Should fuses be hot to touch?

Bike's not running. While working on the wiring/lights I've connected the bike directly to a car battery with jumper cables for testing things since I keep draining the motorcycle battery. Car battery's not connected to anything but the bike. I notice when the key's on the main fuse gets pretty hot. Not melt plastic or leave a blister hot, but too hot to touch for more than a couple of seconds. The fuse is the correct amperage, 20 amps. Is this normal? Could the car battery be causing it? Should I buy fire insurance? Fireproof pants?

as long as the wires dont get hot i wouldnt get too worried about it:whistle!: goodluck,happy wrenching!

The fuse is hot because it is acting as a resistance. This can be from two causes. It is either near it's current limit of 20 amps, meaning the bike is drawing too much current, or the fuse holder is dirty and acting like a restriction to the current.

Both are indications that something is bad.

Most likely the the fuse holder is dirty or the connections to the wires are corroded or weak.