Complaint 1284015

Complaint Summary

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

WHEN DECELERATING FOR NORMAL STOPS, TURNS, OR SLOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE WILL DECREASE RPMS UNTIL IT REACHES ABOUT 2300 RPM, THEN IT EITHER HANGS AT THAT RPM OR SURGES TO ABOUT 2600-2700 RPM AND HANGS THERE FOR UP TO 30 SECONDS. IF I BLIP THE THROTTLE RAPIDLY 2-3 TIMES (TWIST IT OPEN AND LET IT GO REPEATEDLY) THE ENGINE SPEED WILL "UNSTICK" AND THE ENGINE WILL DECREASE SPEED IS NORMAL.M THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND COULD RESULT IN THE RIDER BEING FORCED TO TAKE A TURN WIDER THAN EXPECTED (POSSIBILTY OF BEING FORCED INTO AN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE), REAR END COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU, OR PERHAPS LOSING CONTROL AND LAYING E MOTORCYCLE DOWN IN TRAFFIC AND BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DESCRIBED CONDITION IS INTERMITTENT, BUT SEEMS TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN WARMER CONDITIONS, AFTER RIDING AT HIGHWAY SPEED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS THEN SLOWING INTO LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR SIDE STREET TRAFFIC (ELEVATED ENGINE HEAT CONDITION), AND FREQUENTLY FOR ME WHEN DOWNSHIFTING FROM 4TH TO 3RD GEAR OR 3RD TO 2ND GEAR AS THE MOTORCYCLE PASSES THROUGH THE 25-35 MPH SPEED RANGE. THIS IS A THROTTLE BY WIRE FUEL CONTROL DESIGN, AND I SUSPECT EITHER A FAULTY ECU WHERE THE PROBLEM IS HEAT SENSITIVE, OR PERHAPS FAULTY O2 SENSORS WHICH PROVIDE IMPROPER DATA TO THE PORTION OF THE ECU THAT MONITORS FUEL/AIR MIX AND ADJUSTS FUEL QUANTITY BEING SUPPLIED TO THE INJECTION SYSTEM. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM ON TWO OCCASIONS TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO PINPOINT A CAUSE. I KNOW OF AT LEAST FOUR OTHER RIDERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR MOTORCYCLE SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.