Fly hitting a bug zapper
 

That's the sound my 98 VTR made this morning when I went to start it. Something definately got fried cause I could smell "that burnt electrical" smell right after.
It happened as I pressed the start button. Everything just died. Now when I turn the key to on, there's no lights or anything.

Two questions:

1. Anybody encounter this before?
2. Any idea where to start diagnosing this?

Thanks

All power is dead?? Start at the battery.. Check the connections,, check with a volt meter, check the ground wire from battery to motor.

pull the main fuse inline after the battery. check it first. mine would blow this fuse everytime i turned the ignition when my R/R was going bad. replaced the R/R a couple days later and all was well.

good luck!

note: R/R = regulator/rectifier - a common problem with the SH. So far it hasn't occured on my 2002. Perhaps it was corrected by then. Good luck.

I have had a battery quit out of nowhere before on my 92 Nighthawk 750 (older lead/acid type) something internally just let go:evil: . after sitting a bit it would run the lights nice and bright but the it would go completely dead when you tried to start it - I don't know if the sealed batteries can die like that but you never know.

The '02s and later VTRs have a reworked r/r unit with cooling fins.

Well, I'm a dope.

I went up to the store to buy a voltmeter, and by the time I got back my father, who was visiting, came out and fixed it. Turns out the connectors for the battery were not on tight at all.
I had just had the bike in to the shop 2 days earlier and I remember them saying they checked the charging system.

Thanks for the replies....I'm glad it was this simple.

This is a good learning experience. Internet advice always starts at the end of the diagnostic chain and moves backwards.

Your dad, benefitting from not being here ;-) , started at the beginning and found the problem right away.

haha...touché jschmidt

At least I didn't ask if it was my CCT's :D