My fz keeps dying!!!!!!!!!!

[fz6joker]

I woke up this morning and went outside to start up my bike, first off it doesn't want to start. It cranks a couple of times and then after I leave it alone for a minute and come back it sputters to idle. So, I let it warm up until the "low" temp reading on the gauge cluster turns into an actual temperature.

I'm sitting on the bike and as soon as I kick it into first the bike dies. AHHHH

My first thoughts were that (A) the clutch isn't engaging? (B) the kickstand sensor is frozen/broken and is telling the bike to shut off????

If anybody has an idea what could be causing this and how to go about checking to fix it then I would definetly appreciate ANY HELPFUL, CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS.

 

[madmanmaigret]

Make sure the switch under the left (clutch side) side handle bar is connected securely. Also check the connector at the side stand (sometimes you will get chain lube in it) clean it and reconnect and then test it out.

 

[CrazyBiker]

Your 1st guesses are as good as mine.

 

[MarinaFazer]

yup, your first guesses are a good start.

 

[madmanmaigret]

also you said your clutch isn't engaging.....put it in gear (bike off) and try to rol it forward.....then pull the clutch and do it again if it still doesn't roll then your clutch is at least out of adjustment.

 

[fz6joker]

also you said your clutch isn't engaging.....put it in gear (bike off) and try to rol it forward.....then pull the clutch and do it again if it still doesn't roll then your clutch is at least out of adjustment.

I just meant that it could be my clutch not engaging, but I've been out looking at the bike and I realized something. Shouldn't the bike lurch forward when I put it in first IF it was the clutch not engaging? My bike is just smoothly shutting off. It really is acting like my kickstand sensor. I checked to see if anything was unplugged but I couldn't find anything.

 

[madmanmaigret]

I have never looked at it closely but is the sidestand switch a 2 pin connector? put a jumper wire between the two pins and try it......that should tell you if it is the switch or something else......

 

[MarinaFazer]

I just meant that it could be my clutch not engaging, but I've been out looking at the bike and I realized something. Shouldn't the bike lurch forward when I put it in first IF it was the clutch not engaging? My bike is just smoothly shutting off. It really is acting like my kickstand sensor. I checked to see if anything was unplugged but I couldn't find anything.

Yes, the bike lurches a bit if you put it in gear with the kickstand down. Although the bike shuts off, the gear still engages.

 

[fz6joker]

Yes, the bike lurches a bit if you put it in gear with the kickstand down. Although the bike shuts off, the gear still engages.

The bike doesn't lurch at all. Not even a little bit. Is this diagnostically relevant?

 

[reiobard]

sounds definitely like the kickstand switch. another thing is that there is a small plug on the handlebars that comes unplugged. check all of those connections as well.

 

[MarinaFazer]

The bike doesn't lurch at all. Not even a little bit. Is this diagnostically relevant?

I don't know enough about it. I'd go with the other suggestions on the board

 

[Hypno-Toad]

My bike was intermitent last year, it sputtered and lost power here and there as i rode it, I went over it and one of the battery terminals had come loose, it was weird because it turned over fine and started but i think that the voltage fluctuations prevented itfrom running smothly...just a thought...

 

[tum226]

It doesn't make sense that it would be a kickstand switch due to the fact that you had a problem starting the bike. The bike will start with the kickstand up or down so I would look into the battery idea or the clutch. Although none of it makes complete sense.

So you had a problem with starting it the first time only and once it warmed up you could restart it without a problem? Or is it always hard to start now? Have you tried letting the bike cool down completely, say overnight, and then starting the bike to see if there is still a starting issue and not just a stalling issue when a gear is engaged?
I believe the clutch sensor is only for starting the bike and the kickstand sensor is only for engaging a gear with the kickstand down or leaving it in gear when you put the kickstand down it then shuts off the bike. If you are having a problem starting the bike and engaging a gear then I would look elsewhere. Not very likely that both sensors are causing problems.

If the clutch sensor is the problem I don't think the bike would crank at all so I don't think that's the issue.

Sorry, just thinking and typing.

I would bet its a ground or battery issue.

Oh well, good luck. If its under warranty have the dealer pick it up and let them figure it out!

 

[fz6joker]

It doesn't make sense that it would be a kickstand switch due to the fact that you had a problem starting the bike. The bike will start with the kickstand up or down so I would look into the battery idea or the clutch. Although none of it makes complete sense.

So you had a problem with starting it the first time only and once it warmed up you could restart it without a problem? Or is it always hard to start now? Have you tried letting the bike cool down completely, say overnight, and then starting the bike to see if there is still a starting issue and not just a stalling issue when a gear is engaged?
I believe the clutch sensor is only for starting the bike and the kickstand sensor is only for engaging a gear with the kickstand down or leaving it in gear when you put the kickstand down it then shuts off the bike. If you are having a problem starting the bike and engaging a gear then I would look elsewhere. Not very likely that both sensors are causing problems.

If the clutch sensor is the problem I don't think the bike would crank at all so I don't think that's the issue.

Sorry, just thinking and typing.

I would bet its a ground or battery issue.

Oh well, good luck. If its under warranty have the dealer pick it up and let them figure it out!

My dealer is 2.5 hours away and I've modded the bike so they would probably give me hell if I tried to get them to fix it under warranty.

I believe the "starting" issue was a one time anomoly (the bike was completely cooled down b/c it was this morning before I had driven the bike anywhere at all) So take that out of the picture and I'm still leaning on kickstand sensor.

 

[blitzcraig]

did you mod the kickstand? from what i understand in reading the threads in regards to warranty work on here, there is a pretty specific law intended to protect those who mod their bike that says the dealer has to prove what you did to the bike is the problem. it looks like the good people here have set the sights on the kickstand as well, so if you didn't fool with that (don't know why someone would?), you should be in the clear. IMHO, i would get it down to your dealer and at least have them cross that off the list, if it's something you can't tackle yourself. might save yourself a lot of grief, even though its a bit of a journey. if you don't know what you're doing (like me), i wouldn't mess with it because if you do monkey with it and damage something in the process, then you've screwed the pooch. i'd let them assess it and find out what's wrong.

 

[Hypno-Toad]

I tried to post but not sure if it went through, My bike was intermitent last year and I found one of the battery terminals came loose, just a thought..

 

[zigzagg321]

your dealer cannot legally tell you to piss off just because you modified your bike, they A: have to look at it under warranty, and B: fix anything that is a manufacturer defect under warranty unless an aftermarket part installed is the DIRECT cause of the part in question's failure.

 

[fz6joker]

I tried to post but not sure if it went through, My bike was intermitent last year and I found one of the battery terminals came loose, just a thought..

I just recently had my tank up and my battery is definetly connected securely. Thanks though.

 

[fz6joker]

your dealer cannot legally tell you to piss off just because you modified your bike, they A: have to look at it under warranty, and B: fix anything that is a manufacturer defect under warranty unless an aftermarket part installed is the DIRECT cause of the part in question's failure.

I'm looking at my warranty right now, I'm thinking that I will end up taking it to the dealer.

 

[urbanj]

If you are only starting the bike in neutral you should try starting the bike in gear with the clutch in. if its the kickstand it won't even send power to the starter. it has to be in neutral with the stand up or down or if its in gear the stand can only be up. or you could just tap into the plug and make sure there is continuity when you work the switch to rule it out.