I've had my 01 Electra Glide towed into the dealers twice in two weeks.
The first time my bike shut off while it was warming up, pulled the plugs to see if there was any spark, none, nota. This happened out in the middle of nowhere, in the dark and my cell phone wouldn't pick up a signal.
I walked to a farm house, called HOG, and had it towed to the dealers.
Today, the bike was ready for pickup; the dealer told me that they couldn’t find anything wrong with it, the minute I heard that I thought “Oh here we go”
Well the dealer did manage to find other stuff that needed fixed which I told them to go ahead since it was covered under the extended warranty.
Well, tonight I rode her, a total of 23 miles then about two blocks from my house it quite again, remember “Here We Go”?
Well, they came to get the bike and while I was on the phone with the service manager he said “I think this might be a heat related problem”, and then I said “Ya THINK”
I then told him I will be there in the morning to pick up my rental so I can enjoy my day off!!
The bike acted just as if someone hit the kill switch. The dealer said they rode the bike for about 50 miles,I checked the clock and there was only 5/10 th's put on her.

 

Before everyone starts guessing at what the concern is, when it turns off do you lose EVERYTHING, or just ignition. Will it crank, or do you need to let it sit and cooll off.

 

Sorry, I should have told you more.
What happens is this, the bike acts just as if you reached over and hit the kill switch.
All the lights and instruments remain on, everything works fine too.
The bike sat two days when I tried to start it with no luck, however when it arrived at the dealers it had spark and started, “Go Figure”
I know problems like this are a bitch to find, and until I know that there is proof of it being solved, I will have a very hard time trusting my bike to go anywhere.

 

Injected or carbureted

 

"Bank angle sensor", I think that is what they are called. Shuts the bike off if it tips/leans/falls over. Sometimes they are intermittently bad. Just a guess on my part. Good luck

 

It is carbureted ,I talked to them today and they said that there is no "codes" in the computer and that the bike starts and runs fine.

 

In 2001, the FLT/FLHT's were equipped with TSM or TSSM's. AKA turn signal and turn signal security modules. The bank angle function is built into these, and when it it triggered, they will not crank. It is wired such that it disables the starter as well. Sooo, if it cranks when this occurs, I'd look elsewhere.

In 2001, they used a cam and crank sensor. If the cam sensor goes bad while running, the bike will keep running. This is because the cam sensor was only used to find phase (relationship of valves to pistons) If the cam sensor goes bad and the bike is turned off, you have a 50/50 shot of starting it again. Sometimes just turning power on and off (10 seconde between) will do it.

That leaves the crank sensor as a possible culprit here. But the no code thing is sticking in my mind. Have you checked wiring connections/relays and switch connections?

 

Another very common thing in those years is a broken wire in the loom that runs down from the fairing along the right die of the neck and then down the backbone. You might try turning the handlebars full right when trying to start it when this occurs or try pulling/pushing on the loom. many times if there is a broken with an intermittant connection this will find it.

 

I spoke with the mechanic and he is going by the numbers, I liked his attitude, you can tell he’s been around the block.
I guess they are going to put it on the Dyno and run it until it shuts off, since I told them it would be easier than following the bike around with a trailer.
I told them to keep the bike until they figure out what the problem is.

 

Well, I spoke too soon, and I caught the dealer in ANOTHER lie.
Freedom H-D called me today to say my bike was done, I asked Kathy if they found the problem and I didn’t get a response.
So, I asked again, what was the problem and is it fixed?
She told me it was the spark plugs, I said Huh, she said that I couldn’t run Auto lite spark plugs in my HD because it makes it run bad, just look at my bike. ( I have over 51,000 on the clock, all on Auto lites)
I said are you serious? She said that was the problem and said that she would get my bill ready so I could pick up my bike.
I said, WHOA, STOP right there, Kathy; the mechanic told me that my bike started right up; while it was on the trailer, with the Auto lites in it.
What is it; you changed the plugs to get it running, what? She said no it ran fine, but we had to change the plugs in it so you wouldn’t become stranded again, since we have no faith in those types of plugs.
I said then you obviously didn’t find the problem, she didn’t say anything except I’ll get your bill ready.
I then said let me ask you something, would you ride this bike at night by yourself?
Kathy then said, look I am trying to make you happy, I said you want to make me happy then put my spark plugs back in and get my bike ready for shipping, my Indy is coming to get it.
I also told her to quit insulting my intelligence, if you wanted to make me happy you would have been honest with me, I could respect an answer like “Sorry we couldn’t find the problem but we tried”.
They lied to me twice about the mileage that they said was put on my bike, you would of thought they would of been wise, since they knew I checked my mileage.
Second, they know there is a problem, but, I guess if it’s not in a manual that it must not exist.