Late yesterday afternoon after a great day of riding. My buddy and I jumped on the throttle just a little. We both have screamineagle Road kings. His is an 07 mine is an 08. Both bikes pretty much set up the same, race tuned, true duals, heavy breathers. Mine has fly by wire throttle his has cables.
After I let off, the bike just quit. I had to limp over to the side of the road.
tried to start it but it no go. Recycled the ignition a couple of times, bike would fire up at a instantly to about 3500 rpm then die. On the 5th. or so try, bike started and no response from throttle. Ok so now I'm thinking limp mode. Shut it down recycled again, bike fired up and the throttle was back.
Continued to ride (had to go to a wake) bike felt ok (kinda) Shut the bike off came back out started it and now it wont hold an idle.WTF!!!! Managed to get it home by feathering the throttle every time we stopped. Pulled the plugs, they didn't look to bad color wise (screamineagle plugs by the way) although the center electrode seems very small and almost non existent compared to a regular plug. I did buy some conventional plugs today and they look way different. I have not had the chance to put them in yet When I would hold the throttle so the rpms where 2 grand and higher the bike sounds like nothing is wrong. No popping or unevenness between cylinders. Am I having the dreaded so called fly by wire throttle problem that so many have had? Here I was having a blast and it kinda went south on me. Sorry for the long post just need some advise from you folks on what should be my next step.

 

This is why I don't want "by wire" anything. Give me good 'ol mechanical cables any day! Sounds like your computer might be hosed. Why does the MoCo insist on putting all this "technology" on their bikes?

 

bad plugs won't make your bike rev to 3500 when you start it

 

disconnect the wire harness going to throttle body, connect and disconnect a few times if you have dielectric grease use it connect and try again

 

if the above doesn't fix it you have a bad throttle switch.

 

oh yea, if you remove the grip, check to make sure the inside of the grip isn't broken. easiest way is to start bike and see if you can accelerate motor with just using switch

 

actually this stuff is really good, and cool. makes cruise easier, more reliable, and more accurate and gives a cleaner look without throttle cables and more importantly, helps with the emissions by controlling more accurately the synchronization of throttle opening with injector pulse/engine demand. everybody has this now, signs of the times! It does fail at times and is more expensive to repair, but thats just the way it is nowadays!

 

bks6721 I realize bad plugs wont cause the bike to rev on it's own. Just hoping it will help with the sputtering at idle.
Thanks harleycharlie I will give it a try.
Love my bike but man I have had more problems with my CVO than i ever had with my regular good old stock bikes. You would think that when you spend upwards of $30.000 and do all the things to make it run even better, including having the recall's taken care of. don't beat the **** out of it and take care of it like a family member, that all would be right. Serenity now.

 

real quick.. had the same issue on my '09 ultra.. going down the road, lost all throttle response.. bike would start.. and idle... but was dead in the water.. short story.. bad throttle switch..

mavrick

 

A guy I know spent 3 days stuck in Canada waiting on parts so they could fix his TBW. Next time I see him, I'll let him know that "that's just the way it is nowadays". I'm sure that will make him feel better. OH ya, he was competing in a competition for a $500,000.00 prize at the time.