Sidestand or lazy neutral or something else?

[Bud]

My friend Paul was on his way from London, ON to my house yesterday when his bike died on the highway.

 

He was able to coast over to the "bike lane" and safely stop. He tried to restart and could not get a neutral light and the bike wouldn't turn over.

 

After several attempts and 10 minutes passing. The neutral light came on and he started again.

 

He is in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

 

Knowing that the sidestand switch will kill the bike. Is it possible for the switch to "fail" in such a way that the bike will die? In other words is the failure mode the same as when the sidestand is down?

 

I don't think it is a lazy neutral switch because it killed the bike while running.

 

I'm ruling out the HES as when they fail, they fail and usually aren't intermittent.

 

Any advice, suggestions, hints or tricks will be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[mneblett]

Is it possible for the switch to "fail" in such a way that the bike will die? In other words is the failure mode the same as when the sidestand is down?

Yes -- just like deploying the stand when the bike is in gear.

 

He can simply jumper the sidestand switch wires to bypass the switch -- just needs to remember that protection is disabled if he starts the bike in gear.

[mneblett]

Was it raining when the bike died?

[mneblett]

The lack of neutral light makes me wonder whether the issue is with the kill switch, though, because I can't remember whether the sidestand being deployed also removes power to the neutral light circuit.

 

Hopefully, someone can walk out to their bike and check whether with the sidestand deployed and the tranny in neutral the neutral light is on or off -- or we can wait for D.R. to give us the definitive answer

[Bud]

Was it raining when the bike died?

 

YES

 

 

[mneblett]

Fits in perfectly with the sidestand switch being the culprit.

[Redman]

Fits in perfectly with the sidestand switch being the culprit.

 

If the problem is rain water getting in the sidestand switch... might some WD-40 (water displacement) sprayed in there help in the future...?

Or should the sidestand swtich be replaced...?

[szurszewski]

The lack of neutral light makes me wonder whether the issue is with the kill switch, though, because I can't remember whether the sidestand being deployed also removes power to the neutral light circuit.

 

Hopefully, someone can walk out to their bike and check whether with the sidestand deployed and the tranny in neutral the neutral light is on or off -- or we can wait for D.R. to give us the definitive answer

 

Neutral light should be on when in neutral regardless of sidestand position. (Unless the neutral light is being lazy, of course.)

[Bud]

Was it raining when the bike died?

 

YES

 

 

After just talking with Paul, it turns out that it wasn't raining yesterday when this happened. That was a previous trip.

 

Grrrrrrr................

 

 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Bud

 

First off, it would help us to know what model & year BMW he was riding ?

 

There are slight differences between the 1100 & 1150 bikes as far as side stand switch operation.

 

In any case your friends issue could be the side stand switch but I would put that issue way down the list of possibilities. Side stand switches can & do fail but seldom if ever fail while riding down the hi-way. ( I wouldn't count it out but it wouldn't be at top of list either)

 

If he can remember what the dash lights & gauges looked like during failure & costing over that could help us identify what caused the engine stoppage.

 

He can also put the bike on the center stand then with the engine running & bike in 1st gear simply put the side stand down then see if THAT failure matches up with what happened to him on the road. (make sure rear tire is off the ground)

 

With that lazy neutral light he saw (assuming he had the trans FULLY in neutral) that would mean that the side stand switch failed, AND the neutral switch failed at the very same time (unlikely). Then the neutral switch started acting normal again from then on (again unlikely).

 

His failure is/was more in line with an ignition switch acting up or a broken wire in the main harness going to, or from, the ignition switch. (dash light/gauge activity would tell us more here). A partially severed red or green wire in the wire harness at the steering neck comes to mind here.

 

You might have him put the bike on the center stand-- then with the engine idling work the handlebars back & forth from lock to lock to see if that effects the engine running or causes stalling.

 

Then with engine still idling grab the wire harness in the steering neck area & give that a good shake on both sides of the zip ties.

 

Also have him check that all the fuses are fully seated.

 

If he can supply a little more info on dash light/gauges during the stall & what (else) he tried to get it re-started we can probably get you closer to the cause.

 

[Bud]

Afternoon Bud

 

First off, it would help us to know what model & year BMW he was riding ?

 

There are slight differences between the 1100 & 1150 bikes as far as side stand switch operation.

 

In any case your friends issue could be the side stand switch but I would put that issue way down the list of possibilities. Side stand switches can & do fail but seldom if ever fail while riding down the hi-way. ( I wouldn't count it out but it wouldn't be at top of list either)

 

If he can remember what the dash lights & gauges looked like during failure & costing over that could help us identify what caused the engine stoppage.

 

He can also put the bike on the center stand then with the engine running & bike in 1st gear simply put the side stand down then see if THAT failure matches up with what happened to him on the road. (make sure rear tire is off the ground)

 

With that lazy neutral light he saw (assuming he had the trans FULLY in neutral) that would mean that the side stand switch failed, AND the neutral switch failed at the very same time (unlikely). Then the neutral switch started acting normal again from then on (again unlikely).

 

His failure is/was more in line with an ignition switch acting up or a broken wire in the main harness going to, or from, the ignition switch. (dash light/gauge activity would tell us more here). A partially severed red or green wire in the wire harness at the steering neck comes to mind here.

 

You might have him put the bike on the center stand-- then with the engine idling work the handlebars back & forth from lock to lock to see if that effects the engine running or causes stalling.

 

Then with engine still idling grab the wire harness in the steering neck area & give that a good shake on both sides of the zip ties.

 

Also have him check that all the fuses are fully seated.

 

If he can supply a little more info on dash light/gauges during the stall & what (else) he tried to get it re-started we can probably get you closer to the cause.

 

Thanks so much.

 

He will hopefully be here tomorrow and we can try all of the above.