[wjack33]

I was riding my 96 M900 this morning, got about fifty miles of backroads in. Then disaster hit. I was about a mile from home at a stop light and the bike felt under powered and started to bog out. I pulled into a parking lot and the bike died. I was able to restart the engine with out any problems. When I put the bike into gear it would stall out then I released the clutch. I tried to get it moving a few times but got the same results. Then the bike would not start at all, the bike just flat out died. All insturment lights come on, when you hit the start button nothing happens.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem is?? Has this happened to anyone else??

Any suggestions or help would be great.

 

[chris]

sounds like a possibility is that the vacuum operated fuel pump died and you suffered fuel starvation. then you killed the battery tryint to start the bike. you could try charging the battery, filling the tank ocmplately, and bypassing the "pump". if your bike seems fine, then you need a new pump. they are not cheap via the dealer, so i found an aftermarket item on my monster that works but is shaped differently.

good luck,
chris

 

[wjack33]

Chris-

Thank you for the advise, but I am not so sure that this is the problem. The reason that I say this is the battery is not dead all lights, horn, and blinkers work. The starter buttom does nothing when I push it.I have checked all fuses and they are all in good shape.

I think that I have to take the bike to the shop. MAJOR BUMMER!!!!

Thank you.

 

[test-reg]

check the main relay and it's connectors (probably yellow). does it click? try turning handle bars while cranking. if it now cranks, there is a problem in the harness at the steering head. actually, first make sure the kill switch is in the proper position. it happens to the best of us.

 

[spaceman]

Chris-

Thank you for the advise, but I am not so sure that this is the problem.

 

[mnztr]

No idea what the initial problem was, but the failure to crank sounds like you fried the starter relay. (its not that hard to do). One way to check for sure is to get a jumper cable and jump from the + terminal of the battery to the starter cable. If it cranks, then your relay is FUBARed.

 

[chris]

you can also put an unliked large screwdriver across the starter relay's terminals. you get a big spark and can see if the starter motor turns. MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN NEUTRAL!!! you can do this with the ignition off.

 

[MATTinMN]

Is the on/off switch on the right side handlebar in the off position? Dont take this as me being a smart a$$.

 

[wjack33]

Thank you for all the advise that you all have given. I have the bike at Erico (Duc dealer in Denver) and they were abel to get it to turn over. The fuse to the starter had blown, I must be blind because I was not able to see it. Sort of feel like a fool. They seem to think that the bike is running to rich and fowling plugs.

I will keep you posted.

 

[mnztr]

Don't feel too bad. Sometimes they blow 'cos of vibration. THey look perfectly ok, but a hairline crack causes the fuse to fail. I actually had this happen to me. I changed the fuse, and the bike fired up. Puzzled I took a close look at the fuse at home, and it looked perfect....so I tested it with a multimeter - zero continuity. It was a bit old and the filament had cracked. Crazy but true!!

 

[spaceman]

glad wjack.