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2012 GSA dies

talmadge_w

talmadge_w

Member
Bike is a 2012 1200 GSA and issue is very infrequent - maybe once every 2 years. Riding normally and notice the engine has suddenly died. No warning and has happened from highway speed to idle. Dash read outs are all normal with no warning or status lights and accessory power is not interrupted just 0 RPM. Coast off the road and cycle the ignition switch the bike starts and runs normally after. No fault codes are set when this happens. I’m thinking it must be something in the electronic controls but otherwise stumped.
 
I agree it sounds electrical. Most likely a very small short. Kind of sounds like when you accidentally hit the stop switch.
 
I vote loose connection or a dirty computer connection. Unplug and replug the ECU a few times would be my suggestion.
 
After posting I was just thinking maybe a twitch in the side stand safety switch? Will play around and try to duplicate the symptoms.

Made me think of the stories my Dad told of riding his Harley through small towns at night in the 1930’s. Drop the side stand and lay a trail of sparks to get the town cops to chase him!
 
talmadge_w said:
After posting I was just thinking maybe a twitch in the side stand safety switch? Will play around and try to duplicate the symptoms.
Click to expand...

I had the same issue a few years ago and yes it was the side stand switch's wiring on my R1100RT. Sometimes the bike would restart immediately, sometimes a day or two later. Since the side stand switches were unavailable at the time, I had the switch rewired and the issue has not repeated in the past six years.
 
Can side stand switch be bypassed?

I have this same problem and so does my step brother. We both have GSAs. Mine is a 2009 and his is a 2007. This problem happens most often whenever the clutch is disengaged, as in coasting to a stop in 2nd gear. Its like we just switched off the bike. Not bucking or surging like when you run out of gas...just off. I flip the kill switch off and on and she starts right up again. I forgot all about the kickstand switch! I have the skid plate and such off to do my 24,000mi service so I'll check it or figure out a way to bypass it. Thanks everyone!
Bugman
 
Occasionally with my 1100 if I pull the clutch and close the throttle drastically from say above 3K rpm the engine revs drop to zero.
 
PGlaves said:
I vote loose connection or a dirty computer connection. Unplug and replug the ECU a few times would be my suggestion.
Click to expand...

When I bought the KatDash for my airhead, their website introduced me to DeOxit, a chemical that "cleans, lubricates and protects" electrical contacts. It works well and seems more gentle than the usual physical methods for improving connections. It fixed a connection on one of my battery chargers that had been plaguing me for years.

https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/
 
Last edited:
Anyname said:
When I bought the KatDash for my airhead, their website introduced me to DeOxit, a chemical that "cleans, lubricates and protects" electrical contacts. It works well and seems more gentle than the usual physical methods for improving connections. It fixed a connection on one of my battery charges that had been plaguing me for years.

https://caig.com/deoxit-d-series/
Click to expand...

I use this stuff all the time as I repair vacuum tube and other hifi equipment (turntables, guitar/bass amps). Part of my routine with all used motorcycles I get is to clean all electrical connections I can get to. So, if the plastic comes off then I disconnect, spray, and reconnect all connectors. Fuses and relays the same. This stuff is also pretty harmless to plastics etc. I have never had overspray stain anything.
 
Thanks! for the reminder

chrisinsc said:
I use this stuff all the time as I repair vacuum tube and other hifi equipment (turntables, guitar/bass amps). Part of my routine with all used motorcycles I get is to clean all electrical connections I can get to. So, if the plastic comes off then I disconnect, spray, and reconnect all connectors. Fuses and relays the same. This stuff is also pretty harmless to plastics etc. I have never had overspray stain anything.
Click to expand...

I think I have a spray bottle in my box of music accessories in the garage. I will start using it on my bike!
 
I started thinking about the kickstand switch issue more, and while that may be the issue for the OP, as he notes that the bike dies at any speed, that's not what happens to me (or my brother's GSA). In our cases the bike dies whenever the RPMs are low and the clutch lever is pulled in. Typical scenario is coasting to a stop: Bike is in gear, pull in the clutch, close the throttle and it just dies like I hit the kill switch. It seems to die about 1 out of 25 times.If I remember to leave the throttle open just a bit or blip the throttle so that the engine RPM doesn't fall down to idle I can keep this from happening.
Seems to me that if my problem were the kickstand switch it would/could happen at any time. Instead my issue is somewhat predictable. Thoughts oh wise ones?
 
Bugman98 said:
I started thinking about the kickstand switch issue more, and while that may be the issue for the OP, as he notes that the bike dies at any speed, that's not what happens to me (or my brother's GSA). In our cases the bike dies whenever the RPMs are low and the clutch lever is pulled in. Typical scenario is coasting to a stop: Bike is in gear, pull in the clutch, close the throttle and it just dies like I hit the kill switch. It seems to die about 1 out of 25 times.If I remember to leave the throttle open just a bit or blip the throttle so that the engine RPM doesn't fall down to idle I can keep this from happening.
Seems to me that if my problem were the kickstand switch it would/could happen at any time. Instead my issue is somewhat predictable. Thoughts oh wise ones?
Click to expand...

Your issue is a fueling issue. A sidestand switch would typically create an ignition issue. Either the ECU fueling map is off, or one or more sensor inputs are off. Or, there is a problem with idle stepper motors if this model has them. Step one is to read any error codes generated.
 
I would like to have it hooked up to a device and a check for codes/trends promptly after it quits. If at a dealer, a computer download of the “latest and greatest” of the current program- if it hasn’t been done in a while.
OM
 
Bugman98 said:
I started thinking about the kickstand switch issue more, and while that may be the issue for the OP, as he notes that the bike dies at any speed, that's not what happens to me (or my brother's GSA). In our cases the bike dies whenever the RPMs are low and the clutch lever is pulled in. Typical scenario is coasting to a stop: Bike is in gear, pull in the clutch, close the throttle and it just dies like I hit the kill switch. It seems to die about 1 out of 25 times.If I remember to leave the throttle open just a bit or blip the throttle so that the engine RPM doesn't fall down to idle I can keep this from happening.
Seems to me that if my problem were the kickstand switch it would/could happen at any time. Instead my issue is somewhat predictable. Thoughts oh wise ones?
Click to expand...

About once a month my 2007 RT would do the same thing. While coming to a stop, I would notice the tach needle dipped to 800 RPM, then go back up to the normal 1,100 RPM. Within a day or two, the engine would suddenly die as you have described, but would always restart immediately. I started using Techron, Sea Form, Star Tron, or any injection cleaner about once a month, and the problem disappeared! Once a year I use some Iso-Heet water remover. You might want to give it a try.
DP
 
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