1997 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1997 ROYAL STAR TOUR DELUXE. IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT MAKE CONTACT SO THE ENGINE WOULD START. GIGGLING THE KEY WOULD USUALLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ON THIS OCCASION I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER REFUELING AND DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT UNTIL I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS DOING ABOUT 70MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. I STARTED MOVING TO THE OUTSIDE LANE AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I REACHED DOWN AND MOVED THE KEY AND IT RESTARTED, WHEN I LET GO OF THE KEY IT DIED AGAIN, SO I MOVED THE KEY AGAIN, THIS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT FINALLY STAYED ON UNTIL I GOT HOME, I HAVE PARKED THE BIKE UNTIL I CAN GET ANOTHER SWITCH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE YAMAHA STORE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE OEM SWITCH LEFT IN THE UNITED STATES AND WILL COST OVER $250.00 JUST FOR THE PART. *TR

WHILE DRIVING A 1997 YAMAHA ROYAL STAR TOUR DELUXE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUITS, BUT ELECTRONIC REMAIN ON. STOPPING THE BIKE AND RESTARTING RESOLVES THE ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE 405 HIGHWAY, AND ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR (AND POTENTIALLY FATAL) ACCIDENT. APPARENTLY, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS (INTERNET SEARCH BEARS THIS OUT), AND THE PROBLEM IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. STOPPING THE BIKE, REMOVING KEYS AND RESTARTING USUALLY RESULTS IN BIKE OPERATING AGAIN. EVEN JIGGLING THE KEYS WHILE BIKE IS STALLED, BUT STILL MOVING CAN BRING THE MOTORCYCLE BACK TO LIFE. THE HIGH POSSIBILITY FOR DANGER OCCURS WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, AS IT DID WITH ME. THE ENGINE STALLED, AND THE BUMPY ROAD MADE THE KEYS JIGGLE, WHICH BEGAN A SERIES OF STRAYING AND STALLING. THIS MADE THE BIKE IMPOSSIBLE TO HANDLE AS IT LURCHED AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT, AS IF ONE WERE RIDING A MECHANICAL BULL IN THE FAST LANE. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND THE DEFECTIVE SWITCH NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED AND REPLACED. AN INTERNET SEARCH WILL REVEAL HOW PREVALENT THIS SITUATION IS AND IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT RESULTS IN INURY OR DEATH IF NOT CORRECTED. *DT