Right turn, stall and dump

[Jimstan]

Stiff throttle spring could give you a lot more than a sore hand.

Maybe this might help someone else,

I am New to the FJR but not to riding 30 + years .

My 07 FJR , idles fine, rides great however A right hand turn from a stop can be an unpleasant surprise ,

( turn wheel, let out clutch, give throttle, stall, DUMP BIKE) .

I started to look at the bike and what I was doing during a right hand turn.

(Could happen on left turn but the corner is much more gradual)

1. At stop making a right hand turn you/I want to stay in the right hand lane so as not to cross into on coming traffic.

2. Slowly let out clutch and slowly increase throttle, with the FJR being so Strong and quick to much clutch or to much throttle and you could launch yourself into the on coming trafic.

Hear is what I found was happening to me.

My throttle spring is so dam strong that all I was doing was fighting the spring, throwing off my clutch, throttle timing when I should have had A smooth increase in the RPM,s matched to my clutch release to pevent stalling.

I will be slipping the throttle spring tonight and hopefully that will solve my problem with Right hand turn, stall and dump,s.

After looking through all the threads of similar problems the main fix seems to be trying to get a smooth throttle response from idle .

Well thats my two cents.. Hope it helps someone.

Jim

 

[OlyFJR]

I did the same thing!

I had been riding my '03 for over a year with no problems stalling it. The day I bought my brand new '06 the first thing I did when trying to ride off was stall it. A month or so later I did the same thing you did. Sitting at a T-intersection, went to turn left and just as the clutch engaged fully and halfway into my turn it stalled. It threw me forward but I was able to catch it before it went over but it was at that point where I had to make a decision, pull it back up (possible) and risk pulling something, or gently lay it down and pick it up from a better position.

I rode another mile or two before coming to a stoplight. I leaned over to see if I could see any damage and almost dropped it the other way! :dribble: I didn't care how far over it was, I wasn't letting it touch down again and pulled it back up. After that I rode it home and put it away for the day.

I did the throttle spring release but I didn't like how the throttle wouldn't close quickly, it would slowly close. I may have unwound it twice but I tightened it once and have been fine since then.

 

[dj bill]

power commander will help

 

[bramfrank]

Sorry about the drop.

Use a hand exercise machine - I have no throttle pull issues with my '06.

Raise the idle speed to 1100 RPMs - if it is lower than 1K when warmed up it is too low in any case.

 

[WinnipegTechGuy]

So it is just not me... I have been riding for 20+ years and I thought I was loosing my mind. Dumb thing would stall at lights on a regular basis. Felt like such a NOOB.. I was sure everyone was laughing at the "old fat guy" on the bike learning to drive...

PC III fixed my issue.. Now i am just an "old fat guy" who can ride a bike without stalling at every light.

 

[k7lvo]

Stiff throttle spring could give you a lot more than a sore hand. Maybe this might help someone else,

I am New to the FJR but not to riding 30 + years .

My 07 FJR , idles fine, rides great however A right hand turn from a stop can be an unpleasant surprise ,

( turn wheel, let out clutch, give throttle, stall, DUMP BIKE)

You sound like a Wing rider. The reason that I say this is because that was my experience.

I've ridden Wings for years. (I've got 110,000 miles on my 03.) For all of those years I've heard people comment about the Wing's torque: "You can just let the clutch out on the Wing, and off you go!" Well, don't ask me how I know that isn't quite true. Then I got an FJR and I understood what they meant. With the Wing you can let out the clutch and then twist the throttle. With the FJR (or any other less torquey bike) you have to twist the throttle then let out the clutch. In both examples the two actions can be almost instantaneous, but the throttle has to happen before the clutch, or it will stall every time.

I'll be doing the throttle spring mod, and I'm giving some thought to the PC III, but to improve rideability, not to keep from stalling. Just remember, throttle first, clutch second.

 

[Jimstan]

So it is just not me... I have been riding for 20+ years and I thought I was loosing my mind. Dumb thing would stall at lights on a regular basis. Felt like such a NOOB.. I was sure everyone was laughing at the "old fat guy" on the bike learning to drive...
PC III fixed my issue.. Now i am just an "old fat guy" who can ride a bike without stalling at every light.

