Engine sputters and dies infrequently ... huh?

[naturalPlastic]

So, I've had this happen to me twice since I bought my 1996 GS500E, but I only recently made the connection that they must have been caused by the same thing (the first time I thought it had something to do with engine oil).

Instance #1:

I was riding a few blocks from my house and was waiting at a stop light. The light turned green, and I began to open the throttle while easing off the clutch. There appeared to be no power delivered to the rear wheel and the engine stalled. After that, the engine wouldn't catch no matter how many times I tried to start it. I put the bike in neutral and started kicking it home, but after about five minutes, I got it to start again with no problems.

Instance #2:

I was in the far left lane of an 8-lane highway on the way to the doctor's office from work. I was doing nearly 80 MPH when the engine suddenly began to sputter, and then it died altogether. The bike began to rapidly decelerate, and I had the good sense to clutch in and make an emergency pullover. In my two weeks of riding, it's the scariest thing that has happened to me thus far. No idea why it cut off, but it started up fine 5 minutes later. Rode it straight to the shop.

Ideas? 

[yamahonkawazuki]

problems with teh coils? gas level? dunno, need more info, but not sure what info yet

[ohgood]

So, I've had this happen to me twice since I bought my 1996 GS500E, but I only recently made the connection that they must have been caused by the same thing (the first time I thought it had something to do with engine oil).

Instance #1:

I was riding a few blocks from my house and was waiting at a stop light. The light turned green, and I began to open the throttle while easing off the clutch. There appeared to be no power delivered to the rear wheel and the engine stalled. After that, the engine wouldn't catch no matter how many times I tried to start it. I put the bike in neutral and started kicking it home, but after about five minutes, I got it to start again with no problems.

Instance #2:

I was in the far left lane of an 8-lane highway on the way to the doctor's office from work. I was doing nearly 80 MPH when the engine suddenly began to sputter, and then it died altogether. The bike began to rapidly decelerate, and I had the good sense to clutch in and make an emergency pullover. In my two weeks of riding, it's the scariest thing that has happened to me thus far. No idea why it cut off, but it started up fine 5 minutes later. Rode it straight to the shop.

Ideas? 

Fuel Starvation. Both of those instances sound like typical starvation. There are ohhhh, 2 billion threads about it on the forum now. The search function will find it, most likely.

Good luck