How many does it take?

Snake Ranch · 11-22-2013, 01:21 AM

I have a 2011 Vaquero I bought new in August 2012. I love this skoot. But the jerky throttle response starting at about 1800 rpms to 2200 rpms when in first gear, is sometimes like being with a crazy person. I don't know when the fuel system is going to cut out or speed up. There are times when I am trying to throttle down just just a little with a small, small, amount of hand movement and the engine acts like the throttle plates just slammed closed. Hard enough sometimes my wife would hit her helmet on mine. Or if I want to throttle up just a small amount it will give us a lesson in whiplash. Some times are worse than others. It has done it as high as 2600 rpms. In stop and go traffic this is a real pain.

I have been to 5 different dealers. It has been disappointing to say the least. The first dealer tech said he has never worked on one. They only had one tech, but the tech saw my concern on his test ride. He said he didn't have the tooling or background, suggested I find a dealer with multiple techs.

The second dealer tech told me he could see what I was describing. He thought the air/fuel mixture was the problem. But the weather was too cold and to come back when it was warmer, like next summer. Okay, I'm game. When I go back he no longer works there. The tech that did this test ride said he could see my complaint some what. BUT this is the nature of these big V-twins and a SHAFT drive. I told him its not a shaft drive, but he assured me it is. So I figured he does't know too much and asked for another tech. The service writer said they would call the factory. After they called I was given a case number and instructed to call the factory myself. 2, 45 minute trips and they don't have any intent to resolve the problem.

Dealer #3 wasn't sure what the problem is. They wanted to research this issue, maybe talk to the dealer rep and get back to me in 4 to 6 weeks. Really? But they were kinda sure this is normal for the BIG V-twin. That was a 5 hour ride for naught.

Dealer #4. No clue.

Dealer #5. About a 3 hour ride. This tech went for a test ride and came back and and said it would be aggravating if it were his bike and he had to put up with this. There was another 2011 in the shop for cosmetic repairs. It was dropped on one side kinda hard, I think they dropped it on the other side trying to stand it up. Anyway, the tech took it for a test ride and came back and stated it did the SAME thing. And this skoot had aftermarket pipes and some kind of aftermarket fuel processor. They called the factory and I was told the factory was of no use and not going to help.

The way I see this issue is there are possible times when this could be a SAFETY issue. Like in a turn, wet ground and this thing decides to do what it wants. Under the right conditions a person could be picking up the pieces. You don't have to be going fast to die. A friend died from a broken neck when she fell off after her friend made a course change avoiding a car doing about 30 mph.

I have read of others on this form complaining about the jerky throttle.

My 1st question is, How many rider /owners on this site can say their Vaqueros have this issue?

Question #2. Does the Voyager do this? If not, Why not? Its a 1700.

Question #3. If you would, could you pm me if your skoot does this?

Question #4. If you have a fix, what did you do?

I believe the throttle response should have a smooth homogeneous control of the engine. This design does not, IMHO. When I ask the question what is mechanically taking place? What is the root cause? I then have to ask, What is that silence? Cause Kawasaki is not communicating or offering any help.

highwayman2011 · 11-22-2013, 07:02 AM

Search for "throttle mods" Racnray has a fix for this.

Old Bear · 11-22-2013, 08:13 AM

The throttle mod is actually to increase responsiveness, as the stock setup requires quite a bit of twist to get up and go. I haven't seen any complaints matching yours. In first gear, the beast is rather snappy, but this does not surprise me. The good news is that whatever it is, it will be covered under warranty. If the dealerships keep being jerks (no pun intended) about it, I would find a shop with a dyno to see if they can document it. With proof in hand, I would think it should be much easier to force repair or replacement. Keep us informed!

gcsteve · 11-22-2013, 08:53 AM

I have read many reviews in magazines comparing the Kawasaki s to other brands and many say the gearing on the K is different and odd. My Nomad is very sensitive in first gear so I let the clutch out to just the friction point and then rev the motor a bit and very controllable that way in traffic. That is how I was taught any way. Also at intersections I am usually out of 1st gear very quickly. I do think this is just how these Kawasakis are though.

