StrangeDog, you have many responses above that are pretty much exactly what I would suspect also! Classic TPS symptoms. Try the engine off/key on throttle twist mentioned above if it does it again. There is no adjustment that helps, it is an internal issue with resistance or proper contact or something that seems to be most problematic on longer rides, especially at higher temps and warmer weather. Figuring out what it might be...is half the battle.

While you are in there working on it carefully inspect the throttle body boots in case it hiccuped during all this and maybe unseated one of them.

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'12 DL 650- '04 DL 650- '03 DL 1000- '04 R 1150 RT

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The one thing I would add to all the above is to replace those stupid Torx security head screws with socket head screws.

Once this is done, you can reach them easily from the side with a long ball-end driver without even removing the tank.

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2002 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom, Dark Metallic Space Blue
1983 Suzuki GS850G, Cosmic Blue
2005 KLR650, Aztec Red - Turd II, the ReTurdening

Yea but then anybody walking around with a sockethead wrench could just steal his new TPS....

So it seems like a slam dunk that I have a faulty TPS, but I thought I would post some more observations in case anyone is interested.

I went for another long ride this weekend to see if the issue returned. After 90km of riding in overdrive at 100km/h+ I had to slow down to 60km/h to enter a small town. The engine started to bog down again, just like last time. I thought this would be an ideal time to try out the "Throttle Twist" remedy so I pulled over and allowed the engine to stall. I immediately smelled a rich fuel smell. While the ignition was still on (but motor not running) I gave the throttle 6 full twists and started it up again. I was dissappointed to find that it had not improved things but I managed to pull away from the curb and get under way again.

However, once I was back up to speed I was dismayed to find that I could no longer cruise even at high speed. Overdrive was unusable, causing the bike to buck back and forth as if it was on the verge of running out of fuel. I had to change down to 5th to keep the rpm higher but even so it was a really rough ride. I decided that I would make it to the next town and let her rest for 30 minutes as this was the cure last time it happened.

Anyway, before I made it to the next town I realised that I was actually in an "Average Speed Camera Zone", where two speed cameras are placed far apart and they calculate your average speed over the distance and then fine you appropriately. I pulled over immediately prior to the second camera and calculated that I needed to remain stationary for 5 minutes in order to bring my average speed down to the legal limit.

So I sat and waited exactly 5 minutes and then took off again, only to find that the 5 minute rest had restored my bike almost completely! The bike ran fine for the remainder of the ride until I returned back to the suburbs at which point it began to misbehave again.

Anyway, I have decided that I will replace the TPS over my xmas break. If that does not fix the issue then I will be saying goodbye to the Vee and hello to a used Wee. My bike is my only transport and I am not mechanically inclined enough to start trying to diagnose beyond a simple TPS relacement.

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Owning a Vee is the very definition of a love-hate relationship..

I hope a new TPS solves your issues Strangedog. I too have had some somewhat similiar issues on my Vee from time to time and would really like to diagnose and correct it. For what its worth, I was recently informed on VSRI that the early Vee's such as mine cannot reset the TPS by twisting the throttle. Figures, I was trying the same thing.
My problem is much like your except it just comes and goes from time to time and may show up even when the bike is comepletely cold. I'm fairly sure it is TPS related but have to tinker w/ a few more things before I put farkle $ into possibly perfectly good parts I do have a feeling though that I'll be ordering one here in the next week or two..

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If you give a Moose a Muff..ler...
Its a Kid thing

Next time I'll put some effort into my username. This one sounds like a toilet Bowl cleaner or Treadmill, or..

There is a quick way to test the TPS. Search for "putting Vee in dealer (diagnostic) mode". You can ride the bike in this mode and monitor the TPS signal. You are looking for a -C00 reading at idle. If the - is high or low the TPS is out of adjustment or fried.

Since all you risk is nothing, I readjusted my TPS. Everybody posted that once the TPS goes out of range it's toast. Since mine has been trouble free now for 20,000 miles since readjusting, I do not agree.

The adjustment requires some cussing as the TPS will only need a very small rotation to bring it back into spec. Mine is set to raise the - at about 2,000 rpm. Nothing will need to come off the bike. Go in from the left side of the frame below the tank horizontally with a mini ratchet and the proper security torx bit (harbor frieght), slightly loosen the switch, rotate a frog hair, and check reading at dash.

