Electrical gremlins
 

Hiya, Ive got a 98 VTR and its got a little electrical gremlin.
It slowly discharges the battery over about a week. Ive fully recharged the battery and disconnected the earth terminal and after a week or more connect up and bike starts perfectly. Leave the terminal connected and battery within 5 days wont start. I immediately thought rectifier/regulater so connected a ammeter in line with the battery and with everything off and key out it still has a 35-40 ma draw. Then unplugged R/R and no change, so proceded to pull all fuses 1 at a time and appears the fuse that supply the instruments cluster is the circuit the current draw is thru. Any Ideas on what may be causing it? 35 ma is only a tiny load but over a period of time sucks the battery dry. Where next too look????

I keep both my bikes on a battery tender. My super hawk gets a bit weak when I don't ride it often. Make sure your cables are tight to the battery

How old is the battery? Have you had it "load" tested? The battery could just be on its last legs and this small draw is just enough to drain it to where it won't start your Hawk.

35 to 40 Ma is equal to less than 1 amp of draw per day, if battery goes dead in a week sounds like time for a new one.

Thanks guys, the battery is a Motobatt and was fitted new in Sept 2013 so it should be okay. I can disconnect battery and leave a week or more, reconnect and she fires up straight away. I havent load tested the battery yet.