RACNRAY · 11-22-2013, 08:54 AM

proper throttle cable adjustment is very critical. I have never found a cable properly adjusted on any motorcycle serviced by the dealer. I have also found that most dealer techs don't even know how to or even care to properly adjust cables any cable for that matter. this is such a simple thing I don't know if it will help your situation feel free to call me at my shop I will walk you through proper cable adjustment .
954-455-9665

RACNRAY

id-man · 11-22-2013, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RACNRAY

feel free to call me at my shop I will walk you through proper cable adjustment .
954-455-9665

RACNRAY

Nice offer Ray - forum at it's finest.

Snake Ranch · 11-22-2013, 09:08 PM

Thank you Ray, I will call. What time is a good time? I am pacific coast time.I work 7-3:30. Right now I am burning the candle at both ends. I don't know what time I will get off work on sat.

Old bear you thought about warranty is the same as mine. I talked to the factory tonight and they said they don't see this as a problem. So no warranty for for this issue. They are not going to correct this issue. They see this as one problem or complaint. They are not interested in making this change on their dime when all the other Vaqueros may be like this.

Ray your suggestion got me to thinking. I have been told the fly-by-wire system needs to have a certain amount of back-lash, so to speak in the throttle cables, to allow for thermal dynamics as the system heats up. Because I remember checking the cables when this started happening and it seemed to have a lot of back-lash in the throttle grip when twisting the grip back and forth. Is there a possibility the throttle position sensor is a little sticky and not following the hand input due to the sloppiness in the cables?

Thank you for your time and input.

To much fun is NEVER ENOUGH.

Jim O · 11-23-2013, 08:17 AM

I have a problem spot in my commute where I have to travel at 25mph. The bike does NOT like to travel at that speed and it is very jerky. I just figured I'd have to deal with it but it sounds now like there might be a resolution. Ray's offer sounds great.

RACNRAY · 11-23-2013, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake Ranch

Thank you Ray, I will call. What time is a good time? I am pacific coast time.I work 7-3:30. Right now I am burning the candle at both ends. I don't know what time I will get off work on sat.

Old bear you thought about warranty is the same as mine. I talked to the factory tonight and they said they don't see this as a problem. So no warranty for for this issue. They are not going to correct this issue. They see this as one problem or complaint. They are not interested in making this change on their dime when all the other Vaqueros may be like this.

Ray your suggestion got me to thinking. I have been told the fly-by-wire system needs to have a certain amount of back-lash, so to speak in the throttle cables, to allow for thermal dynamics as the system heats up. Because I remember checking the cables when this started happening and it seemed to have a lot of back-lash in the throttle grip when twisting the grip back and forth. Is there a possibility the throttle position sensor is a little sticky and not following the hand input due to the sloppiness in the cables?

Thank you for your time and input.

To much fun is NEVER ENOUGH.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim O

I have a problem spot in my commute where I have to travel at 25mph. The bike does NOT like to travel at that speed and it is very jerky. I just figured I'd have to deal with it but it sounds now like there might be a resolution. Ray's offer sounds great.

there should be as little rotational play in the throttle grip as possible too much play leads to imprecise throttle control. I am in Florida my shop is open from 9 until 3 today 954-455-9665

hullster · 11-23-2013, 09:48 AM

I own a 2012 vaquero completely stock as far as drive train goes, and I to have noticed the jerky feeling in first gear. I have overcome the majority of this by using the friction zone when pulling out of first gear. Downshifting into first gear to navigate tight corners is sometimes still a little tricky.

Loafer · 11-23-2013, 11:07 AM

Racnray, good on you!

