[JustMeToo]

:22yikes: A friend of mine wrote the following and is asking for anyone else with similar situations to chime in:

Have you ever heard of a goldwing taking off in neutral? I got on my bike Sat. morning to go to work, started it, raised the kick stand and it took off and smashed into the back of my garage. I only had time to grab the front brake which either didn't do any good or it was too late. If it was in gear, it wouldn't have started with the kick stand down. It accelerated briskly (like full throttle), but I never gave it any throttle. I never touched the shifter either. After impact, the bike stopped and the neutral light was still on. I pushed it back a few feet and shut it off. It did some damage but I am more concerned about riding it again. This is a serious problem. I'm glad it didn't happen out in public. I could have killed someone or been killed myself.

Please, this is serious....save your funnies for other threads please. Thanks.

 

[GoldwingRon]

I've never had it happen to me. What year is his bike?

 

[STEELMAN508]

I have never ever heard of this happening. I could see it maybe slipping into gear but to go in gear then go full throttle too??? Sounds like theres more to this??


Fix: Remove guardian bell.
Roll defective part out.
Roll new part in.
Replace bell.

Respects

 

[mudbug]

If one of your safety switches is bad or shorted out it CAN and WILL start in gear, hope not too much damage to house or bike, before you start the bike again put it on the center stand and make sure nuetral light is on and try again, put in gear and put side stand down if it does not die you have found the problem, good luck and glad you are not injured..
After reading further you could have a bad clutch, but if he started it and put the sidestand up how did this occur surley he had the clutch lever pulled in? sound a little wierd to me..

 

[31261]

Only one way that can happen.

Two things have to occur. The side stand switch is bad, broken. The clutch switch was bad or slightly held in during start. Does not take much, bad side stand switch, lightly compress the clutch and the bike will start.

As for it being in neutral, it jumped out of gear when it impacted.

Only way it could happen.

 

[good_w2]

That's just crazy. I think like Mudbug said, possibly one of the switches that should keep that from happening went out. If it is a consistant problem, a tech should be able to determine that quite easily.

 

[Zackybilly1]

Jumped in gear and throttled up?

Needs an exorcist.

Z

 

[JustMeToo]

I've never had it happen to me. What year is his bike?

His Wing is a 2006 with 62,000 miles.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

The cold idle speed is a bit higher than normal slow idle. But if wide open throttle and a "false neutral" are in your story; I'm stumped for now. Were you sitting on the operator's seat when all this occured?

prs

 

[chuck_b24]

:22yikes: A friend of mine wrote the following and is asking for anyone else with similar situations to chime in:

Have you ever heard of a goldwing taking off in neutral? I got on my bike Sat. morning to go to work, started it, raised the kick stand and it took off and smashed into the back of my garage. I only had time to grab the front brake which either didn't do any good or it was too late. If it was in gear, it wouldn't have started with the kick stand down. It accelerated briskly (like full throttle), but I never gave it any throttle. I never touched the shifter either. After impact, the bike stopped and the neutral light was still on. I pushed it back a few feet and shut it off. It did some damage but I am more concerned about riding it again. This is a serious problem. I'm glad it didn't happen out in public. I could have killed someone or been killed myself.

Please, this is serious....save your funnies for other threads please. Thanks.

B.S.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! either it started in neutral & he bumped the shifter or he had the clutch pulled when he started & let it out!! the neutral light WILL light when in GEAR NEVER FULLY TRUST IT!!! to many switches!!!

 

[wingd1800]

Ghost shifting and now ghost accelerating ?:shrug:4:

 

[pearly white]

running in neutral

Hmmm! Sounds like something that happened to Toyota not to long ago....you don't suppose....just thinking out loud:shrug:

If you don't do nothing,don't complain when nothing gets done!

 

[heliflier]

....... I got on my bike Sat. morning to go to work, started it, raised the kick stand and it took off ......

Please, this is serious....save your funnies for other threads please. Thanks.

Does you friend have a heel and toe shifter...? Boards?
Usually you have to fold the floor board to put the kick stand down ..... (unless you have an extension). By raising the kick stand he could have kick the shifter..... just a thought....?

 

[flyer91]

I guess we'll have to wait for the analysis of the "black box" before we'll find out what really happened.
Hopefully it was recovered intact after the crash .........

I'm glad he's OK ....... and that no baby dolphins were hurt in the making of the reason for it.

 

[jjolly]

facts man..

Was it on center stand? Did you push off center stand then bike took off? You also stated "After impact, the bike stopped and the neutral light was still on. I pushed it back a few feet and shut it off.
Was the clutch pulled in? This feels a bit like rider error maybe?:shrug:

 

[JustMeToo]

:arrow: Here is an update with answers to most questions posted. My friend appreciates all your responses for possible help to understand the root cause....

First of all, I appreciate all the replies. Secondly, I just want to say that I have been riding every year for the past 41 years in case anyone is interested. Here are my answers to the questions in the replies...

I was sitting on the bike when I started it with both hands on the grips (not even touching the brake or clutch levers). I do have a heal/toe shifter and did put the stand up with my foot but I know I did not touch the shifter.

It was not on the center stand.

I guess I will repair the bike and make sure the clutch is in when I start the bike...always. The advice about a bad switch makes sense to me. I need to get it checked out.

No this is not BS. It happened exactly like I said it did.

Again....thanks for your conerened and helpful replies. :smile:

 

[JMATANDEM]

One thing you did not say in your imediately preceeding post is that you'll try the start on tyhe center stand. I think that's an excellent idea that can answer a lot of questions without risking the bike running off on you again. If it wre me, that'd be the first thing I try.

 

[tanman32225]

Wow Scary. I have pulled to a stop light and shifted to neutral or thought i had as the neutral light was on. When i let the clutch out I was still in gear yet the light was on. I suspect i was on the edge of the gear and the edge of the light switch not fully engaged or disengaged in either. This has happened to me only a couple times. Maybe yours was also and basically it just took off with what RPMs it had which may not have been many but enough to jump forward. I suspect that was your problem. Im not exactly sure what disengages when the neutral light is on but i suspect the side stand does if the light is illuminated thus if the bike was in "partial gear or on the edge" then it makes sense it would take off in gear. I suppose im lucky as i always hold the front brake when i let go of my clutch at a traffic light thinking im in gear after the first jump forward with a false neutral indicator light.

On a different thought you might go to the NTSB and file a complaint. It could be a problem we have just not heard of here on this forum. Let them contact you and just possibly others have had the same problem and complained to them . Thats the way recalls begin.

Good luck and be careful on that bike.