Another Sputtering/Hesitation issue...

I have been reading a lot about fuel pump issues since I got home and it seems most have hard start problems when theirs fails and sometimes an error code? Mine starts easily and displays no codes, but today the last 4 miles of my 38 mile commute my bike was acting up. It was hesitating/sputtering for lack of a better description, under easy acceleration. I went out about thirty minutes later after getting home and it seems to be running fine for now. It was cool today, low 50's.

Does this sound like the pump starting to fail? The bike is an 08 with just over 1000 miles now. I have put over 800 on it the last two weeks since I have been commuting on it everyday.

This bike is my only transportation right now so obviously it has me concerned the bike might fail and leave me stuck. Up until today it has run perfectly since I bought it a month ago.

As you've seen...most people who start to see fuel pump issues usually don't get the kind of symptoms you've described.

Most of what I've seen has been issues when turning off a hot bike (or stalling) and then trying to re-start it. Or when they turn the key to start bike there is no noise of the fuel pump turning on.


To have a sputtering and hesitation issue in the middle of riding on a relatively cool day is not something others have posted about when discovering fuel pump issues.


Are you sure you have good quality, 91 octane (or higher) gasoline in bike? Sputtering and hesitation while riding sounds like bad gas.

There's also a strange little plug/connector by the radiator that has stymied people in the past with the bike cutting out at weird times.


I can't recall - is your bike 100% stock, or do you have mods? Listing your mods might help troubleshoot your issues if they arise again.

Also - did the sputtering only happen in one gear, or at one rpm range?

What happened when/if you down shifted, or cranked on the throttle?

in addition to motokid's questions...

How full is your tank? How recently did you fill it?

Thanks for the responses.

I suspect it was fuel related. I was at 154 miles on my tank, my fuel light usually comes on at 160 or a little past. I have an IMS 3gal tank. I put it on about 800 miles ago so if this issue and the tank install are related I would be very surprised, haha. Today I filled up 4 miles into my ride (took 2.45 gal) and it ran spot-on for my 76 mile round trip commute to class (adult student). So I think it was either related to the low fuel level or maybe there was condensation or something.

Other than the IMS tank, heated grips (also installed 800 miles ago), hand guards, etc. my bike is stock. The previous owner removed the EXUP and blocked the AIS because he had an FMF on it. As soon as I got the bike home at 189 miles I went back to the stock exhaust, so same as the tank install I don't see yesterday's sputtering related to the this, but maybe.

For the record it happened in all gears/rpm's and at any throttle "level". Today however it did not happen even once.

Coop wrote:

I suspect it was fuel related.

I was at 154 miles on my tank, my fuel light usually comes on at 160 or a little past.

I have an IMS 3gal tank.

So I think it was either related to the low fuel level or maybe there was condensation or something.

Sounds like this might be the culprit.

Fresh gas and a full tank and no issues sounds like a winner. Hopefully.

I hope so too .

As your sputtering been fixed? Same thing started happening to me yesterday. Starts and idles fine, above sputters and hesitates once warmed up.

My problem hasn't returned since that one day. I think it was related to the low fuel level and/or bad fuel.