**benmo109** · 11-28-2013, 09:05 PM

Hey Snake Ranch, I ride 2010 Voyager I bought new in Oct 2012. I only have a backfire ever once in a great while. I am thinking it is the fuel the ethonal crap. I only use 91 and up octane. I know pour in this blue bottle stuff to help in this ethonal fuel. Like a person told me you really never know how much they put in there...they only THINK PROFIT. Other than that my Voyager rides fine. Hope you fine and fix your problem

11-22-2013, 01:21 AM	#1
Snake Ranch Advanced Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Stockton, Ca. Posts: 568	How many does it take? I have a 2011 Vaquero I bought new in August 2012. I love this skoot. But the jerky throttle response starting at about 1800 rpms to 2200 rpms when in first gear, is sometimes like being with a crazy person. I don't know when the fuel system is going to cut out or speed up. There are times when I am trying to throttle down just just a little with a small, small, amount of hand movement and the engine acts like the throttle plates just slammed closed. Hard enough sometimes my wife would hit her helmet on mine. Or if I want to throttle up just a small amount it will give us a lesson in whiplash. Some times are worse than others. It has done it as high as 2600 rpms. In stop and go traffic this is a real pain. I have been to 5 different dealers. It has been disappointing to say the least. The first dealer tech said he has never worked on one. They only had one tech, but the tech saw my concern on his test ride. He said he didn't have the tooling or background, suggested I find a dealer with multiple techs. The second dealer tech told me he could see what I was describing. He thought the air/fuel mixture was the problem. But the weather was too cold and to come back when it was warmer, like next summer. Okay, I'm game. When I go back he no longer works there. The tech that did this test ride said he could see my complaint some what. BUT this is the nature of these big V-twins and a SHAFT drive. I told him its not a shaft drive, but he assured me it is. So I figured he does't know too much and asked for another tech. The service writer said they would call the factory. After they called I was given a case number and instructed to call the factory myself. 2, 45 minute trips and they don't have any intent to resolve the problem. Dealer #3 wasn't sure what the problem is. They wanted to research this issue, maybe talk to the dealer rep and get back to me in 4 to 6 weeks. Really? But they were kinda sure this is normal for the BIG V-twin. That was a 5 hour ride for naught. Dealer #4. No clue. Dealer #5. About a 3 hour ride. This tech went for a test ride and came back and and said it would be aggravating if it were his bike and he had to put up with this. There was another 2011 in the shop for cosmetic repairs. It was dropped on one side kinda hard, I think they dropped it on the other side trying to stand it up. Anyway, the tech took it for a test ride and came back and stated it did the SAME thing. And this skoot had aftermarket pipes and some kind of aftermarket fuel processor. They called the factory and I was told the factory was of no use and not going to help. The way I see this issue is there are possible times when this could be a SAFETY issue. Like in a turn, wet ground and this thing decides to do what it wants. Under the right conditions a person could be picking up the pieces. You don't have to be going fast to die. A friend died from a broken neck when she fell off after her friend made a course change avoiding a car doing about 30 mph. I have read of others on this form complaining about the jerky throttle. My 1st question is, How many rider /owners on this site can say their Vaqueros have this issue? Question #2. Does the Voyager do this? If not, Why not? Its a 1700. Question #3. If you would, could you pm me if your skoot does this? Question #4. If you have a fix, what did you do? I believe the throttle response should have a smooth homogeneous control of the engine. This design does not, IMHO. When I ask the question what is mechanically taking place? What is the root cause? I then have to ask, What is that silence? Cause Kawasaki is not communicating or offering any help. __________________ Too much fun Is never enough. You make a living by what you get, You make a life by what you give. The measure of a man can be summed up by how he treats people who are the least significant to him. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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11-22-2013, 09:08 PM	#7
Snake Ranch Advanced Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Stockton, Ca. Posts: 568	Kawasaki says "no problem, no warranty". Thank you Ray, I will call. What time is a good time? I am pacific coast time.I work 7-3:30. Right now I am burning the candle at both ends. I don't know what time I will get off work on sat. Old bear you thought about warranty is the same as mine. I talked to the factory tonight and they said they don't see this as a problem. So no warranty for for this issue. They are not going to correct this issue. They see this as one problem or complaint. They are not interested in making this change on their dime when all the other Vaqueros may be like this. Ray your suggestion got me to thinking. I have been told the fly-by-wire system needs to have a certain amount of back-lash, so to speak in the throttle cables, to allow for thermal dynamics as the system heats up. Because I remember checking the cables when this started happening and it seemed to have a lot of back-lash in the throttle grip when twisting the grip back and forth. Is there a possibility the throttle position sensor is a little sticky and not following the hand input due to the sloppiness in the cables? Thank you for your time and input. To much fun is NEVER ENOUGH. __________________ Too much fun Is never enough. You make a living by what you get, You make a life by what you give. The measure of a man can be summed up by how he treats people who are the least significant to him.
	0

