Suddenly, no electrics

[boadman]

So, after riding over to a friends house, I turned off the bike (a '94 YZF750, 5000 miles), and when in. When I came back out, and turned the key, I had no lights/horn/anything. I checked the battery voltage, it's normal. All of the fuses look fine. Any other simple things I can check before I have to pay someone who's actually a mechanic?

[Stig]

Try all the earth straps to the frame and battery and check the connectors to see if there's power to the ignition switch.
Think logically and follow the power from the battery away to the various components

Double check block connectors for furry connectors too

good luck

[boadman]

Yeah, I checked the battery grounds connections and grounds, everything is super clean.

[FZRDude]

Have disassembled the right switchgear and cleaned the contacts? Checked continuity of the starter solenoid?

[boadman]

I haven't checked the solenoid. If the solenoid was broken, the lights would still come on, right? I'll have to check out the switch gear.

[ExupElvis]

Oh 'cmon! Just pay up befo' ya break it real bad........

[djalbin]

boadman,
Did you try jump starting the battery/bike to see if it will start? If you do jump start it, use another motorcycle or battery charger. If you use a car/truck leave the vehicle turned off while the battery cables are connected to your bike.

Don

[boadman]

Yep, I did try to jump it (with a charger). No luck, still no electric system at all. No lights, horn, nuetral lights... I would love to just take it to a mechanic, but I'm a cheap bastard.

[DAVE]

What about the kill switch ???

Does it have a main fuse or fusable link near the battery??

Have you got +12v at the starter solenoid terminal, and the keyswitch when measured from the negative terminal??

[boadman]

I did check the kill switch, it is in the run position. There are a bunch of fuses near the battery in a little fuse box, but they are all fine. I'll check the voltage at the ignition.

[Stig]

but from what you're saying its got to be a major fault with NO ELECTRICS at ALL

If it was just a fuse or relay, then there would be some sign of life somewhere

Will it bump start?

use a 12V test screwdriver (very cheap from auto shops to check the power from the battery to the fuses..input side. then check that there's power on the output side of the fuse box too....follow the power ..if there's any until it stops. many moons ago, a friend had the power break behind the fuse box...took ages to find it

if that makes sense

don't give in!!! you can beat this thing

[ftang]

Same thing happened to me once, in a deserted car-park at night, and left me baffled. Got out the roadside mechanics (known as the AA here in the UK), which was kind of shaming. But not as shaming as when he simply tightened the screws clamping the leads to the battery. They didn't look loose, but it did the trick.

(Number 468 on my list of ways I won't make a fool of myself again).

[gane]

BM, when batt. up and NO elrcts rec follow minor lead from battery + wire to either starter sol main fuse or single fuse bloc (w/spare) depending on year/model yamaha used fuse at starter solonoid or seperate single in line block for main fuse for main breaker, which was seperate from the fuse block w/includes h/l ign. t/s brake etc. once you find main fuse chk power from ign. sw . hope this helpful. G

[ExupElvis]

Send me a P/M or an E-mail boadman, I'm not too far away from you
(much closer than some of these brotherhoodlums)
I am willing to take a look at the electrics if you would like.

[straygator]

Hope you've solved you problem by now, just want to add my experience with a similiar problem for TOO long. The starter switch turns off all lights ect. while the starter motor is engaged and all system return when the button is released, but my did not. It was intermittent so I could never catch it with a volt/ ohm meter. I tried jiggling the switch after I started it and ALL came back on. I thought WOW this is great wiggle on, wiggle off so I could run dark at night durning evasive episodes. But once I found the problem and COULD live with it ... it went away!!!

[exupturbo]

On the 1000 there is a "main" fuse under the left hand seat side panel which is no where near all the other fuses, if this one goes you loose all electrics. Don't ask me how I know

Mark

[WickedFZR1K]

I would unhook the main switch block and jump across the pins (check a wiring diagram first) to see if you can get some lights atleast, then you will know if the switch went kaput or not....

[RiceRocket1]

If you haven't found it yet, check the modular plug that connects the ignition switch to the main harness. Had one go bad on my FZ750 and my bud had one go on his 91 FZR1000. One good clue that it may have gone bad is if you can't get it to come apart. if it developed a bad connection and heated up it will melt the plastic plugs together. Sometime even shorting bits out so that you can't shut things off like my old FZ750 or completely killing the bike like my buds 91. If its the plug just replace it with some insulated male/female crimp connectors.....

[jmmillerfzr]

I had the same problem as ricerocket1.. happened all of a sudden..Had to truck the bike home and pulled the tank off and found the plug from the ingnition switch to the main harness shot. Just cut the leads and used some crimp connects.. works fine now.

[mynewbike]

I agree it sounds like the ignition switch has come apart at the connector or something simular.
Did you lock the steering lock when you parked the bike?
I'm just wondering if the wires have been tight and when you turned the bars to full lock the connector came apart?????
Let us know what you find out:)
mikey