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[LarryB]

 
lots of trial and error. sometimes a rubber mallet ,or mullet, will work

[PR3VS56]

No.  Maxi fuses don't reset.  So would not account for the intermittent nature of your problem and would not allow the restart of the bike without the fuse having been replaced first.  When they're blown they're blown.  

They're also cheap at any auto parts store.  And easy enough of a replacement for anyone to change on the side of the road.  That's why you should always carry a spare.

Well that's interesting.  Especially after the indy who worked on my bike told me the maxi-fuse was the problem with my intermittent stalling.

So it's just a fuse like any other fuse.  Doesn't re-set.  OK I believe you.  

Are there contacts at all (as part of the maxi-fuse) that could cause intermittent problems?  

[Twolanerider]

Well that's interesting.  Especially after the indy who worked on my bike told me the maxi-fuse was the problem with my intermittent stalling.

So it's just a fuse like any other fuse.  Doesn't re-set.  OK I believe you.  

Are there contacts at all (as part of the maxi-fuse) that could cause intermittent problems?  

Suppose the crimps inside the molded socket that holds the fuse could a problem.  But the fuses themselves are just an overgrown version of the fuses you're used to seeing in the fuse panel.

[RioGlide]

My 07 SERK's shut down inexplicably twice.

One at speed heading north on Rte 17 in SC.  At least I met TN from here that time, one of the best people I've ever met anywhere.  Hoist later had a very similar experience in the same part of SC (and TN was around that time too....hmmmmm...) 

I was passing a couple cars at about 85 and the engine just stopped running as if I'd instantly run out of gas.  Pulled in the clutch, parked on the side of the road and it wouldn't restart.  Flatbed back to Savannah HD (great guys) where they got it running after a couple hours but couldn't diagnose any problem with the bike.  Rode away only with a new spark plug and decided to fill the gas tank across the street with 5 gallons of fresh fuel.

I didn't have another problem like this for about a year.

The other time I was coming home, stopped at a friend's down the street and the bike simply wouldn't restart.  Cranked & cranked just like the time in SC but it would not start.  I didn't want to get it running myself since I was still under w------y then so I let my local shop take a crack at it.  They also got it running but couldn't diagnose what was wrong this time either.  They replaced the entire fuel delivery system except for the tank and so far this year it hasn't shut down again.

It was definitely fuel-related but nobody either in SC or NJ had a clue exactly what had gone wrong.  I expect it'll happen again when I least expect it.

[LarryB]

this just reminded me of an issue I had several years ago. there is a vent line in the tank called ? EPA vent line. it is prone to collapse, shutting down fuel delivery. once it burps it's ok for awhile. cheap part but labor is about an hour.

[skreminegul07]

Going way off the simple route, but these several examples are true.  Now that these simple machines are using state of the art technology, sensors that have output that is a varying frequency, not varying voltage or simply on or off, new problems arise.

RFI, radio frequency interference is real.  Shielded cables must be used to protect these varying frequency signal from RFI emmited by other vehicles, microwave dishes used in communications, etc or strange actions will take place.
In the early ABS brake days, corvettes had an issue of brakes randomly being released because the early cables and modules were not shielded and RFI from communications dishes and other sources such as old cars with copper spark plug wires driving by would mess up the signal from the vette's wheel sensors providing the ABS controller with bad info.

I had a 1986 Impala that had the Check Engine light come on at the same exit on RT3 every single time I drove by, for years.  There is a building right there with several microwave dishes pointing right up the highway.  I spent a lot of effort trying to resolve it but finally realized the problem.

Getting back to the problem at hand, therer may be a sensor cable or harness sitting too close to another cable that moves in the wind just a slight bit to mess up the signal and it shuts down.  It starts back up fine because the cable is back where it should be.

We used aluminun foil to wrap (acts as a shield) suspect cables to identify the culprit.  No foil required on your hat though.    The automotive field took a while to learn what the computer people already knew. That's why you cannot just splice or repair many sensor cables, there is shielding there annd the average mechanic doesn't know what it is for.

