The engine simply quit! Help please!

I've been riding my 2005 VFR for 38 000 km since new without ever experiencing a problem! However, in busy traffic last week the engine just quit and I really battled to get it going again. Here are the symptoms. When the bike is at operating temp and I turn the ignition off and then back on again the headlights fail to switch on, the fuel pump engages but doesn't pressurise and there is a buzzing noise from under the front fairing. If I hit the starter button the bike won't start. If I simply leave it for approximately 10 seconds, everything switches back on again and the bike is fine just to do the same thing at another stage. I've checked the usual vitals such as fuses, battery terminals, earth / ground connections etc but have not solved the problem. Could it be a faulty relay? If so, which one? If not, any suggestions?

 

Had your bike in for the recall yet? Remove your left fairing side and locate the large rectangular blue connector. Unplug it and check for melting or damage on the solid green wire.

 

No, I haven't. Thanks a mil! I will have a look.

 

I've finally resorted to taking the bike in to the agents. They informed that there is a voltage overload to the CDI which causes the protection circuit to shut everything down. They've checked everything including the rectifier which is fine but still have not traced the source of the overload. While they are battling it out, has anyone else come across this problem?

 

Thanks a mil! It turns out that it was exactly that. The green wire was toasted! To my knowledge there was no recall in South Africa. I downloaded all the USA recall docs and confronted Honda SA who informed that the recall only applied to a certain range of VIN numbers. However, they agreed to the repair under "special warranty"

 

Better a "special" warranty than no warranty, I guess. Glad it is resolved, in any case.

 

Glad you got it fixed. I did not see right away your location. Ya...the NTSB administers recalls here in the US, and I wouldn't presume other countries have the same recall going. Anyway, I repaired one last July (before recall) with exactly the same symptoms and problem. Rather than making a customer pay to replace harnesses...I just "hardwired" the failed ground right around the connector and all was fine with only an hour's labor and a bit of solder.

This Spring the same customer brought his bike back in after recieving the recall notice. He had already been reimbursed by Honda for the repair I did last year...and in addition Honda bought the repair to replace not only the front subharness (auto with the recall) but the whole main harness as well.