Intermittent stalling/stuttering - electrical issue?

Ok, so I have a 2007 XB12 (about 9,800 miles) and I've done quite a few small modifications to it over the last year and a half that I've owned it. The two people that owned it before me left it completely stock. Mainly, I've done the breather re-route, put in a K&N air filter, put in iridium plugs, then went back to the stock plugs, put in a brand new battery, disabled the exhaust valve actuator by opening up the exhaust valve cable by using zip ties, installed 5000k HID lamps and ballasts, did TPS resets countless times, etc. I also took an extensive course with The Tuniversity and did a lot of programming on the ECM with ECM Spy and TunerPro, but have since went back to the stock ECM map because I think there is an electrical issue that is causing a stuttering (maybe a short) anywhere from 2000 - 4000 RPM. Mainly at 2500 to 3500 RPM. I'm lead to believe it is an electrical issue because I once threw a Trouble Code 11, TPS short to ground error, but I cleared the code and the code is historic (ECM Spy doesn't indicate that this code is coming up anymore).

At first, this "stutter" occurred right after a long 100-mile ride when I was cruising down the freeway at about 60 or 70mph. Because I had just changed out the plugs and air filter, I thought it was surging/ running too lean, but it doesn't appear to be the case after an extensive amount of tuning that Max and Marc helped me out with. By the way, the Tuniversity is awesome, and I really want to get this problem fixed so I can get back to tuning my bike.

So anyway, the last thing I tried was using a DVOM to test the voltage of the TPS. I didn't the wiggle test and the voltage stayed at 4.24 volts. I verified that I am getting exactly 4.99 volts from the ECM and that I am getting going from 4.24 volts (closed throttle) to 0.43 volts (open throttle) when the bike is not running but turned on when I checked the wires coming out of the intake.

Please help with any advise. I really don't want to take this to the dealership if I don't have to.

That trouble code 11 seems like an important clue. Intermittent electrical issues are truly a pain to diagnose, especially if you can't get to all the wires and connectors.

Do you have any suggestions on where I can try next? Should I test the coil? ...actually, I don't know how to test if the coil is good or not... My last option is to bring it to the dealer, but they'll charge way too much. I can add pictures if that helps...

Should I buy a coil and plug wires to see if this is the issue? [confused]

Check and inspect ur regulator/stator plug connections, behind the pulley cover on the right side to the rear of the cams. 2007s didnt have the plug connector upgrade. The Buell factory upgraded the plug connectors from flat to round pins because of arcing/melting after so many miles. Mine melted and I had to replace the plug-end-connector at 12k miles.

Mine was doing something really similar a few weeks ago and I started searching for a ground/bare wire or anything that might look suspect. I couldnt find anything until I noticed that my battery cables were loose. Felt dumb but I tightened them up and problem solved.

Well, my battery cables were tight, but I tightened them just a little bit more.

I pulled the pulley cover off to look at the wires.


I then checked regulator/stator plug connections (flat pins) as well as the other plug connections next to the stator connector and that appeared to be fine.


I did notice an exposed wire though, so I put silicon tape around it so that it wouldn't be exposed anymore.


I then when for a ride, and I was getting the same issue in the 2400 to 2800 RPM range. Mostly the 2800 RPM range and mostly in 2nd and 3rd gear... Do you think this may not be an electrical issue? It almost feels like its bogging out, like getting flooded with too much fuel or something...

Welcome to the Forum. The Exhaust mod you described may need to be returned to function if you have it Wired Wide Open it was Designed to move to the ECMs input to Throttle Response. The Midrange suffers if the inneractive Exhaust valve can't do it's job when upshifting. You can Remove it THE VALVE and Pipe the Area inside Properly. Check the Exhaust before you spend any more money. The Stock ECM is great for tuning.
The 2400 Rpm Range you are Experiencing is a Midrange OR tuning . The Tuning is most likely good to go! The TPS may need to be Replaced some have gone out at that mileage give or take a few Hundred miles. Since I'm not there you will need to recheck the TPS sensor. then Check the Wiring going to your Tps Sensor and the plug itself.
Usally the Cough or Studder it has many names can be caused by Intake Seals or a Wiring Area needed to be checked. Sometimes next to the Tripple Tree running up into the Key switch and down into the Frame area in case of a small short. The Exhaust can and Will Cause the Problem you have Described since it was Designed to help and with Midrange Power.
You may have to Remove the Actuator Valve in the Muffler itself. There are many Videos here on the Forum and YouTube[Buell Exhaust Mods OR Videos]. The Sound will improve. Remove the (Remove the Ties) from the cable to Test the Bike. See how it preforms.
IF the Upper Actuactor Valve inside the AirBox is still working . The Part is not Quality Materal. And Expensive to replace.
American Sport Bike .com has materials for that OR turn it off in ECMSpy. That way it won't set a code, if the Actuator is unpluged at the AirBox. Recheck your previous work if the Code that came up has been Removed then sooner or later it will return.
The Ignition coil should be fine. Check your Firing and the Spark Plug Wires. If you are Really Hammering on the Throttle at the problem RPM you have Described check your timing IF the Engine isn't Rattling at Accelleration then the Timing is Generally good, but the Exhaust definetly needs to be checked.
Last but not Least a Data Log Ride with your LapTop may help you with the Studder. Hope this gives you a couple of Ideas to work from.If possible Return the Exhaust to what it was before working order and test the Bike with the other Modifications before Spending any money.Ride Safe.*Jimi

