My WRR let me down yesterday

My love affair with my '09 WRR took a hit yesterday. In the middle of a 100+ mile, on/off road, loop ride, it just quit as if it had run out of fuel. There was no indication of trouble prior to it dying. No check engine light either. After several minutes, I was able to start it but it died again several minutes later. Each time that I would let it sit for a few minutes, I could start it, but at best I could only make it about 1/4 mile before it would die again.

After miles of pushing my beloved Yamaha, a couple of good Samaritans helped me load it into a pickup and returned me back to civilization. Thank you Charlie even though you are strictly a Honda man...

After letting it cool completely, I found that it would start and sound strong, but as soon as I would shift it out of neutral, it immediately died.

What the heck. I suspected something with the Neutral switch. Maybe shorted to some other lead??? I did have a ton of wet mud caked around the Neutral switch, so perhaps it is not sealed properly? I cleaned and dried the outside of the Neutral switch and also spread the cables/wires by the left side of the triple clamp. I can now start it and place it in gear without it dying. That is a far as I have gotten.

Makes me nervous... I plan to pull the tank and check the spark plug and check my fuel programmer connections. Not sure what else to look for.

Any ideas???

ddvorak wrote:

My love affair with my '09 WRR took a hit yesterday. In the middle of a 100+ mile, on/off road, loop ride, it just quit as if it had run out of fuel. There was no indication of trouble prior to it dying. No check engine light either. After several minutes, I was able to start it but it died again several minutes later. Each time that I would let it sit for a few minutes, I could start it, but at best I could only make it about 1/4 mile before it would die again.

After miles of pushing my beloved Yamaha, a couple of good Samaritans helped me load it into a pickup and returned me back to civilization. Thank you Charlie even though you are strictly a Honda man...

After letting it cool completely, I found that it would start and sound strong, but as soon as I would shift it out of neutral, it immediately died.

What the heck. I suspected something with the Neutral switch. Maybe shorted to some other lead??? I did have a ton of wet mud caked around the Neutral switch, so perhaps it is not sealed properly? I cleaned and dried the outside of the Neutral switch and also spread the cables/wires by the left side of the triple clamp. I can now start it and place it in gear without it dying. That is a far as I have gotten.

Makes me nervous... I plan to pull the tank and check the spark plug and check my fuel programmer connections. Not sure what else to look for.

Any ideas???

Did you check the stand switch. If this switch is on, then as soon as you put the bike in gear it cuts off the engine.

Good point. I did check it manually when I was stranded, but have not checked it electrically yet. That could certainly be the problem. Hope it is that simple. Thanks.

I had the same problem with the clutch switch when I was at the Jame's Bay this summer. Dismanteled almost everything before thinking of the switch on my DL. Once I checkd it, I've put a wire between the two connectors and bingo everything worked.

These switches are pain in the ... sometimes.

Hate to say it, but it sounds like the fuel pump is going.

Exactly what I was thinking, except for the bit about shifting out of neutral...?

Sarah

sounds like the stand switch. To bypass, unplug the connectors & short the contacts. If it starts & runs, there is the culprit. The connector us under the battery panel.. just follow the wire up from the stand.

I've disconnected both stand & clutch switches.. just something to go wrong, as you illustrated. I snipped the plug & twisted the wires together for a permanent short. I first had a jumper on the stand switch, and just stuffed the clutch switch behind the headlight. But both acted up on the trail, so now i have them both wire nutted, taped, & twisted. The clutch plug is under the tank.. follow the wire to it.

Whatever it is make sure you count to ten before you say anything you'll regret. Like: "I don't love you anymore!"

Bikes have feelings too... The good thing is you can probably look forward to makeup sex. Errrummmm RIDE I mean.

I am very happy to report that it was indeed the Kick Stand switch. When tested with a meter it was open until I would squeeze the switch a bit. Once off of the bike, I can certainly see why this would happen. What a horrible design!!! This switch has a backplate with 4 tiny screws that keeps the switch pieces together. It is not enough to seal the switch for any length of time at all. It is not a matter of if it will fail, but when. And when it does, you are stranded unless you can find the problem on the trail.

My WRR no longer has a Kick Stand switch and our relationship is back on track...

Thanks to those of you who had input on this. I was looking right past the Kick Stand and guilty of thinking the worst.

Thanks for posting back, sounds like it's time for the rest of us to check that switch.

Sarah

I took that baby off on day 1... saves a few pounds too. Probably a federal law mandated it... and congress wonders why they have a 12% approval rating.

Wow... way to bring politics into a side stand switch discussion

taoshum wrote:

I took that baby off on day 1... saves a few pounds too. Probably a federal law mandated it... and congress wonders why they have a 12% approval rating.

Well.....I'm glad that's sorterd out.

Mr.Metal wrote:

Wow... way to bring politics into a side stand switch discussion

taoshum wrote:

I took that baby off on day 1... saves a few pounds too. Probably a federal law mandated it... and congress wonders why they have a 12% approval rating.

I'm suddenly nervous to depart on the 100+ miles loop I was gonna do today

Thanks though, good info, and good thing to know about ... I may get rid of mine too now.

Hello ddvorak, I had a very similar expirience happen to me back in august when I was in the middle of a 350 mile ride in the middle of nowhere in Maine.I was shitting my pants when my cell phone had no signal and I had just left my map at the last place I stopped...the bike would start when it felt like it and would go about 1/4 mile and die, i thought I was going to have to ride it back home like that..after about 1/2 an hour or so the bike smoothed out and ran OK on the way home,,I have put on about 3000 miles since and have'nt had a problem since...I thought for sure it was the fuel pump but the guy at my dealership thinks it is my fuel programmer,,I was thinking of having a new fuel pump put on but I would hate to spend that kind of money if that's not it,,,maybe I'll disconnect the switch,,

When my kickstand switch was just starting to go open, the bike would be running fine and then either quit completley or just sputter while riding. Once it finally opened up competely, then it would start, but would die as soon as I placed it in gear. Unfortunately my switch did not go completely open until after I got it back to town. Otherwise, I might have figured it out on the trail... maybe.

One thing is for sure, the next time I am riding outside of cell phone range, my WRR will not be having a problem caused by the kickstand switch. The switch is in the box labeled "Misc stock parts" sitting on the shelf in the garage.

Thanks for the info,,,can I just cut the wires to the switch and twist them together? is it that simple?

No, you should probably solder and heat shrink so it doesn't come untwisted at the most inopportune moment

I agree with the solder and heat shrink. If you remove the seat and side cover, you can follow the leads up from the switch to the plug that is tucked in behind the right side of the battery. I cut the wires a couple of inches from the plug on the switch side. Then placed heat shrink over the wire and soldered the connection.

Thanks for the info,,,,Jason