EN500 Stalls on Highways

[philipd]

OK, my bike has started to act up again. It will die and then fire right back up. This happens in less than a second. It occurs at any speed and in any gear. I might drive five miles and it run smooth as silk and then it might happen 10 times in one mile. I am going to take it to the dealer this afternoon after work. This will be the fourth time they have had to work on the bike for one problem or another in the year I have owned it. I'm about ready to trade it in for something else.

[Vulcan900]

Phil,

That sounds like a bad wire in the ignition circuit, kill switch, or kickstand safety switch.

[bleeps]

Well the service rep was a nice enough person. He offered to keep the bike another day and have the techs take it out a few more times to see if they can get it to cut out.

[philipd]

Originally Posted by Vulcan900

Phil,

That sounds like a bad wire in the ignition circuit, kill switch, or kickstand safety switch.

Yep, I also lean towards that area. I stopped at a red light today and the bike just died. It started right up but this is the first time it has done that while at an stand still. I dropped the bike off at the dealer this afternoon and they said it will be Wednesday before they can look at it. Gonna drive the truck next week. Gas for the truck = $$$$$$

While I was waiting for my wife to pick me up I looked at the new bikes they had in stock. Really eyeing a '09 900 LT on sale for $7,700 (plus tax, title, fees, etc.). About two grand off the regular price. And although I would love a new bike it just ain't in the cards right now. Maybe in a couple of years...

[BlueNinja14]

Not true at any speed. I had this type of problem and it only occurred at speed. The symptoms sure point in the direction of a fuel cap issue.

[BlueNinja14]

Originally Posted by Vulcan900

My father-in-law killed his truck by putting the wrong plugs in it (but that’s a whole separate story). He borrowed a vintage Suzuki (very nicely restored) from one of his old buddies, and rode it around town for a week or so. One Saturday afternoon he wanted to ride out to Fernandina Beach. We got on 9A (kind of like the interstate) and in about 2 minutes the Suzuki started to sputter, and then died. We pulled over and he went over the bike on the side of the road, then tried to start it... fired right off. About 5 minutes later, and a bit less than half way up the Dames Point Bridge it did it again. He pushed it to the top of the bridge, and it started right up again. We cruised down the bridge and took the first exit and stopped at a gas station. When he pulled the cap we both heard the sucking sound. At the time I did not know what that meant, but he did. He left the cap sitting in the hole, but not locked in for the rest of the ride and he had no more problems.

The bike would cruise around town just fine, but get it up to interstate speed and it would pull gas faster that the vent would let air in, and subsequently die.

BINGO!

[BlueNinja14]

Originally Posted by philipd

OK, my bike has started to act up again. It will die and then fire right back up. This happens in less than a second. It occurs at any speed and in any gear. I might drive five miles and it run smooth as silk and then it might happen 10 times in one mile. I am going to take it to the dealer this afternoon after work. This will be the fourth time they have had to work on the bike for one problem or another in the year I have owned it. I'm about ready to trade it in for something else.

Your problem sounds like wiring or a Igniter/pickup coil issue.

[philipd]

BlueNinja,

Yeah, the problem could be in one of those areas. Where ever the problem lies, it is up to the dealer to find it now.

[philipd]

Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang!!!!

I have a B-I-G plate of humble pie to eat. Got my bike back from the dealer today and ya'know what the problem was??? LOOSE BATTERY CABLE! After all the advice I have given others to check the battery cable what did I do? Not check the battery cable. I guess this is a "do as I say, not what I do" type of thing.

Color me red. Faced that is.

[Vulcan900]

Phil,

At least your problem is solved. What about Mike???

[sfair]

Loose battery cable... I would assume then that when it stalled, you lost your running lights too?

[philipd]

Originally Posted by sfair

Loose battery cable... I would assume then that when it stalled, you lost your running lights too?

Well, I never looked. I would think so too.

[kraaazymike]

Update: Called the dealership today. The tech who is working on my bike is out today, but the guy was reading the notes and said:

7-29-09 "Called Kawasaki, Mark stated to check vent lines including carberator lines and possibly replace gas cap."

I'll call back again later this week to see where this is going...

[philipd]

Thanks Mike; keep us updated.

[kraaazymike]

UPDATE

I went over to the shop yesterday after I got back from my vacation. Kawasaki recommended a replacement of the gas cap speculating venting issues *cough*. So my shop replaced the gas cap and had me ride it since I was the only one who could duplicate the problem. Well I rode like an idiot for 22 miles trying to get it to die. I could not get it to die. So I'm really really hoping that this fixes the problem! I'll keep on riding praying it doesn't randomly die in the middle of heavy flowing traffic!

[kawpaul]

Kawasaki should pay you. You gave them the answer and they were too proud to heed.

[BlueNinja14]

Originally Posted by kraaazymike

UPDATE

I went over to the shop yesterday after I got back from my vacation. Kawasaki recommended a replacement of the gas cap speculating venting issues *cough*. So my shop replaced the gas cap and had me ride it since I was the only one who could duplicate the problem. Well I rode like an idiot for 22 miles trying to get it to die. I could not get it to die. So I'm really really hoping that this fixes the problem! I'll keep on riding praying it doesn't randomly die in the middle of heavy flowing traffic!

Cool! I hope that keeps you rolling on 2!

[Vulcan900]

Hmmm......

Well, at least you have the bike back and it seems to be working.

[philipd]

Great Mike! Keep my fingers crossed that this is the solution.

[kraaazymike]

*New Update

Bike died on the freeway doing 2-up at a steady 75mph. It rode fine for like 300 miles so I thought all was well. Guess it's going back to the shop