I spent most of my career troubleshooting difficult problems in the computer field all over the world.  I have witnessed very bizarre issues with stange causes.  It's like being a detective.

[skreminegul07]

Of course, when you are trying to have it fixed by someone that says:
1) They all do that  or
2) I've never seen that before

You're ***ked

[Myko]

I have a very similar problem on my '85 EG. 1st time it went dark on me was in the middle of a 13 mile tunnel in Switzerland in '98. It has been intermittent ever since. Sometimes going months and months without a hiccup until recently. The it decided to return with a vengence Every few miles and onthe same ride that I popped the clutch finger. Right now we are restringing the main harness, checking ground connections and replacing all the 25 year old circuit breakers and relays.
My thought is just change out anything in the path that could cause a total loss of juice. I don't want to over think the reset issue, as everyone has an opinion and experience. Fortunately it is an '85 and is relatively straight forward. But no matter the decade, these problems are an effing pain!

[tjstreetglide]

I had a similar problem with my 06 streetglide. I ended up being the system relay, a fuel pump relay, You can get it at most auto parts store. Its in the right side side cover., four prong.
TJ

[DCC]

I too have had a similar problem on an 07 Ultra.  It turned out to be a burr in the chrome switch housing on the right handlebar where the kill switch is.  There's two wires for the kill switch held in place with a clamp and phillips head screw inside the top half of the chrome housing.  When I removed that clamp, I saw a sharp edge that the wires were pressed up against by the clamp. That sharp burr eventually had knifed it's way through the wire shorting it out...probably because of the vibration of the bars.  I could always rock the switch off and on and the bike would start right up.  Those chrome housing were put on at the time of purchase and the problem didn't show up until around 3000 miles.  You never knew when it would happen.  Sometimes I could go 300 or 400 miles and it would just quit, and on another occasion, I hadn't gone three blocks and it quit. 

Good luck
DCC 

[Randy C]

First time was yesterday for me @ Bike Week in Ocean City ,till now I blamed it on the map and pipes I put on ,It coughs sometimes and always backfires when leaving of the fuel. It was about 60 mph but all I did was pull in the clutch and let it back out and it started and didn' do it since

[grandpadoc]

RFI, radio frequency interference is real.  Shielded cables must be used to protect these varying frequency signal from RFI emmited by other vehicles, microwave dishes used in communications, etc or strange actions will take place.
In the early ABS brake days, corvettes had an issue of brakes randomly being released because the early cables and modules were not shielded and RFI from communications dishes and other sources such as old cars with copper spark plug wires driving by would mess up the signal from the vette's wheel sensors providing the ABS controller with bad info.

 

I'm glad you brought this up because my 98 RG seemed like it would shut down going around the same spot on Ortega Highway in SoCal. I've heard that there is a government lab in the hills up there somewhere that does research with electro magnetic radiation of all sorts and maybe thats what got me. I didn't dare tell that to the dealer or he would have had another excuse to blow me off, although it did happen off the hill also. It could be that Harley put shields on the sensors and also moved the heat sensor to a more heat friendly location.  Doc

[LarryB]

First time was yesterday for me @ Bike Week in Ocean City ,till now I blamed it on the map and pipes I put on ,It coughs sometimes and always backfires when leaving of the fuel. It was about 60 mph but all I did was pull in the clutch and let it back out and it started and didn' do it since

Randy, that being your first post, please go to new members section and say howdy.
also, on your signature, put what bike/year you have and where you are from, that way if you ask a specific question, we'll better know how to answer, have a great time here, we all do,

[bearammus]

Had same problem on 07 CUSE, turned out to be a connector problem on ignition harness.  After changing ignition harness, problem solved.  Turn your ignition switch on and see if you can duplicate the condition by moving the harness coming from the ignition switch around a bit.  Worth a try.

bearammus

[grandpadoc]

Check out this post and be sure to scroll down to the diagram...its amazing it works at all.  Doc

                                                      http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/motorcycle_efi_basics.htm