Crank Position Sensor/Ignition Trigger?

[JetdocX]

That's what I think it is.  The bike runs for about 10 miles then just turns off like someone hit the kill switch.  I was going fast enough to play around with the kill switch while coasting to my next five minute mandatory rest stop and it seems to have no effect.  Played with the sidestand switch a bit, but not while coasting, obviously :shock: .

First time it happened I was 100 miles from home going uphill about 85 mph passing a car. :shock:   As I got off on the shoulder to coast I played with the choke switched feul to reserve and nothing got it firing again.

After I had stopped, I popped the fuel tank cap and no vacuum was present so I'm presuming the venting is OK.  

Waited five minutes and it just cranked right back up.  So I headed back toward home.  Lucky, too as I was just about to jump off onto a desolate dirt road to nowhere.

At my second stop, I pulled the fuel line off the cock and got good flow in normal and reserve.

So it's probably not a fueling issue in my mind.   bike is at 41,555 miles and I think it's the ignition trigger.

What say you, Steamerphiles?

BTW, this bike refuses to go 6000 miles without throwing parts at it.  (That's just me bitching).

[Dr. Mordo]

I would first examine any switch that could affect the engine that is also co-located with some recent maintenance.  So unless you recently messed with a switch/sensor, I'd leave it alone for now.  Then one at a time I'd jumper/disconnect the switches in question so they no longer switch and see if the problem goes away.

Then, if I didn't find anything, I might replace that sensor.

[JetdocX]

Last maintenance was 2500 miles ago.  It ran just fine afterward.

Well, it's the difference between pulling all the plastic off again, or just one engine cover.  Of course I'm willing and able to go the lazy route all day long.

[Mustang]

It's the ignition trigger and that's probably what it was a couple weeks ago when it died on you and then mysteriously started running fine again .

To confirm , it should ohm out at .6 ohm like the coils , but like the coils it usually will read ok at .6 ohm but be junk anyway .

New one is about 70 bucks and it will cure what ails ya . I always travel on long mileage trips from home with a spare

set the gap to be the thickness of a matchbook cover when you put the new sensor in .

[JetdocX]

Thanks for the confirmation, Mustang.  I'll order one today, as I'm sure my local dealer will not stock it.

Looks like about 10 minutes to change and if so, this will be by far the easiest fix for what ails this beast so far. :D   I'm just trying to make it 6000 miles without pulling all the plastic off again.

[JetdocX]

Got the part last week but due to new-bike-itis, I finally got the ignition trigger changed.  Runs great.  20 minute changeout.  So far the easiest thing to do on this bike, AFAIK.

[Dr. Mordo]

Good news!

[Red Lion]

This thread has saved me a fortune! Just so others may benefit I'll go through my fault symptoms so that you can compare.

Weather -- hot 30-38 Celsius
Humidity -- <35%
Prior ignition problem -- no

Previous day's ride was 300km without a single hiccup.

9am start, rode 27km and Tigz died on me. Instantaneous. Rev counter needle just dropped to zero and stayed there. Attempted to restart for a few minutes, but nothing. I was leading a pickup truck to a secret fishing lake, so I hid Tigz in some bushes and I became a passenger in the pickup truck.

5pm, returned to collect Tigz. Found a full unopened bottle of Gillimacuddy's Fireball whiskey in the grass nearby. BONUS!!! Tigz started immediately -- first crank! Rode 21km towards home and, again, instant loss of ignition. Needle at zero revs and stayed there. I'm only 6km's shy of home now so we left her at the roadside and continued home to unload etc.

7pm, returned to collect Tigz. Instantly started, so I rode a further 3km before she lost ignition again. This time we had ramps on the pickup truck, so her final 3km was on the truck.

Next morning, started immediately, but then cut out after 5 minutes of idling. My 1st IA(immediate action) was to check this website. Mustang's pearls of wisdom came to the forefront, so despite getting a 'good' reading of 6 Ohm at the crank position sensor, I heeded his advice and went straight to Ebay to order a new sensor.

Sensor arrived 12 days later. Fitted it the following day. Rode 350km the day after that. I've done 500km since then without a glitch. This Labour Day weekend I'll be doing a 1,500km loop of B.C., Washington State and Idaho, so providing that all goes well, we can put this one to bed.

Mustang, perhaps it might be worthwhile putting this thread up with your other priceless stickies. If that saves one person from needlessly ordering an igniter unit($750!!!!), then it'll be worth it!