Uncle Mike's BIKE Dead on Chicago Expressway - Coil question

Multimeter acquired, battery completely dead. So at this point, I'm guessing a charging system failure? I replaced my R/R with a Duanage Honda unit and it had been tested as good. The battery spun the engine strongly this morning when I left Joe's place, but it's completely dead. Not even reading on the multimeter.

[hampshirehog]

My 1100E did the same thing on me. Removed the headlight and the connector to the ignition switch was just loose enough to cause the failure. Zip tied the two connector parts together - no more issues.

Good place to start looking - quite a few bikes fail completely because of a loose connection here.

Did you check the fuse in the mulitmeter? They all have one.

[rustybronco]

And I should be home most if not all of the afternoon, plugged in just in case...

[salty_monk]

Please leave it there so I can ride it back next time I go to Chicago... always wanted to ride Route 66

Mike, get a voltmeter... Check the voltage at the battery terminals and from the positive terminal to the frame. Then check voltage at the fuse panel with the key on.

You've got to make sure it has voltage at the battery before looking at anything else. If you were on the side of the road without the luxury of a DVOM, then wiggling wires might be an acceptable method of finding out whats wrong with it. We want you to check out the complete electrical system so the bike WILL make it all the way to Kalifornia. And stop the nonsense about wanting to leave it there and sell it. You might not, but it will make it there.

On my way for the new multimeter shortly, no pun intended. I promise nothing but positivity from here on out.

[rustybronco]

Mike, get a voltmeter... Check the voltage at the battery terminals and from the positive terminal to the frame. Then check voltage at the fuse panel with the key on.

You've got to make sure it has voltage at the battery before looking at anything else. If you were on the side of the road without the luxury of a DVOM, then wiggling wires might be an acceptable method of finding out whats wrong with it. We want you to check out the complete electrical system so the bike WILL make it all the way to Kalifornia. And stop the nonsense about wanting to leave it there and sell it. You might not, but it will make it there.

[Baatfam]

Fuse box/connections look fine. Any hidden fuses here?

Shouldn't be...not from the factory, anyway.

Fuse box/connections look fine. Any hidden fuses here?

He did in his very next post.

Yeah, just trying to laugh so I don't scream.

[rustybronco]

Mike,

Check the wiring c

Mike,

Check the wiring connector that feeds the fuse block...

He did in his very next post.

Mike,

Check the wiring c

Can you perhaps be more specific?

Kidding. Saw your full response. On it.

Mike,

Check the wiring connector that feeds the fuse block. I dunno on the 1150, but usually there's an Orange wire, and then an Orange/White wire. I've had this issue on a couple of gSes. The wires going in there get corroded, get hot and then warp/melt the connector plastic to the point they aren't making solid contact anymore. Eventually you may need to replace it, but in the meantime, turn the key on, jiggle the wires going in and see if it comes back to life. If so, shoot some epoxy into the base of the connector, that'll hold it for a very long time (or forever) but won't be a "proper" fix obviously.

Do you have your horns hooked up? If not, and those wires are just bouncing around, oddly enough those grounding out on the frame if they've rubbed through somewhere will also blow fuses...

I hate electrical...

Mike,

Check the wiring c

Starting to wonder that very thing.