[dsn_klr650] a stupid way to die stalling at speed

Michael McCourt · Post by **Michael McCourt** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 10:19 pm

Have been lurking for a couple of years and posted a few times, but here's a long one. After spending 6 months rehabbing my shattered elbow from a dirt ride on my 03 KLR last August, I'm back on the bike riding to and from work. Tonight my 05 KLR failed me a second time, stalling in the middle lane at 65mph after coming off the Dumbarton bridge here in the Bay Area. The bike has been ridden a few times and charged up so it didn't sit the whole 6 months. It also was filled with gas on Sunday and has 130 miles on this tank. The first stall was probably 10 or more months ago when the bike died with no lights or electrical power. After fiddling with it for about 10 minutes while standing about 18 inches from Freeway traffic, it started up and was fine for a few thousand more miles. I suspected it was the petcock because when it stalled, I turned on the reserve and even though it didn't' start up right away, it eventually did. Tonight the bike just died at speed. I immediately turned to reserve and barely made it to the right shoulder, which was about 3 feet wide. Luckily it had all electrical power (so the battery connection is not likely), neutral light, turn signal, brake lights, tail light, headlight, and starter. After trying 4 or 5 times it was turning over but not starting. I began pushing it to the exit, about half a mile away, hoping to get it started. I left the ignition on so the left turn signal would flash and I could hit my flashing brake lights for extra "attention". All the while thinking, "this is such a stupid way to die", on the side of the freeway pushing my bike in the dark waiting for someone not paying attention to plow into to the bike and me". In retrospect I should probably have just let the bike sit while standing on the outside of the barrier and then tried to start it later. After pushing a while the bike would start but when I dropped it into first it stalled, about three times. After pushing some more I tried it again and it started and held when in gear. I rode it to a gas station to check it, turning it off and starting again, but couldn't see anything obviously wrong and rode home. Total pushing time was about 10, maybe 15 minutes, with the ignition on the whole time. My first thought to the problem was gas; maybe the petcock or the valve is bad. Next is the safety start circuit because it would start and then die when going to first gear even with the kickstand up. Questions: Has anyone had the bike stall at speed and find out it was the clutch lever/side stand safety circuit? Any ideas on the petcock or anything else? I'm losing some confidence in this bike, the 03 hasn't had this problem though it was a slow speed stall that sent me into the dirt with the elbow shattering. That one was my fault but this stalling thing is spooking me a bit. Mike

Tumu Rock · Post by **Tumu Rock** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:08 pm

Any environmental conditions at play? Rain, cold, meteorites? I had my bike stall on me twice in temps that were approaching freezing with high humidity or rain. I've written it off as carb icing. Probably not the case in the Bay Area, but worth asking. (unless you mean Green Bay) Other than the side stand/clutch switches, the gas cap vent, and the petcock theories, there isn't much left besides the carb. How's your choke operating? I had the choke attachment at the carb crack before (most likely my own ham-fisted fault) and that made for some very interesting symptoms. Is the neutral light working normally during these stalling incidents? Could be corrosion on the pickup near the front sprocket or just a bad connection there. Lots of wires near that sprocket that could be easily damaged if they get free of their intended run. da Vermonster p.s. my older KLRs gave me plenty of warning when they were about to go on reserve. I found out in heavy traffic that my '04 does not. Very scary trying to cross 3 lanes of traffic while unable to accelerate. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Michael McCourt" wrote:

ride

so

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about

it

and

reserve

connection

light,

over

for

way

and

start

into

tried

couldn't

start

clutch

Randall Marbach · Post by **Randall Marbach** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 2:07 pm

Freezing and Rain.... Did you to the carb T-MOD ...? See the FAQ for info... HTH Randy from Burbank ----- Original Message ---- From: Tumu Rock To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 10:08:58 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: A stupid way to die stalling at speed Any environmental conditions at play? Rain, cold, meteorites? I had my bike stall on me twice in temps that were approaching freezing with high humidity or rain. I've written it off as carb icing. Probably not the case in the Bay Area, but worth asking. (unless you mean Green Bay) Other than the side stand/clutch switches, the gas cap vent, and the petcock theories, there isn't much left besides the carb. How's your choke operating? I had the choke attachment at the carb crack before (most likely my own ham-fisted fault) and that made for some very interesting symptoms. Is the neutral light working normally during these stalling incidents? Could be corrosion on the pickup near the front sprocket or just a bad connection there. Lots of wires near that sprocket that could be easily damaged if they get free of their intended run. da Vermonster p.s. my older KLRs gave me plenty of warning when they were about to go on reserve. I found out in heavy traffic that my '04 does not. Very scary trying to cross 3 lanes of traffic while unable to accelerate. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Michael McCourt" wrote:

Have been lurking for a couple of years and posted a few times, but

here's a long one.

After spending 6 months rehabbing my shattered elbow from a dirt ride

on my 03 KLR last August, I'm back on the bike riding to and from

work. Tonight my 05 KLR failed me a second time, stalling in the

middle lane at 65mph after coming off the Dumbarton bridge here in

the Bay Area. The bike has been ridden a few times and charged up so

it didn't sit the whole 6 months. It also was filled with gas on

Sunday and has 130 miles on this tank.

The first stall was probably 10 or more months ago when the bike died

with no lights or electrical power. After fiddling with it for about

10 minutes while standing about 18 inches from Freeway traffic, it

started up and was fine for a few thousand more miles. I suspected it

was the petcock because when it stalled, I turned on the reserve and

even though it didn't' start up right away, it eventually did.

Tonight the bike just died at speed. I immediately turned to reserve

and barely made it to the right shoulder, which was about 3 feet

wide. Luckily it had all electrical power (so the battery connection

is not likely), neutral light, turn signal, brake lights, tail light,

headlight, and starter. After trying 4 or 5 times it was turning over

but not starting. I began pushing it to the exit, about half a mile

away, hoping to get it started. I left the ignition on so the left

turn signal would flash and I could hit my flashing brake lights for

extra "attention". All the while thinking, "this is such a stupid way

to die", on the side of the freeway pushing my bike in the dark

waiting for someone not paying attention to plow into to the bike and

me". In retrospect I should probably have just let the bike sit

while standing on the outside of the barrier and then tried to start

it later.

After pushing a while the bike would start but when I dropped it into

first it stalled, about three times. After pushing some more I tried

it again and it started and held when in gear. I rode it to a gas

station to check it, turning it off and starting again, but couldn't

see anything obviously wrong and rode home. Total pushing time was

about 10, maybe 15 minutes, with the ignition on the whole time.

My first thought to the problem was gas; maybe the petcock or the

valve is bad. Next is the safety start circuit because it would start

and then die when going to first gear even with the kickstand up.

Questions:

Has anyone had the bike stall at speed and find out it was the clutch

lever/side stand safety circuit?

Any ideas on the petcock or anything else?

I'm losing some confidence in this bike, the 03 hasn't had this

problem though it was a slow speed stall that sent me into the dirt

with the elbow shattering. That one was my fault but this stalling

thing is spooking me a bit.

Mike

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