I've been ridding with that "dead spot/ studder" at 2800 rpm for a while now. I figure, if it gets worse, I can just take it into the dealership.

I don't think it is an exhaust issue since the stutter occurs no matter how the exhaust is set up.

I should probably check the wiring near the triple tree. I know its not intake seals since I sprayed a bit of WD-40 near the seals while the engine was running (but before it was too hot), and I didn't notice any sound difference or anything to the way the engine was running.

I've done so much tuning and that didn't alleviate the problem, so its basically back to stock right now (not quite, but close enough).

Perhaps it is just the TPS that is going out...

I vote TPS, not that it really matters, weirder things have happened

I'll bring it in to the dealer one of these days. ...When it gets worst. I think there is enough information here for them to figure it out without costing me too much money. I've pretty much given up diagnosing it myself at this point. I'd rather be riding and tuning instead of trying to find this little bug...

Ok, so at 11,170 miles now and I've since had one dealer change my tires to the Dunlop Q3s, and I changed the engine and primary/transmission fluid myself (also adjusted the clutch lever freeplay). Last weekend I painted the muffler with some VHT flame proof pain and used a copper wire to tie the exhaust valve wide open (see pics).

Other than that, I still haven't bought a TPS because I'm rather hesitant to throw a $110 part at it when I can bring it into the Harley/Buell dealer and have them do a diagnosis for ~$200. However, I now have a strange issue where my lights appear to just simply, turn off completely and suddenly for about 2-seconds sometimes and then just turn back on... I don't know if this is related to the issue or not. Any suggestions?

if you are still running hid's, it could be the ballast about to go out or a loose wire connetion. had an issue with mine.. just a loose connection. as for you other issues its hard to say.

So I haven't had any issues with the HIDs now after I tightened the negative terminal to my battery. I don't know how it became loose, but it did.

Then I started thinking more about grounding and came across this post so I decided to do what a few others had done (see pic).

The bike now starts up right away very easily, but the intermittent stutter/ bogging down/ hesitation has still not gone away. I really hate to throw more money at it...

There is a parts reference thread on here somewhere that has a TPS part number for Autozone you can use for 07+ and it is $30 bucks with a lifetime warranty.

I have an 05 and I just replaced mine for free. If you don't find I can look later, but I just copied all the info to a text document so I could have on my computer and phone.

I have a similar issue...troubleshooting it too. I saw the thread you posted and was thinking of doing that myself. Did you connect it like the picture has it?

Yeah, I connected it just like in the picture. Like some have said, it certainly doesn't hurt to add this, and it only cost me $8 at O'Rielly's.

Anyway, I looked into that TPS and I think there was some aftermarket part and I remember reading the 2007 Buell XB sometimes used the 2008 TPS or something like that? I'll have to look into it again, but I remember someone posting that they bought the aftermarket 2007 TPS and it didn't fit in their 2007... Let me know though.

I might also just tune the bike as is hoping to make the stutter disappear as much as possible. It almost reminds me of a 2-stroke dirt bike where a person would need to rev up the RPMs to smoothly hit a powerband... The stutter doesn't occur through heavy hammering through the gears, nor when lightly touching the throttle down a steep hill. Only under gradual, medium load on a flat or uphill section of a road. Always somewhere between 2500 to 3500 rpm.

any updates?

dealing with the same misfire around 3k

If you need the part number for the -07 TPS it's Duralast #TPS213 ... for an +08 it's Duralast #TPS4129 ... the +08 bikes changed over in the middle of the 2007 production year ... so some will have the pre DDFI 3 TPS sensor ... you should know whether or not your bike is DDFI 2 or DDFI 3 from how you have to reset your TPS ... if you do the throttle open/close three times ordeal, that's DDFI 3 ... if you have to go into ECMspy and unscrew the idle adjust screw all the way down, that's DDFI 2 ...