No not alone, my riding buddies are still ribbing me, trying to change my handle to :angry2: "turn and dump" :angry2:

 

[cctxfjr]

So it is just not me... I have been riding for 20+ years and I thought I was loosing my mind. Dumb thing would stall at lights on a regular basis. Felt like such a NOOB.. I was sure everyone was laughing at the "old fat guy" on the bike learning to drive...
PC III fixed my issue.. Now i am just an "old fat guy" who can ride a bike without stalling at every light.

No not alone, my riding buddies are still ribbing me, trying to change my handle to :angry2: "turn and dump" :angry2:

did same thing on my 06 twice on right turn going slightly uphill both times except I didnt fall to ground came real close though pulled muscles in my leg one of the times catching the bike. You need some rpm when you take off on the FJR especially with turning reistance. The abrupt uneven throttle adds considerably to the stall factor

 

[EasyRider]

No time was spent talking about this scenario in my MSF class, but my next instructors spent much time with it issue first thing in my intermediate riding class shortly after. They said people have left MSF classes and others, pulled out into traffic from the class, and had the same type of crash detailed above. Thats why they talked about it first off before the rest of the days instruction.

We were instructed when starting up from a stop and making a right or left turn into a traffic lane, too never let the clutch all the way out until we complete the turn and are safely headed into the lane and direction of travel. They told us to regulate the bike speed in the right or left turn out into traffic with the clutch, not the throttle. They said letting the clutch out too soon and using the throttle to regulate speed in a tighter turn after the clutch has been quickly let out is a sure fire way to have a head on with on coming traffic.

Before you all pick me or my instructors apart, they were talking about a tight turn from a stop into the direction of travel. Without question, if one is entering a large intersection with a longer distance with more speed gained before a wider turn takes place, one will not need to ride the clutch until the turn is completed.

The point they were making is, a very low RPM throttle, on some bikes more than others, can be jerky, so be very careful not to use the throttle to regulate speed in a very low speed turn, like a low RPM first gear turn from a stop. Instead, try to use the clutch, and too use a little more feathering or riding of the clutch than you might think is necessary until you safely complete the turn into traffic.

Clearly, not all bike behave in the same way in the same situation, some like the Goldwing mentioned above are much more forgiving, but the FJR is not.

That probably explains why some people with many years of riding on other bikes have not run into this problem before.

When I make slow speed turns with my 07 FJR into traffic from a stop, in first gear, I regulate my speed with the clutch, using a little more a little less, back and forth as needed with the RPMs staying constant. That way I don't get a sudden jerk taking me wide in the turn and into a head on crash with oncoming traffic.

Consequently I have never had this problem with my 07 FJR. I have not touched the throttle springs.

I did put the G2 in at about 4,000 miles and the PCIII in at about 9,000 miles, but not for this issue.

So thats my two cents.

 

[PEST!]

I have an 07 with the spring released. I have done it twice onec on each side. The last one was on a left turn and I tried to hold it up and herd my leg pop. I was sore for weeks with a huge bruise from my thigh to mid calf. I am not sure what is causing it. I suspect the TPS but not able to reproduce th problem. I also notice it almost impossible to roll on the throttle smooth when accelerating from a decelerateing to a turn. There is a slop in the system and lots of resistance to open the throtte for the first 5% of a twist. The throttle body needs a redisign

 

[dean]

just happened to me yesterday in a parking lot. put my left arm out straight to catch my fall, heard a pop, and had some pretty remarkable pain.

e.r. visit w/ x-rays confirmed broken forearm at elbow joint. i'm sure an mri when i see the ortho will show ligament/tendon damage, as i thought i'd hyperextended or damaged the joint, not the bone.

 

[relliot499]

I got my 08 FJR about 4 weeks ago. I've got almost 1K miles on it and haven't had any problems with the throttle/clutch. I had an 02 FZ1 a few years ago and one of the things that made that bike so nice was that it was so easy so launch from a stop light or stop sign. You didn't have to slip the clutch very much or give it very much throttle and you were on your way. The FJR seems to be very similar; very easy to get going.

I haven't noticed any problems with right hand turns or stalling the bike. I'm pretty easy on the bike but then at my age (61), I'm pretty easy on everything. It's just a real joy to ride. Throttle return spring is a little stiffer then ideal but nothing I can't live with. I've noticed a lot of riders add Power Commanders to their bikes but at this point I haven't noticed any need to do that to mine. So far I'm extremely happy with the bike. I had an 04 ST1300 that I had to add risers to but the FJR sits me pretty upright just as it is.

