Help! VZ800 engine cutting out @60+ mph

[giselacrystal]

First off let me say I absolutely love my bike but here lately she's becoming quite a pain! I've had the bike for about a month & a half now & have put about 1400 miles on it & up until this past week she has run like a dream. She still does fine going around the city & such but if I try to hop on the interstate it is very difficult to go over 60. Once I get there, it's like I'm losing power (miss-fire or cutting out). The engine isn't dying becuz it'll cut out for a few seconds & then start right back up. I thought I had just gotten some bad gas but I have put Heet in & then today put in a fuel/carburator cleaner/lubricant & totally ran the heck outta of her using up that tank of gas. Put new gas in & it's still doing it. I do have dual Vance & Hines pipes on it & am wondering if maybe it's not getting enough airflow at the higher speeds?

[Motorcycle Forum]

[CoolhandCountry]

Could it be running out of gas?
If you try to push the bike a little harder in lower gears does it cut out?
Does it have a gas filter on it?
Have you done anything recently before it started?

[Easy Rider]

Put new gas in & it's still doing it. I do have dual Vance & Hines pipes on it & am wondering if maybe it's not getting enough airflow at the higher speeds?

No if anything it's getting to MUCH air; might be running lean......if the pipes are a factor.
Do you have baffles you could put in ??
What about the air filter ??
I suggest draining the float bowls, putting in new plugs and maybe cracking the choke closed when it is acting up, just as a test.

What brand of carb cleaner did you use ?

And finally, on an 11 year old bike, sometimes a loss of power at higher speeds is caused by spark leakage, from worn out plug boots or wires.

[giselacrystal]

No it wasn't running out of gas, I had just filled up when it started acting up. And yes I did push it a little harder in 2nd & also 4th gear & both times it totally killed the bike, had to restart it. The only work I have had done since I got the bike is oil change and had the chain, front & rear sprocket replaced. As to if it has a fuel filter, I'm not sure. It's a 2000 Suzuki VZ800 Marauder.

[giselacrystal]

Yeah I did take it by my local Suzuki Dealer (they're the ones that have done the work on it since I've gotten it) and the mechanic did say if it wasn't the kill switch on the kickstand that was causing it that, that it could be the air filters and/or the spark plugs. Just really hate to be w/o my bike right now since our weather is finally starting to cool down into perfect riding weather.

[giselacrystal]

And I used Lucas fuel injector cleaner.........

[Easy Rider]

No it wasn't running out of gas, I had just filled up when it started acting up.

And I used Lucas fuel injector cleaner.........

Ah, now the important piece of information comes out.

If the "bad gas" had water or other heavy contaminants in it, your additives might not get it all.

I repeat my suggestion to drain the float bowls and change the plugs......or at least inspect them if they are new.

And I'm pretty sure your bike is not fuel injected. Berryman's B12 Chemtool is a good carb cleaner.

Since your mechanic and I am telling you pretty much the same things........why are you not checking some of those things out ???.......or leave it at the shop and let them fix it ???

[giselacrystal]

Well we tore into the bike this past Sunday & replaced the plugs & filters & it was still acting up. Turns out the problem all along has been the kill switch, the vibrations at the higher speeds was causing it start popping out.......
Will be rerouting the wires the next weekend my bf is off.

[rapta619]

b12 chemtool rocks, or seafoam it threw a vacuum line. try the b12, for once i agree with easy.

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[Easy Rider]

Will be rerouting the wires the next weekend my bf is off.

Color me confused.
What does "rerouting the wires" have to do with the defective Kill Switch ??

[giselacrystal]

Lol well in re-routing the wires, I'm meaning disconnect the kill switch.

[Easy Rider]

Lol well in re-routing the wires, I'm meaning disconnect the kill switch.

I don't like disconnecting safety devices.

Why not get a new switch.......or take the old one apart and clean and re-tension the contacts ??

P.S. How long since you've had a valve adjustment ?? And if it has twin carbs, a carb sync. ?? Maybe you could reduce the vibrations too !!