Guys,
This is long but all of this information is needed so here goes.

2012 Road Glide Custom. 25,000 miles. Stock except for an open SE breather, SE pipes and stage one download.

Going back a couple of weeks, I rode 650 miles over two and a half days with some friends on an over night trip with no problems. Bike sat outside at night, bike ran great, etc.
Came home, wash and cleaned the bike as I always do.

The next ride, I noticed that from time to time my idle would go from about the normal 1,000 RPM to about 1,300 and then settle back to normal 1,000 after 3 or 4 seconds. Unusual but maybe just a fluke.

The next ride was a morning commute to work. Noticed the same idle jump and then noticed my volt meter at 12 volts instead of the normal 14 on the gauge.
Pulled over, turned the main switch off, waited maybe 5 seconds, turned the switch on started it back up. Voltage went back to 14 and the bike ran fine to work and back home later that day.

The next ride, everything normal, no issues.

This afternoon. Wife and I rode to dinner, maybe 15 miles. Idled normal, voltage normal, bike ran normal.

When we left the restaurant for home we rode maybe 1/4 mile and as I was coasting to a stop light with the clutch in I noticed the bike idle up, this time to 1,500 rpm or so, higher than I have seen before and then I watched the tach immediately go to zero and the engine die.

I tried to restart, bike cranked but would not start. I turned on my flashers thinking I was stuck for a while. I then turned the main switch off for maybe a second or two and back on and the bike fired but it took several seconds of cranking to get it to fire. I had to rev it pretty good, almost like clearing a flooded carb.

Took off and at the next light it felt like it was stumbling again. Revved the throttle and it settled down. Rode the 15 miles home and no issues after those two stop lights. Bike sounds and runs normal otherwise.

I let it idle for maybe 5 minutes after getting home and the idle did not run up again. I wiggled every wire I could get my hands on and could not force it to idle up.
I brought the bike inside, took off the seat and left side cover, checked the battery connections, all is tight and I have 12.88 volts at the terminals with the engine off. Nothing out of place in the left side cover.
I started it again after about an hour and let it run for about 5 minutes. After 4 minutes or so I saw the idle roll up again to about 1,300 RPM and then back down. Wiggling every wire and harness in reach has no effect.

Note that I have only seen the voltage gauge issue once during all of these episodes. that was reset after cycling power off and back on.

And, I think I have only noticed the RPM oddity in the first few miles of riding but it seems that it did happen once after riding 45 minutes or so, I just cant be certain about that.

I will mention, I have never thought the ignition switch had a positive feel to it. it kind of just "slides" into each position instead of a solid "clunk" to each position. I work in manufacturing and I like switches that take some heft to move and you know when they are engaged. This one does not feel that way but is probably normal.

I was able to wiggle the switch just off of the run position and I made the engine die tonight in the driveway. But I was only able to get it to do it once and that may be normal too.

Has anyone had any or all of these symptoms? I have the extended warranty so hopefully any financial impact will be minimal. I can handle the eratic idle, engine stopping in traffic not so much.

Sorry for the lengthy post but all is needed to get information out there.

Unrelated but I have to mention.
Thanks to the guy on the Street Glide just in front of me when the engine died. He noticed I lost power, maybe saw my headlights dim, don't know, and rolled back to check on us. He hung there beside us until we got rolling again. I owe him a beer and a thanks.

 

Make sure the connections and the switch and connections are clean and free of crud, corrosion and corruption. Also clean the IAC, which you can see in the throttle body throat. Use Throttle Body Cleaner, not carb cleaner. When you swtch the ignition and run switch on while looking in the TB, you'll see the IAC poke its nose out. Clean that out thoroughly.

 

No IAC on this bike.
OP have you checked to see if any codes have been stored?

2010 Limited with some stuff

 

Are the original handlebars on the bike?


Try;
Handlebar "kill switch" on,


Turn ignition switch on for 10 seconds (don't start bike) then off for 10 seconds, repeat 4x.


see if the above helps the fast idle issue.


Unplug the wiring harness at the rear of the Throttle Body, check for corrosion, bent pins, etc...

 

sounds very much like the connection at the throttle body

pull the plug...if you have plastic safe contact cleaner, spray the pins and reattach.

mike

 

I checked the codes and see two. Both in the first section, "P" (ECM/ICM)

PO118 ET sensor high. that looks like the engine temp sensor. this may be a legacy code, I am running wards fans and have never been in heat management since I installed them. almost two years.

PO562 Battery voltage low. could it be throwing this code because I had the headlights on while reading the codes?

I think my battery is good because I load tested it about a month ago with a hand held VOM meter. I'm not shy about replacing the battery, I am probably due one soon but that shouldn't give me what I am seeing, certainly not cause an engine to die.
it would explain the low gauge voltage one time reading.

I will clear those codes tomorrow and see if they reappear.

handlebars are original.

I will try contact cleaner on the throttle body connector tomorrow and also the 10 second 4x ignition cycle.
I have to ask, what does this 4x procedure reset.

 

a load test requires a "load".

some of these are a heating element like a toaster...autozone will test your battery for free.

charge it with a charger ( not a "tender")and take it in

better to use reading with your VOM at the battery ( or tender pigtail if you hvae, saves pulling teh seat).
the in dash gauge is subject to voltage drop within the wiring harness...see how it wiggles if you flash your spots?

while it is put check the battery cables connections are clean and tight at both ends

Mike

 

I'm betting on the battery. When mine went out I charged it but it ran poorly and hard starting although it would crank. New battery and all issues were fixed. I'm not a tech expert so take this with a grain of salt.

 

Yep. Bad battery I'm guessing. Low voltage does strange things.

 

I know my bike is not a touring model. Just that you described how mine acted a couple months ago. Mine would even hick-up a coupe of times the week before it quit at the doctors office. Had to trailer it home. All lights worked, would crank over just never hit. Not sure if it set a check engine light. Found the "system relay" had failed. Replaced it and started right up.