11-23-2013, 08:17 AM	#8
Jim O Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Red Springs, NC Posts: 56	I have a problem spot in my commute where I have to travel at 25mph. The bike does NOT like to travel at that speed and it is very jerky. I just figured I'd have to deal with it but it sounds now like there might be a resolution. Ray's offer sounds great. __________________ Jim - 07 Vulcan Nomad Red Springs, N.C. VBA #02496
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11-23-2013, 11:07 AM	#11
Loafer Sr. Contributor Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 18,287	Racnray, good on you! __________________ Gerry Martineau / 802 VT / VBA #0892 /[email]glmjgm@gmail.com[email]
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11-28-2013, 09:05 PM	#12
benmo109 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Benton, Missouri Posts: 65	Hey Snake Ranch, I ride 2010 Voyager I bought new in Oct 2012. I only have a backfire ever once in a great while. I am thinking it is the fuel the ethonal crap. I only use 91 and up octane. I know pour in this blue bottle stuff to help in this ethonal fuel. Like a person told me you really never know how much they put in there...they only THINK PROFIT. Other than that my Voyager rides fine. Hope you fine and fix your problem __________________ Live life like a kid every day. Being grown up is BORING.
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11-22-2013, 07:02 AM	#2
highwayman2011 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: N Las Vegas, NV Posts: 364	Search for "throttle mods" Racnray has a fix for this. __________________ 2010 Vulcan Voyager
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11-22-2013, 08:13 AM	#3
Old Bear Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Clarksville, TN Posts: 1,434	The throttle mod is actually to increase responsiveness, as the stock setup requires quite a bit of twist to get up and go. I haven't seen any complaints matching yours. In first gear, the beast is rather snappy, but this does not surprise me. The good news is that whatever it is, it will be covered under warranty. If the dealerships keep being jerks (no pun intended) about it, I would find a shop with a dyno to see if they can document it. With proof in hand, I would think it should be much easier to force repair or replacement. Keep us informed! __________________ Jerry "Old Bear" Barker Clarksville, TN Americas Guardians PS MC President, Tennessee 16-A VBA #02203 "Blaze" 2017 Vaquero "Black Magic" 2011 Vaquero, 69k miles, handed down to my son for hopefully many more miles!
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11-22-2013, 08:53 AM	#4
gcsteve Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 217	I have read many reviews in magazines comparing the Kawasaki s to other brands and many say the gearing on the K is different and odd. My Nomad is very sensitive in first gear so I let the clutch out to just the friction point and then rev the motor a bit and very controllable that way in traffic. That is how I was taught any way. Also at intersections I am usually out of 1st gear very quickly. I do think this is just how these Kawasakis are though. __________________ 04 Meanstreak sold Nomad sold 15 Roadmaster
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11-22-2013, 08:54 AM	#5
RACNRAY Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SOUTH FLORIDA Posts: 1,210	proper throttle cable adjustment is very critical. I have never found a cable properly adjusted on any motorcycle serviced by the dealer. I have also found that most dealer techs don't even know how to or even care to properly adjust cables any cable for that matter. this is such a simple thing I don't know if it will help your situation feel free to call me at my shop I will walk you through proper cable adjustment . 954-455-9665 RACNRAY __________________ "TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY" Login or Register to Remove Ads
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11-23-2013, 09:48 AM	#10
hullster Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: central florida Posts: 154	I own a 2012 vaquero completely stock as far as drive train goes, and I to have noticed the jerky feeling in first gear. I have overcome the majority of this by using the friction zone when pulling out of first gear. Downshifting into first gear to navigate tight corners is sometimes still a little tricky.
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