I've got a top box on order and I may opt for an after market saddle next year but other wise I think I'll be riding it pretty much stock. Again, it's just a great ride.

Enjoy your new bike,

Bob

 

[jmdaniel]

Question: Did you "dump" the bike? Or "lay it down"?

:lol:

 

[just roy]

No time was spent talking about this scenario in my MSF class, but my next instructors spent much time with it issue first thing in my intermediate riding class shortly after. They said people have left MSF classes and others, pulled out into traffic from the class, and had the same type of crash detailed above. Thats why they talked about it first off before the rest of the days instruction.
We were instructed when starting up from a stop and making a right or left turn into a traffic lane, too never let the clutch all the way out until we complete the turn and are safely headed into the lane and direction of travel. They told us to regulate the bike speed in the right or left turn out into traffic with the clutch, not the throttle. They said letting the clutch out too soon and using the throttle to regulate speed in a tighter turn after the clutch has been quickly let out is a sure fire way to have a head on with on coming traffic.

Before you all pick me or my instructors apart, they were talking about a tight turn from a stop into the direction of travel. Without question, if one is entering a large intersection with a longer distance with more speed gained before a wider turn takes place, one will not need to ride the clutch until the turn is completed.

The point they were making is, a very low RPM throttle, on some bikes more than others, can be jerky, so be very careful not to use the throttle to regulate speed in a very low speed turn, like a low RPM first gear turn from a stop. Instead, try to use the clutch, and too use a little more feathering or riding of the clutch than you might think is necessary until you safely complete the turn into traffic.

Clearly, not all bike behave in the same way in the same situation, some like the Goldwing mentioned above are much more forgiving, but the FJR is not.

That probably explains why some people with many years of riding on other bikes have not run into this problem before.

When I make slow speed turns with my 07 FJR into traffic from a stop, in first gear, I regulate my speed with the clutch, using a little more a little less, back and forth as needed with the RPMs staying constant. That way I don't get a sudden jerk taking me wide in the turn and into a head on crash with oncoming traffic.

Consequently I have never had this problem with my 07 FJR. I have not touched the throttle springs.

I did put the G2 in at about 4,000 miles and the PCIII in at about 9,000 miles, but not for this issue.

So thats my two cents.

i have to agree. many years of racing enduro and hare scrambles in tight woods has taught me clutch control and i have found it to be a serious aid in low speed maneuver.

 

[GGPa]

I have an AE. There is no clutch handle, and the clutch goes from disengaged to engaged as the rpm is increased from a full stop. When making the right turn, I learned to ease the throttle up and let clutch engage and start to lightly slip, then bring up the gas. The way the AE works, the slippage is controlled (I think) by the throttle level when the clutch first engages. But, it was the G2 mod that made all the difference. Anyhow, even with the AE, that sudden surge from the throttle is the problem. I am wondering what the engineers wanted with it in the first place.

 

[charon76]

Question: Did you "dump" the bike? Or "lay it down"?
:lol:

I do believe his terminonlgy is correct here. This is not a mis identification of "layin her down!"

 

[wheatonFJR]

Any GEN II riders that came from a GEN I FJR have this problem?

I have a GEN I with 50k + miles on it and haven't had a problem. Yeah, the throttle spring used to be stiffer than it is now. I understand that if you do lots of WOT passes that helps loosen the throttle spring.

 

[krashdragon]

( turn wheel, let out clutch, give throttle, stall, DUMP BIKE) .

Interesting.... if I did that with my Harley, it's be down on it's side immediately... or the FJR when I had one...

1. look where I want to go

2. some throttle

3. let out clutch enuf to move ..... "feathering"

4. turn bars, although I'm not consciously "turning" them.... pushing down int the direction I want to go... I think.... because the bike is moving already

5. more throttle

6. more clutch

7. straighten up

Ok, I hope that's what I do and that it's correct.... I do know that if I turn the wheel and let off the clutch at all with no throttle, my bike will sputter, lurch and pbly die... and then fall over.

Very seldom do I turn my front wheel before I throttle and let the clutch out a bit.

Even at a dead stop I make sure the bike is straight up if the front wheel is turned at all.

but then, I hate picking up bikes!

I admit, I'm a wuss~!

mary

 

[Scotty]

For AE riders unless you are on a BIG hill starting in 2nd gear can be quite useful. Let the autoclutch do the work Also works in tight turns in parking lots with a little rear brake pressure