fall’s trainingseason. Decide now to take advantage of the training of-fered by Kawasaki, and keep an eye out for more infor-mation about these and other training courses.

We’ll see you in class! o

CONTlNUED FROM PAGE 12

tion, performing repairs only to discover they are notcovered under the extended warranty. The Good TimesProtection Plan certificate lists the items that are ex-cluded. Read it!

Remember that warranty authorization is not requiredon Factory Directed Modifications and FactoryAuthorized Repairs. If the unit is eligible, as listed on theservice bulletin, the repair can be made anytime, even ifthe warranty has expired. If there is no repair verificationlabel on the vehicle, call the Hot Line to find out if aclaim has ever been submitted for that repair. This canprevent unnecessary duplicate repairs.

The Kawasaki Hot Line is unique to the industry. Im-mediate technical help for dealers only is just a phonecall away, and a handful of experienced technicians arewaiting for your call. But please have all the informationready. . . o

The racinggameCONTlNUED FROM PAGE 9“Here in Florida, our cus-tomers go to a lot of racesand see that we’re activelyinvolved. They go homefeeling good about us.”

The ways to get in-volved are as limitless asthe number of racing clas-ses (dozens in IJSBANovice, Expert and Procategories) and riders(there are over 3500IJSBA competition mem-bers). But most dealerswho have been successful

at the racing game sug-gest conservatism at thebeginning: Find a rideryou feel comfortable withand do something withhim on a limited basis atfirst. Have a definite timeperiod in mind and see itthrough, monitoring thereturn-which could be anintangible return, remem-ber, like employee and/orcustomer goodwill.

Racing works. And, saysuccessful men likeMooney, Miller, White andLaham, a competition pro-gram can be a real winnerfor your store. o

Why racing?1 - Advertising . . . can increase floor traffic2 - Profit . . .measurable impact on the bottom line3 - Positive Publicity . . .goodwi// with customers and

employees4 - Marketing. . .good relations with suppliers5 - Training . . . excellent field experience for technicians

Why not racing?1 - Expense. . . requires careful management2 - Distraction I. . .can distract from sales focus3 - Distraction II. . .can distract from service focus4 - Negative Publicity. . . unforseen events, actions of

rider, can reflect on store5 - Liability. . . slightly increased risk of injury or

damage claims


R E G I O N A L N E W S

NORTH & EASTSOUTH & CENTRALWEST

We’ve been Helpfulbusy too! observationsby Patrick Kelly9950 Jeronimo RoadIrvine, CA 92718(714) 770-0400

by Walter Rainwater6110 Boat Rock Blvd. S. W.Atlanta, GA 30378(404) 349-2000

It’s that time of year al-ready. Fall is almost hereand winter is just aroundthe corner. With the fallseason comes the WorldSeries, the start of the profootball season, the returnof your favorite TV showand, of course, the begin-ning of a new trainingseason at your regionalKawasaki Training Center.

During the summer, Ispent several weeks inCalifornia helping out onthe technical Hot Line. I al-ways enjoy talking withand assisting dealers, andI have some observationsto share with you afterspending some time onthe Hot Line telephones.

We know you havebeen busy during the lastfew months, but rest as-sured that we have beenbusy too. We’ve spent thesummer updating andrevising our training clas-ses to include the latesttechnical information. Forexample, the Team GreenRace Preparation andMaintenance class hasbeen updated to include in-formation on all the 1991off-road models. And thefinishing touches have

Some callers don’t haveall the necessary informa-tion close at hand whenthey call. Either they takeextra time from the HotLine technician, chasing in-formation while the call isin progress, or they haveto make a second call.


It would be advan-tageous to all if the infor-mation is available beforethe first call is made.

Some dealers are creat-ing problems for them-selves by not reading theGood Times ProtectionPlan coverage informa-


12 l K-Tech News

Don't forget:Sign up early!by Fred DeHart201 Circle Drive N., #107Piscataway, NJ 08854(201) 469-1221

Reminders: When youread this, the 1991 modelline introduction will havealready begun andOctober’s national dealermeeting will be getting un-derway. Our training clas-ses will be updated withinformation on newproducts as they are intro-duced. Now is the time tostart thinking about attend-ing classes this fall.

We normally mail ourfirst Technical TrainingSchedule for the seasonin September. If you havenot seen a schedule bythe end of September,check with your ServiceManager or GeneralManager, or call yourregional training office.

You can sign up for clas-ses by calling the regionaltraining center listed onthe schedule. Enroll earlyto insure a seat in theclass of your choice. o

TrainingScheduleEast RegionOctober9-11 JET SKI® Watercraft16-19 Engines23-24 Team Green Race Preparation25-26 Team Green Race Preparation30-31 Troubleshooting Electrical Systems

November

1-2 Fuel Systems5-7 JET SKI® Watercraft3-9 ATV Service20-21 Troubleshooting Electrical Systems

North RegionNovember

12-14 JET SKI® Watercraft15-16 Team Green Race Preparation

Central RegionNovember

5-6 Team Green Race Preparation7-9 JET SKI® Watercraft

South Region

8-11 Engines15-16 Team Green Race Preparation17-18 ATV Service22-25 Troubleshooting Electrical Systems29 High Performance Engines30 Parts Department Operations31 Service Department. Operations

(K-BOSS)

November

12-13 Team Green Race Preparation14-15 ATV Service19 High Performance Engines20-21 Fuel Systems26-29 Engines

West RegionOctober

8-10 JET SKI® Watercraft11 Shaft Drive22 Voyager Familiarization23 Generators24-25 Fuel Systems29 Service Department Operations

(K-BOSS)30-31 Team Green Race Preparation

November

1 ATV Service5-6 Troubleshooting Electrical Systems

8GeneratorVoyager Familiarization

12-14 Police Motorcycle Maintenance15 Shaft Drive19-20 Engines21 High Performance Engines26-28 JET SKI® Watercraft29 Service Department Operations

(K-BOSS)

’91 JS550-C1: Improving on “great!” 0 · the mail. When we get them at KMC, we send them out...

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