Lost everything

[Guest]

Ok working on the wife's 450 and it was running in the garage, turned my back and it died, no lights no nothing! I had replaced the one fuse system long ago with a new spade type fusebox, so figured it had blown the main fuse. Checked it and it wasn't broken, put back in, and everything came back on. Hit start button and fired right up. Took it for a ride to run some errands and on way home stopped at a light and it dies and losses everything again. Pushed off the road, didn't even touch key or anything and all of a sudden comes right back on, push button and starts right up. Even stranger it backfired a couple of times after taking off, and then seemed to run a little better. Got it home let it run, shut off and on several times and it was fine. Kill switch is new. All connections replaced with spade type. My thought is it's the ignition switch, can't think of anything else which would cause losing everything, since fusebox is new as well as connections. But don't understand the backfiring earlier? terrylee

[jbs80106]

not a guru but sounds like a short to me? Intermittent power loss.

Don't u just dread electical problems....but if you sort this out it sounds like you should be okay...

[jwhelan65]

Not to be smart but check your battery connections including where it grounds to the frame and runs to the starter.

[terrylee]

Will do, went ahead and ordered a ign. switch just in case. terrylee

[pete]

Not to be smart but check your battery connections including where it grounds to the frame and runs to the starter.

+1, exactly what I was going to suggest.

Check for corrosion on the terminals and all that sorta guff.

Also worth checking the ground connection for your ignitor, R/R, etc.

Also, you say you were working on it just before it died... what were you doing exactly? Maybe something in that area got dislodged? One of the dodgy harness bullet connectors or similar maybe?

[Rudeman]

Will do, went ahead and ordered a ign. switch just in case. terrylee

Are the battery cables new or did you use the old ones?

[850 Combat]

The backfires could have been combustible mixture that was pumped into the exhaust system when the engine quit running but was still turning

[Tom R]

Will do, went ahead and ordered a ign. switch just in case. terrylee

Throwing parts at a bike usually is waste of money. It could be the ignition switch - but it could be something else. I chased an intermittent loss of power on my brothers boat for a whole weekend last summer - turned out to be the fuse itself. It looked good even when I knew it was bad.

[terrylee]

Was just putting exhust back on. so don't think I dislodged anything. But I will check all connections and grounds ect. when I get home. I will also change the fuse just in case. Cable to pos. is new, and all grounds were cleaned and secured when I replaced wiring harness late last year. I know just buying parts can be a waste. But this is my wife's bike and I want to try to be sure she doesn't get stuck somewhere. Besides new switch was $23.00 off ebay including shipping, son has same one on his bike and no problems with it. Combat that makes sense on the backfire. Thanks guys. terrylee

[terrylee]

Ok checked all connections, grounds,fusebox and change the main fuse. Didn't seem anything wrong, but next ride will tell. Haven't received ign. switch yet, but will put on and hope for the best. terrylee

[TPL]

Check every connector on the bike, I had a KZ1100 that did the same exact thing, turned out to be a connector.

[terrylee]

It's alive!

Got the new ign. switch, put on and have had no further problems with bike dying. Well worth the 23.00 including shipping. Tanks for all the help guys. terrylee

[81GS750]

It could possibly be the battery. I just had the same problem on the Seca. It would run and die, the lights on the dash would go out then come back on, and it would fire back up. Battery voltage was good too. Popped the battery from the GS750 in it and problems solved. I rode it for 50 miles today with no issues.

[pete]

Good news Terry! Ignition switch sorted, ignition advance sorted, your wife won't know herself