Help? XJ900 Dies On Freeway? Like hitting KILL SWITCH..

Hello-
I am having an intermitent weird and very terrifying problem. My Seca 900 completely cuts out - electrical failure. The clock is unaffected. This has happened twice this week, once at low speed and once on the FREEWAY. Talk about waking you up in the morning - forget coffee. It's identical to hitting the kill switch. I checked the kill switch contacts and all related connections...I also checked the safety side stand switch. Does it sound symptomatic of a bad Ignitor??
The 1st time the bike restarted instantly. The 2nd time the starter worked fine but the bike took awhile to fire. It has happened when cold/warm and hot?
Thoughts ? Similar experiences? The bike shouldn't be doing that to me---it's loving owner---on the freeway--thats like break up stuff..like if a pitbull attacks a baby - it should be put down.
Obviously, I need to definitively know what the problem is before I can take it again on the freeway and have peice of mind. How can I mimic the failure?

Your help is greatly appreciated. This bike is my daily ride.

 

Happened to me on my 900.
Ignition Switch was bad and/or messed with.

Remove the Headlight.
Find the Pigtail from the Ignition Switch.
Disconnect the Pigtail from the Wiring Harness.

TEST the Switch's Terminals for Continuity and Function.

TEST the Wiring Harness for a Short.

You need 8 Inches of wire.
3 Small Alligator Clips or Crimp Connections,
Fold the Wire in half.
Strip the ends and the half-loop.
Add Clips: 1-On each end. 1-At the half-way loop.

Connect the clips to the Wiring Harness.
One at a time.
Connect BROWN - to - BLUE.
Then, connect the remaining Clip to RED.
>>> LISTEN <<<
For the Relay to Click.
Start Bike.
Bike Starts ...

 

I had a similar thing last summer.....XJ900rk winding through Ilion Gorge, suddenly lost all spark, of course while banked pretty good in a curve. Coasted to the side to restart. BUT, push the button....nothing. It was like the key was off. Except the key was still on. I had headlights, horn, turnsignals, brakelights, but dead silence when I'd push the go button. I couldn't find ANYTHING wrong. Ended up pushing it/coasting it back down through the gorge for the better part of two miles, til I got to a long flat stretch and was to tired to go farther. Called a friend and we trailered it home. I still couldn't find anything. About an hour later after eating late lunch I went out, touched the button and it fired up instantly. I rode a couple miles, every thing seemed normal. A couple days later went to start it, nothing. Pushed the button again, and poof-started right up like normal. Hasn't done it since, but I don't want to ride more than a few miles away til I know what I need to fix. I can't find this one.

 

if i was a bettin' man i'd say it is your sidestand switch.
i had the same exact problem with mine...hit a bump in the road and it was just like hitting the kill switch...bike thought i was in gear with the sidestand down
the sidestand isn't moving but the (25 yr old) switch itself had contacts going bad in it. i was having intermittent problems with mine (one time out of 10 i would put the side stand up in N and then put in 1st gear and the bike would completely die) so i jumpered it out and bam! no more issues...i'd try pulling and jumping it out

 

Hmm-side stand and ignition. If it is the side stand switch why would i then have some problems having it fire after the failure. Would this be more indicative of an ignition issue? Then again, if it is an ignition problem would it just cut out? I thought the ignition would be just for starting? Would the ignitor be a possibility?
Oh and by "jumper out" do you mean to take the side stand wire out of the ignitor box. I believe it's black with a white stripe?
I know what you mean, "not wanting take it too far." I am right-lane, big-shoulder sissy now.
Thanks guys

 

Eliminate gremlins.
Clean and Flush-out the Side-stand switch with Electric Comtact Cleaner-lube.
(Pull back the Boot -- Flush)

Feed the Tube of the Electric Contact Cleaner into the Ignition Switch. Flush.

Clean and Lube the Side-stand activator Rod.
Remove the Switch
Extract the Rod from the Kickstand "Tunnel"
Clean the Tunnel free from all matter not Bare Metal.
Clean the Rod with Brake Kleen.
Clean the Switch ... holding the Switch so it drains out.
Lube the Rod and Tunnel ... reinstall Switch.

If the Bike still has the ORIGINAL Fuse Box ...
Get Rid Of It!!
Solder-in a New Fuse Panel

http://www.centechwire.com/Merchant2/me ... _Code=FB-6

 

Abso-fragging-lutely. Had it happen on my 750J. Pulled it apart, swapped out the electrolytic capacitors, touched up the solder joints. This may or may not be your actual problem, but it might not hurt to go through it anyway.

 

So you're saying the ignitor could be the problem too??? I need to spend some time on this old dog!

Thanks for all your input guys. It's really great to have you all out there taking time to help out a fellow XJ'er!! Your expertise is MUCH appreciated!!

 

Thanks to all...After 4,000 miles with a new Ignitor, the bike No Longer Dies.
Actually runs better and faster- if that's possible??!!!

Thanks again--now I have piece of mind blasting away in the fast lane.