Dead. Just, dead.
 

Hi, my Super Chicken is really fucked. Brand new battery, it started once and won't start again. Lights, instrument panel, etc everything come on but the bike won't crank. After I push the starter, everything goes out for a brief second, sometimes a minute. When I start it, or try to, it sparks. I'm basically confirming that something is shorted?

thanks.

check your main fuse one left hand side of the bike towards the rear passanger pegs under the cover.

Also your R/R sounds suspect as to the problem...

Er. . . Load test that new battery. I've seen 'em defective off the store shelf.

"It sparks." What is 'it'? is something arcing?

To do a diagnosis of the starting system, do a jump start from a car battery, with the car not running and the car ignition off. If the bike cranks and runs, look closer at the bike's battery and charging system. Get out your volt/ohm meter and check the bike's system and see what's being fed into the battery.

A charging voltage over 14.5 vdc will cook a battery, that's caused by a faulty R/R.

Bike won't run even when jumped? Look to the main fuse. But then you have to ask why it blew.

What were you working on last before it decided to start flaking on you

Mine acted similar, when the terminals of the main wiring connector were corroded.

Pull the connector off, by the main fuse and clean the contacts - wire brush and contact cleaner.

Thanks all.

I love the bike but I can't keep working on her. I need something reliable, so I'm cutting my losses and selling my poor girl. I just got her too. Oh well. Thanks anyway.

Well, before you sell a defective bike at bargain price, it migth be an idea to fix the most immidiate problems?

If it "sparks"... What, where, how? That should be an immidiate clue...

Well if you don't want to sell it either figure out how to get it out here or set up a time for me to come out and take a look.

Like Tweety says: What , where and how would be a good start in figuring out what is up.