V-star 1100 rpms wont go down

[Scott_J]

Howdy folks- I'm new here, and I have come in search of advice from people who know more about my bike than I do. It's a 2002 v-star 1100 classic. It's spent about a year and a half in the garage, untouched, unloved, unridden (big mistake, yes, but it's a long story involving my wife being pregnant and my twin daughters being born blah blah blah.. Best time of my life, and I just didn't have the time to ride. ) I got back on about two weeks ago, and now (surprise!) there is a problem:

I did not do any proper storage prep, since I wasn't actually planning on quitting riding that day. So when I got the bike out finally, I put a fresh tank of gas in and ran some techron through right off the bat. And it starts just fine. Runs a little rough, but probably needs a tune up. Plugs look good, no evidence of vacuum leaks anywhere, and mileage seems ok. However, once it gets warmed up the rpm's will not come down to normal idle unless the bike is at a 100% complete stop. Like, pretty high rpm's. I have to use the brake and the clutch just to keep it from screaming at stop signs and so forth. But the moment I hit that full stop (and not an inch before) the rpm's drop down to normal idle.

Now I know what some of you are thinking, and it's not a stuck cable. All cables are good, linkages are clean and move fine. I've seen a few other posts on various boards about this identical problem and the suggestion is always that the accelerator cable is sticky. But I know that's not the case here and here's why: If I'm at a stop, in neutral, and I push the bike forward or backward with my feet, using no throttle at all, then the rpm's shoot right up until I come to a stop again. Even if I push back two feet, up go the rpm's.

Is there anything besides the speed sensor that's linked directly to the rotation of the wheels? Maybe the air induction system somehow? Does the speed sensor do anything at all other than send signal to the speedometer and odometer? Like, does it control a vacuum solenoid somewhere?? Maybe that's a silly question, I don't really know.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance to all.

[Aussie Steve]

Are you taking the.......

I have never heard of a situation like this...The speed sensor must be causing the fault but as to how I have no idea. Have you disconnected it to see if that stops the rpms rising?


Good luck..... maybe someone else has a better idea

[Bigs]

Ok, I have the service manual. Is your engine light "on" or "blinking" at all? Except on initial start up when it should light to do its self diagnostics. I know you said no cables are faulty, but you are certain the choke cable is ok? This sounds exactly like the problem I had on a previously owned bike that was carbed, and it needed a new choke cable. The cable "seemed" to be properly working, but was in fact, stretched/relaxed due to age and not periodically lubed. Let me know, so I can investigate in the manual further for you.

[Bigs]

Only other thing I am finding in the manual that could be a culprit is the throttle position sensor. Not much on the speed sensor in the manual. But if it was faulty, you would have an engine light blinking.

[Scott_J]

Thanks for the replies guys.

No, no engine light other than the "1.4 seconds" (per Clymer) at startup.

I've wondered if it was the throttle position sensor too. Clymer describes some testing methods, none of which I've tried yet, mostly because I don't know exactly what the tps does. Obviously it "senses the throttle position" (duh), but what it does with that information I don't know... Anybody have a clue about it? I don't want to start messing with that kind of adjustments unless I understand what I'm working on .....

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Scott_J

I don't want to start messing with that kind of adjustments unless I understand what I'm working on .....

Wise approach!

I think it is VERY likely, based on your tests, that you have a bad speed sensor.......or computer board (hope not, OUCH!).

In either of those cases, you probably can't get the part(s) anyplace but the dealer..........and the labor involved is likely to be minor, related to the parts cost so............

unless you can get to the speed sensor to check if it is bent, loose, etc. I'm thinking that you might as well bite the bullet and take it in. The problem you are having could be DANGEROUS!

[Aussie Steve]

Actually now you mention it the throttle sensor could be faulty. The only test you can do according to my Clymer is using a multi meter...but as mine doesn't have the required setting...and commercially available ones do not appear to...the ones I've seen anyway... the Suzuki part number blah blah blah is recomended...ergo take it in. I cannot for the life of me understand why the speed sensor would cause the rpms to rise as far as I understand it the sensor only drives the speedo and odometer.

Good luck and do let us know what you find.

[Scott_J]

Looks like it's the speed sensor. No indication of any problem via the 'check engine' light or anything (which worries me a little bit too), but disconnecting the sensor made it run like new. Totally different machine.

Of course, now I have no speedometer or odometer. And the 'check engine' light still doesn't flash or give any indication of any problems. Seems like it should find the fact that the sensor is gone to be at least worth reporting.

The sensor wires right into the black box ignition controller thing, which is itself a mystery to me, so I don't know 100% for sure it's the sensor-- it could be the controller is messed up instead. It seems like a reasonable gamble to buy and install a new sensor for ~$60. If it works, then great. If it doesn't, then I know I have to replace the controller.

Anybody have a better idea of how to approach this? Is it possible for maybe the dealer to test the controller unit? Uh....?

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Scott_J

Anybody have a better idea of how to approach this? Is it possible for maybe the dealer to test the controller unit? Uh....?

YES! Re-read my earlier message.

What are you going to do if you put in the new sensor, find out it doesn't fix the problem and then find out that a new controller board is $500 (just a guess)? Are you going to take a $500 gamble?? And if that doesn't fix it, then what ???

I sense that you are about to do something foolish.

The dealer has resources that you and I don't have, possibly including a service bulletin (or similar) with a fix for exactly the problem you have.

[Aussie Steve]

Personally I would leave it off...just imagine selling a ten years + old bike in a few years time with a really really low mileage....................and a stuffed speed sensor!

[81/3virago]

dealer should be able to test the controller unit.... or atleast the speed sensor to tell you whether to spend the 60 bucks or not

[rogotoko]

I am having the same problem with my 2002 V Star 1100. I have followed all the same trouble shooting steps as you. Best I can figure, since the bike has an electronic ignition, the timing is also adjusted with a combination of inputs from the speed sensor and the throttle pos. sensor. I may be wrong but advancing the timing on my old truck, makes the idle increase, so I'm thinking that if the timing is getting advanced from the bad inputs, that would cause the bike to idle high too. The problem with leaving the plug to the tank gauges disconnected is that the timing stays advanced and then the bike backfires and sputters during deceleration. Have you come up with any solution yet? Please let me know what you find.