Electrical or Ignition Issue

[knclark]

Hello to all,

I am new to this forum. I have a 1980 XS 1100 Midnight Special. It has always been a sound bike intil just recently. I had stored it for two years. A month ago I took it to a shop to get it running. Tune up Brakes New Battery etc. It started and ran great after coming out of the shop.

I then moved to Las Vegas I did not ride it for about three weeks until I put new plate on it. The morning I went to get the plate it started right up. I rode about 2 miles to DMV and it sat for about 90 minutes.

Getting tags in Las Vegas is a nightmare any where from 90 minutes to 4 hours.

Any way after getting the plate it started right up. I then rode for about five miles then parked it for about 3 hours. When I went to start it I turned the key to ON, yet not start nothing the green nuetral light did not come on nothing.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this is happening.

Thanks
Kelsey

[fredintoon]

Main fuse

Hi Kelsey,
No power, nothin'?
A total power failure like you describe is an open circuit somewhere.
First check the obvious, did the killswitch get turned off? Sometimes helpful passers-by do this.
If not, check the main 30 Amp fuse. It's hidden behind the leftside cover. It it ain't blown it has been known for that fuse holder to lose it's grip on the fuse and open the circuit.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[mitch]

Main fuse

you might want to check your main fuse it is under the seat if im not mistaken in a red holder. Or under the left side cover im not sure where it is on the midnight. HTH...........MITCH

[dbyers]

What about the battery? Could the new battery have been charged and since there is a problem with the charging system the battery is now dead. Just a thought...Happened to me.

[knclark]

Thanks for the advice. Battery has a charge and main fuse is good and securely in place. Any other ideas?

Kelsey

[cruiser]

If you are sure you have battery voltage and fuse is good then check ground/negative cable from battery. First check connection at battery then follow cable to where it fastens to frame. The connection at frame should be loosened apart and cleaned.
Might also want to check positive connections while your at it.

[Geezer]

Originally posted by knclark
Thanks for the advice. Battery has a charge and main fuse is good and securely in place. Any other ideas?

Kelsey

Replace the main fuse anyway. Sometimes a fuse will look good but be broken inside on one end.

Geezer

[MartyA]

Mine did that a couple of years ago. Rode for a few years after I bought it and one day when I got out of work I had nothing, no neutral light, no horn, nothing, completely dead. Turned out the fuses had tiny bit of corrosion on the points of contact with the fuse holders. I checked the main fuse, it looked good, but I took it out and wiped it clean, wiped the fuse terminals off and they broke. All the fuse terminals were corroded so bad that as I pulled the other fuses to check the terminals fell off the fuse box. I jumped them all just to get home and replaced all the fuses and terminals.

See the MODs page for a couple of nifty replacement fuse panels.

[Czekus21]

My 79sf did that about a year or so ago. I just jiggled the key a few time, Cussed her out, threatened to kick her out and she fired right up

[pathfinder]

My sugestion

MartyA I didn't see you were you there.

Turned out the fuses had tiny bit of corrosion on the points of contact with the fuse holders. I checked the main fuse, it looked good, but I took it out and wiped it clean, wiped the fuse terminals off and they broke. All the fuse terminals were corroded so bad that as I pulled the other fuses to check the terminals fell off the fuse box.

Do the mod on the main fuse block they are notorious for leaving you stranded.

[jetmechmarty]

I see Parts 'N More has a reproduction fuse box for the XS1100. My XS650 started losing its grip on the fuses after 20 years. I just put a reproduction unit in it a few weeks ago. It was easy. The problem it see with it is that is just like the original, so in another 20 years or so, I'll have to do it again!

[skids]

Sometimes gel-type batteries fail suddenly when they get old. I had it happen to me.