Short and smoke from ignition

Looking for help. 1980 kz 750 LTD.

Riding fine and about 2 miles down the road the bike dies -- no power, no starting, no turning and no lights. Read some forums and thought to check the fuses. Main fuse broke, so I put the spare in. Lights came on immediately -- no problem. Started up fairly easily, but when I revved it died and a puff of smoke came from the ignition area.

I'm guessing the short is somewhere in that area. What's an easy way to find out? Also, does it make sense to buy a 5 pack of fusing just to ride the bike 2 miles home so I don't have to walk it?

Thanks for any ideas.

I'm having the same problem. I'm guessing that it's the rectifier and plan on installing a replacement rectifier soon (hopefully within a week). I'll let you know how it goes...

The usual cause is a wire that is chafed and now bare and shorting out under the tank.
Take the tank off and have a look, maybe you will get lucky and the wire will be obvious.

Don't forget to have a real hard look at the ignition switch itself.

The ignition switch get's cycled at least twice every time you ride.

This creates carbon dust within the switch (from the tips arcing inside of the switch body as you cycle the switch from off to on), which can create 'tracing' and resistance in the circuit (switch becomes a load instead of a path, where there are loads there is heat, smoke etc.).

Just ask anyone who owns a 97-00 Malibu or Cutlass, Aerostar (all years) or a Jag (Lucas, prince of darkness).

When I had a short recently with blown main fuse and had to push the beast a mile (not easy) it turned out to be a problem inside the headlight shell. There is a huge mess of wiring in there and a piece of electrical tape (previous owner)on a junction had fallen off allowing the junction to short out to the inside of the headlight shell.

Well, I pulled the headlight off and found bare wire. Taped it up, put in a new fuse, and it started right up. Revved it, and it kept running.

then I put the headlight back on, and it shorted out again. Obviously, putting the headlight on completes the shorted circuit, but I can't find it. Any thoughts?

Well, I pulled the headlight off and found bare wire. Taped it up, put in a new fuse, and it started right up. Revved it, and it kept running.

then I put the headlight back on, and it shorted out again. Obviously, putting the headlight on completes the shorted circuit, but I can't find it. Any thoughts?

if the short is in the headlight circuit bypass the circuit using wire straps to see if that helps.. a good wiring diagram will show you the entire cirtuit and where there may be splices/connections that you can even break it down into sections so you can isolate the exact "section" of wire that is the culprit..
happy hunting

double post

Post edited by: kz650csr81, at: 2007/10/20 12:46