Seaking Posted July 31, 2009 #1 Posted July 31, 2009 Argh.. I have the bike tuned up, oil, air, plugs and synch'd and today experienced yet another mysterious shut down while riding.. First time was a few days ago while cruising 70 mph in 4th.. it simply switched off.. Pulled over.. started up again and everything was fine. 3/4 tank of gas, no incident with the next 5 tank fulls and 4 days.. Earlier today while doing errands, in city streets, the bike up and quit again.. huh? Wait a few secs on the side of the road and flashed it up OK and no probs riding it after that.. Highway, back roads and so forth.. In both instances I did not 'accidentally' hit the kill switch. The bike simply died. When it dies, it's almost feeling like the engine isn't making power and then nuttin.. bleh, dead. I'm heading out on a road trip to PA this sunday, I'd really like to know what gives.. Is it possible it's shutting down due to a thermal shut down switch or something? Engine getting too hot? I have plenty of green fluid in the bike.. though I seriously doubt it's ever been flushed since 06 (I'm the 3rd owner)..
jemorrisonjr Posted July 31, 2009 #2 Posted July 31, 2009 Did you recycle your side stand??? I had the same problem and found that the side stand safety switch went bad..
gibvel Posted July 31, 2009 #3 Posted July 31, 2009 What do you have in ways of accessories when it happens? Lights, dash, radio? Have you checked the battery cables are tight?
BoomerCPO Posted July 31, 2009 #4 Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) Yep that sidestand switch gets crapped up real easy due to its location. I clean/check mine at every oil change. A few minutes of care will prevent a ton of aggravation. Boomer.....who would rather drive by the !st Gens on the side of the road rather than join em for a roadside maintenance session. :rotfl: Edited July 31, 2009 by BoomerCPO stupid spelling
dragerman Posted July 31, 2009 #5 Posted July 31, 2009 I’ve had a similar experience just a few weeks ago. The bike stalled, I pulled over and it didn’t want to run unless I applied full choke... then it was everything the bike could do to maintain an idle. I kept it going as long as I could then all of a sudden after two/three minutes like that it cleared up. It seemed like a fuel problem and my thoughts were that the floats got stuck, I got a little water in the tank or something along that line. I run some Sea Foam through and haven’t had a problem since... still not 100% sure what happened but the bike seems to be running fine now.
Seaking Posted July 31, 2009 Author #7 Posted July 31, 2009 Did you recycle your side stand??? I had the same problem and found that the side stand safety switch went bad.. I just pulled over, turned off the ignition, turned it back on and the bike started OK after sitting there for a minute pondering what the heck.. Funny enough, this is the only thing the dealership techs could suggest was the sidestand switch being twitchy.. hit a bump a certain way and it's enough to glitch it.. Of course there are no switch available in this area so I'll see about picking one up in the USA while traveling next week.. at least eliminate one possibility.. I'm just worried of it conking out on me at the worse possible moment, ya know? A shot of WD40 to clean it out for now..
Seaking Posted July 31, 2009 Author #8 Posted July 31, 2009 What do you have in ways of accessories when it happens? Lights, dash, radio? Have you checked the battery cables are tight? Only thing running in both instances was the radio and highway lamps. I'll check the battery cables for tightness as well.. Heck, ya never know.. Thanks
Seaking Posted July 31, 2009 Author #9 Posted July 31, 2009 Yep that sidestand switch gets crapped up real easy due to its location. I clean/check mine at every oil change. A few minutes of care will prevent a ton of aggravation. What do you do specifically to clean yours? I was thinking of the WD40 spray down...
Seaking Posted August 1, 2009 Author #10 Posted August 1, 2009 I’ve had a similar experience just a few weeks ago. The bike stalled, I pulled over and it didn’t want to run unless I applied full choke... then it was everything the bike could do to maintain an idle. I kept it going as long as I could then all of a sudden after two/three minutes like that it cleared up. It seemed like a fuel problem and my thoughts were that the floats got stuck, I got a little water in the tank or something along that line. I run some Sea Foam through and haven’t had a problem since... still not 100% sure what happened but the bike seems to be running fine now. Ok THAT problem YOU had could easily be a bad Fuel Filter! I had that same problem not long ago where the bike would conk out when the fuel level got down to a certain level and would ONLY start again when in RES.. this was due to the filter being so clogged that it couldn't permit the pump to suck enough fuel without head pressure of a full tank pushing down on the fuel.. Seafoam masked the problem (though nothing wrong with a good cleaning) but a new fuel filter sorted it out.. Best of luck
flb_78 Posted August 1, 2009 #11 Posted August 1, 2009 Ignition switch is probably going out. Mine did the same thing, hit a bump and the bike would shut off. Turn the key on and turn the key back and forth to see if the dash flickers.
Seaking Posted August 1, 2009 Author #12 Posted August 1, 2009 Ignition switch is probably going out. Mine did the same thing, hit a bump and the bike would shut off. Turn the key on and turn the key back and forth to see if the dash flickers. I just went out and tried that and the lights come on, then off, and on.. no flicker.. key turns a little sticky though.. If this were the problem, what is the remedy? The bike had been ridden in the rain a lot these past weeks.. but had ample opportunities to dry out.. so I had hoped..
BoomerCPO Posted August 1, 2009 #13 Posted August 1, 2009 What do you do specifically to clean yours? I was thinking of the WD40 spray down... That's exactly what I do. Cheap preventive maintenance in my book. Boomer..........who could do more if he had a garage and the monsoon season ended.
Seaking Posted August 1, 2009 Author #14 Posted August 1, 2009 That's exactly what I do. Cheap preventive maintenance in my book. Boomer..........who could do more if he had a garage and the monsoon season ended. Boomer.. you sound like the lad who wants to do more with more than less lol.. I've having my garage built (24 x 24) when I get back from next week's road trip.. We'll be travel through your neck of the woods I think..
BoomerCPO Posted August 1, 2009 #15 Posted August 1, 2009 Boomer.. you sound like the lad who wants to do more with more than less lol.. I've having my garage built (24 x 24) when I get back from next week's road trip.. We'll be travel through your neck of the woods I think.. Let me know when you are coming....I'll see what I can do to meet up with you and send you on yer way with a full belly. Boomer.......who knows some mighty good eating joints in the Blue State of Connecticut.
Seaking Posted August 1, 2009 Author #16 Posted August 1, 2009 Let me know when you are coming....I'll see what I can do to meet up with you and send you on yer way with a full belly. Boomer.......who knows some mighty good eating joints in the Blue State of Connecticut. Food is what we're all about.. We belong to a strange bike club better known as an "Eating Club with a Riding Disorder" =) We're departing Nova Scotia on Sunday this weekend, should be coming through CT on Monday / Tuesday along the 84 (rain or shine).. Can you PM me your info so I can plug it in so we can touch base with you when we leave Maine? We're departing a little later in the morning and probably won't get much farther than below Bangor.. Cheers Boomer..
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