I need some help!!!
 

Hi all. I'm new to this site but i have heard a great deal about it. My problem. I bought a New '05 Superhawk in May of this year that has continued to die at ramdom. Honda says that they have never heard of such a thing. It has died while in motion and while at a stop.:evil: More than once it has left me stranded for more than a few hours.:evil: So far it has caused a crash when it died midcorner. ANY help would be wonderful. Thank you all.
Gerry

What happens when the bike dies? Clunk? Just cuts out?

In most of the times its like the key has been turned off. No shutter or lack of power just dies. But on the occation it acts like its running on one cyclinder then dies. When it does that it will not restart for some time. It does backfire when downshifting and a few times deid doing that. But to answer your question majority is the sudden death thing.

Mine did something simalar. I changed the plugs no help. Took it to my tech,(who also ahs a Superhawk by the way) he finally found that the rear ignition coil would fail when it got hot. Changed the coil no more problems. That was 5 years ago. May be worth the look.

Lots of possibilities here I am afraid, so it may not be easy. Sounds electrical to me though, so I would be carrying a multimeter and test light as well as a few basic tools with you and go for a ride. As soon as it stops, start testing stuff to see what is not working.

Do the US models have the sidestand cut out switch and clutch switches? If so I would be looking at those very closely. They can cause this sort of problem if not working properly.

check to be sure the battery terminals are tight. Has it been sitting at the dealership for a while with old gas in it? Check the plugs. I read a story recently where a guy bought a new bike that had been sitting for a while and he had to run a fuel additive to clean it out - now if I could just remember where I saw that. (And yes the US model has the sidestand cut out switch).

I currently have two volt meters one on the pulse coil and the other on the ignition coil. So far when it dies nothing seem to malfunction...As far as battery cables they are as tight as i dare make them. Side stand switch and clutch switch???have not really looked at thoese but it has died on the side stand sitting still while i open my gate. It has also died at lights in neutral clutch out...so i dont know if that helps at all.

That is warranty work. You need to get the manager of your Honda dealership involved. If there is no love there call the Honda customer service at the below number. I have an 05 and have not had this problem. If I did I would raise holy hell until they fixed it. Do NOT let your dealer push you around on this.

I did have this problem on my 95 triumph tiger. Turned out to be that the pick up coil would go to infinite resistance when it got hot. When it would cool down it would fire right up until it got hot again. Common problem on the Tiger.

Check the resistance across the coils when cold and when hot.

I have called Honda CS and Its a JOKE.....But I'm not laughing....My Rep refuses to call me back, he leaves me a message then will not respond when i leave him one. The dealer that has it now has done more for me than the dealer that i bought it from. I just cant get anywhere with honda. they will not authorise the time for a tech to put enough miles on it to fail. Over a coarse of two weeks honda only let them put 18 miles on it. I do that in my ride to work. But really Honda CS might as well be call HONDA BS!!!!

Both the clutch and sidestand switches are cutout switches. They are designed to cut the engine when activated. Sounds to me this is exactly what is happening.

I would check to see they they are not the problem before I looked elsewhere. This has happened to a couple of other owners I know.

I have tried yanking on the kill switch cables befor with no result...Im more than happy to try the side stand...but...question...how do i test the clutch cut out???Its hydrolic...so wheres the wire?

Hear your pain
 

Hey man, I have experienced similar problems where it would sound like half the bike shuts down and boggs. I couldn't have said it better than "one exhaust shutting down."
After changing the batter and all the other problems that everybody is talking about but still no change. I learned later from a Honda dealership that it was a bad rectifier. Certainly covered under warranty and I have not had the problem since. My buddy had the same problem and same solution. If they told you to buy a new battery or anything else like that, get your money back for the battery cause as new as your bike is that is covered under warranty as well. Dam the man and get your rectifier checked out. It is easy to do yourself but F-it you have WARRANTY!!!:mrgreen: Good luck with that man and keep us posted on solutions you discover.

You can't disconnect these things to test them, as their method to shut down the bike is to open the circuit. By disconnecting the plugs you are doing the same thing. You need to test the circuits to see if the switches work.

I agree with the other guys though, your dealer should be doing this for you. If you have given up on them, get yourself a workshop manual and a multimeter to test these circuits.

if the dealer is pushin you around, i would call the better business bureau and inform them of the lack of cooperation from honda and its dealers. sometimes a phone call from the better business bureau to the dealer or honda corporate will make them treat you like a king. http://www.bbb.org/

Okay...Retifier or how ever you spell it...check it still good. Nothing is showing up for the dealer. Once again Honda CS still will not return any calls. Now how do i work this?

Sorry to hear that man, I am out of ideas now. You should tell Honda CS that all of us here at the SHForum think they suck and will protest all of their Honda parts. :twisted: Good luck with your problem and please let everybody know what you find out so that nobody else will have to go through the $#!+ that you are going through.

You know what, now that I think about it..... I remember taking my bike in a few times to a couple of different places and they finally found the rectifier problem by like the 4th or 5th try. Coinsidence? Just an afterthought.

I just call Honda CS again...my rep will not answer the phone...nor will his supervisor return my calls. One of the other reps says "he has been out a lot lately" But the supervisor should have at least called. Beyond waiting to SUE THE PISS outa of Honda I'm completely out of ideas.

tell them you need to speak with public relations because your attorney needs to tell them about the court date you have set

Thats a van-damn good idea!!! I did however get one of the reps promise to call back b4 5pm....lets see if that holds true.

Okay guys the lawyer is ready to go after honda...He will start on monday. However anyone that has had a simular problem with their superhawk....can you email me so we could have some back up complaints...It would really help put honda in their place. My email is gknapp@unitedauto.com. I will keep everyone posted on the updates.

As of yesterday, American Honda and Golden Gate Cycles of San Francisco have been served. They have 30 day to respond.

Still Not a Thing
 

:evil: I just dont understand Honda....They are refusing to respond to anything. its like they have fallen of the face of the earth....I want to put pressure on them but i dont want to risk sounding to much like an @$$....

need help
 

They hav'nt vanished there just saving all there time/money/effort to help Nicky defend his title next year :) :) from a british avid Rossi fan!!!!!!!!

need help
 

No seriously though get a solicitor/lawyer only way to deal with a dealership if they are refusing to help/co-operate,i had a problem with a car from a dealership an Audi coupe when it rained it pissed water in through the back window said they couldnt do anything until my solicitor landed them with a letter putting the frightners on, they soon came round to my way off thinking.

ps you would expect a lot better customer service from a company like Honda, it doesnt give you much faith in buying from them again does it?

I read almost all post on this thread. Don't want to sound too stupid (too late) but I used to get a similar problem sometimes. I was getting a vapor lock. Happens about once a year (02 hawk). I forget about it and the bike boggs down like it has no power or running on 1 cylinder. I remember the problem & open the gas cap and the problem goes away.

Good luck

The vapor lock thing i have heard of but it does feel like it only running on one cylinder....but I'm just going mad trying to deal with this.

F*ck HONDA
 

Honda Legal has now had my atturnes letter coming on 20 days now and still no responce. If there is some way to get hondas attention im am willing to try anything now....Its been over 2 months and im not allowed to even ride the thing...:evil: ..it sits in my house collecting dust while i still write a check for it every month.......:evil:

all I can say is...sorry man...bummer