Okay. This is frustrating.

My bike died on me while I was riding it. I found that the starter/ignition fuse was done. Got a tow, took the fairings and tank off, couldn't find a short. Then I did a Very Bad Thing. I replaced the 10a fuse with a 15a one (I really wanted to see if my bike would run!). Well, I turned the bike on, no problems.

I flipped the kill switch to run, and whoa, the tach climbed all the way to redline. I hit the starter, and the bike has bad spark plugs so it takes a while to start. I give the bike a rest, then turn it back on, and I smell this burning smell. Suddenly, BANG, this loud pop comes from somewhere on my bike and my tach dies. I then try the starter again, and it still works, and I even get my bike started, but it runs very choppy with the power seemingly cutting in and out. Eventually the bike dies from loss of electrical power, but all the lights stay on, so the main fuse is good.

Again, the problem is somewhere in the wiring connected to the Starter/Ign fuse, and is somehow related to both ignition and the tachometer, and only happens when the kill switch is set to run. I know my tach is now busted, and I'll have to fix or replace something on that, but I at least want my bike able to run. Where should I look for a short? I looked at the obvious places like the main relay switch housing the main fuse, and all the wires I could see with the tank and fairings off. I want to say the burning smell almost came from the back of the bike, but am not sure.

 

holy ****, what did you do

 

3rd sentence: Used a 15A fuse instead of a 10A

OP:
Did you check your r/r?

 

Yes. The R/R works, and even if I disconnect it, it doesn't affect the problem.

 

So in summary, here are the clues:

1) Somewhere in the Starter/Ign circuit
2) Tach went wonky when kill switch was set to run
3) Short is not allowing bike to get proper ignition (bike will run and cut out erratically - checked fuel already)

Any ideas?