Once you think you have it, leave bike in diagnostic mode and ride it for a while. If it stays in adjustment...send me $70.00, if it doesn't, send the money to your parts guy.


Good luck.

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2007 Blue SuperVee 1000
2002 White HD Road King Police
2000 Red Honda XR 400r
2003 Green Honda Rincon 650 ATV

If it is not broken, it can still be fixed

...send me $70.00, if it doesn't, send the money to your parts guy.
LOL that's funny stuff. I am due to go through the dealer mode check again. I checked and adjusted my TPS a few months back and have the upper bar set to about 16-1800 rpm. Part of me hopes its fried and shows crazy #'s now. Easy fix if its fried..

__________________
If you give a Moose a Muff..ler...
Its a Kid thing

Next time I'll put some effort into my username. This one sounds like a toilet Bowl cleaner or Treadmill, or..

You know, this sounds alot like the problem I'm having. When I check the TPS cold it seems just fine. But when my bike gets hot it really has a hard time running smoothly. At speed, my bike runs great. I made a 40 minute run this past weekend at 85 + with no running issues. Pulled off the toll road slowing to a stop and the bike dies. Fired right back up, but was running poorly. Now, I'm tempted to change out the TPS just to see if that corrects my stumbling, idling problem.

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2008 Suzuki DL 1k
1989 Honda PC800 (Yes, owned 2)
1992 Yamaha Virago 750
1989 Honda PC800
1988 Kawasaki EX500
1984 Honda VT500
1981 Honda CBX
1979 Honda CB750

"I'm out of smoke bombs, napalm, and I'm outta 22 bullets" -Si Robertson

If you look at my post above you may consider riding your bike in Diagnostic mode. Mine only acted up when hot and after about an hour. When I first checked my TPS the bike did not have the correct reading.

I reset my TPS when cold to trip at 2000 rpm or so. There are 2 tutorials you need to search for...I would post a link but computers are not my strong point. When I say cold, I made the initial adjustment when cold to keep from burning my hands. After the 2 or 3 attempts to get the right reading the bike was semi-hot from starting and shutting it off.

Tutorial 1 - First set the bike in diagnostic mode. I used a bent paper clip as a jumper which allowed me to cover the connector back up and put it behind the side cover. Then you just do not have a clock for a while. This does not require a dealer to do nor a computer. The bikes ECU will talk to you using the clock on the instrument panel.

Tutorial 2 - Look up procedure for setting TPS. Ignore the parts about removing stuff.

Now get on your back and look up under the left side of the tank and find the TPS (the lower of 2 identical devices) on the side of the throttle body, You will see two torx screws. Loosen them then resnug them to the point you can rotate the tps housing which will change the -COO reading. It requires very little movement. I marked my TPS in case I got it hopelessly screwed up.

It took a couple of attempts to get it right..and I swear to my higher power that I have not needed to readjust nor by a TPS switch since. I have ridden to Florida twice since the adjustments. The bike has 80,000 miles on it.

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2007 Blue SuperVee 1000
2002 White HD Road King Police
2000 Red Honda XR 400r
2003 Green Honda Rincon 650 ATV

If it is not broken, it can still be fixed

I'd bet dollars to donuts it is the TPS. Your symptoms are exactly the same as those from a failing TPS. The reason that it happens after a longer highway ride is the TPS failure is heat sensitive. But I don't think the dealer mode diags are of much use in diagnosing a bad TPS. That C-- display is only at idle and should switch to the high bar just above idle. You really need to see the sensor's voltage signal to the ECU throughout the entire rotation of the throttle, and especially when fully warm. It should be steady and increment smoothly as you twist the grip. If not: bad TPS.

And the V-strom isn't the only bike out there that gets this TPS malady. For instance, I know that Yamaha used the same TPS on their FJR1300, which has had a NHTSA recall on the earlier bikes (2003-2005's) for the same exact symptoms.

I had the symptoms happen on the V-strom on and off for about a year before I just bit the bullet and bought the part. It goes in easy enough (I just used vice grips on the security screw heads, threw them as far as I could and replaced them with some real screws), and the adjustment/alignment using the dealer mode is pretty simple. Bike has been running great since then. BTW I've got > 45k miles on my '04 now and she's still thumpin' along just great.