Steamer cutting out

[LeighSA]

Headed off on a trip today, about 1400kms there and similar return. 7 days all up. Pack up did about 30km going up a steepish hill, through roadworks, went to speed up and "nothing", got to the side of the freeway with all cars missing me. Tried to start it up, just cranking no firing, got the helmet off etc. looked for anything obvious, nothing, bugger! Waited a little while then it fired up, beauty off I go. Headed up the freeway being careful to stay close to the left hand side, just in case. Yep it happened again with a similar outcome.
Long story short the same thing happened again and again, distances between varied but same result (doing the same thing expecting a different result!!) Stopped at a bike shop thinking it may have been fuel related, checked fuel flow etc. checked fuel tank was breathing etc. the guys were great (thanks Bridgeland Motorcycles, Murray Bridge) do I went on my way, beauty went well, for a while then the same.
I hate having my bike on a tow truck, so I got it home by doing short runs (30km)I now found that each time it stopped the tachometer went dead straight away.
So now I'm thinking crank sensor, interested in what you guys reckon
Cheers from Australia

[threepot]

Crank sensor?? I'm going to get one for trips away? They don't take up any room.

[JayDub]

Classic crank position sensor death 

[Sidk]

I had something similar happen to me last week, had a rough start in the morning, (cooler weather) and once i got going on a major roadway after about 3 km the bike just sputtered and stopped. fortunately i was in a blind corner on a busy roadway at an incline, luckily i was on the side of the road   

I waited a bit, and after a bit of cranking and putting it into reserve, the bike started and was on my way, put in some gas and all was good no further issues. reading leigh's post has got me thinking, is my issue the same or was it just a matter of the engine starving for fuel due to the low level of fuel in the tank?

[Geoff W]

Sounds exactly like crank sensor dying. they last about 30,000 miles.

[London_Phil]

Coils will tend to cause a low power, running on 2 feel, but will probably still allow the bike to tick over, generally.
Fuel starvation does not tend to be a sudden power loss.
Crank position sensor, will however,  cause instant power loss/engine stop, and is the odds on favourite, imho.

[Sidk]

as i think about it.. it was more of a sputtering stop.

[GavD]

+1 on the crank sensor. Exact symptom i had.

T300 owners should always have a spare to hand.

[ssevy]

I always carry a spare with me. Agree to buy it now, as they probably won't get any less expensive in the future.

[LeighSA]

Thanks to everybody, has confirmed my diagnosis, but I now notice that the crank sensor connector is in the depths of the back engine mounts and the wires are looped all over the place, so it's tank, airbox, carbs etc. to get to it

My Steamer has done 37,000kms, still want to keep it and enjoy more riding
Thanks again

[Sparky]

I carried a spare crank sensor in my tank bag which means I never had a problem if I would have left it at home then the old one would have failed. 

[JayDub]

I carried a spare crank sensor in my tank bag which means I never had a problem if I would have left it at home then the old one would have failed.

Thats the reason why I carry so many tools etc, thanks Sparky, Its good to know that someone understands my reasoning   

[threepot]

Thanks to everybody, has confirmed my diagnosis, but I now notice that the crank sensor connector is in the depths of the back engine mounts and the wires are looped all over the place, so it's tank, airbox, carbs etc. to get to it

My Steamer has done 37,000kms, still want to keep it and enjoy more riding
Thanks again

You should be just able to reach the connector block without having to strip half the bike down,including carbs!!!??

[GavD]

 
I can get to mine ok without removing anything. Depends if someone has decided to wrap it around something else in the past, but you should be able to get to it without too much hassle.

[JayDub]

My black one had the cable wrapped around stuff inc the starter cable, probably due to the length.
Seeing  as it was being replaced anyway I cut the cable a couple of inches from the connector and with a bit of contortion and wire hooks etc, I managed to untangle it... Just make sure you cut the bit you're replacing l.