78 KZ1000A2A No Electrical Power

Hello. Kind of frustrated.

Rode my 1978 KZ1000A2A that is just about completely stock with the exception of a 4 into 1 V&H and pod filters. Rode around twenty miles, stopped at a friends house. When I went to leave, no dash lights or anything came on. It acted like a dead battery. I checked the battery and it was fine and connections looked good. Checked the cables and ground and all checked out good. I took the ignitions switch out and disassembled it and all the contacts looked good. The fuses all tested out fine.

Could it be the ignition switch is bad??

Any help is much appreciated.

are you getting any power to the main fuse and have you checked it with a voltmeter or at least a testlight. doube check your grounds going to the engine cases.

I will check to see if there is power at the main fuse tomorrow. The bike is over at my buddies house.

If there isn't power to the main fuse, then what?

If there is power then what?

make sure your getting 12 volts at least and check bothsides of the fuses they will sometimes fail and not be noticable. check the voltages at the coils as well it also should be 12 volts in fact every thing you check should have 12 volts at least. try the run switch at the bars and see if you have any power there as well on both sides of the switch.lots of things to check so narrow it down.

I am fairly certain there was 12V at the main fuse. I used a volt meter, but I will check again tomorrow. I also cycled all the switches on the handlebars with no reaction.

It just seems weird that in less than fifteen minutes the bike went from operating perfectly, to being completely dead.

I'd check all the "bullet" style connectors and the other connectors. Something may have vibrated loose or is not making a good electrical contact.

MFolks wrote:

I'd check all the "bullet" style connectors and the other connectors. Something may have vibrated loose or is not making a good electrical contact.

I did check all of those in the headlight housing, under the tank and under both side covers.

Yet the battery has 12 volts but nothing when you turn the key and push the start button? Can you bypass the kill or stop switch?

i find that when im looking for the problem it is quicker to use a testlight once you know that you have proper voltage in the system.

timebomb33 wrote:

i find that when im looking for the problem it is quicker to use a testlight once you know that you have proper voltage in the system.

Agreed and I have a really nice Snap On one here at home.

Do you think I should buy a new ignition switch assembly tomorrow...they only cost $15?

gershom wrote:

timebomb33 wrote:

i find that when im looking for the problem it is quicker to use a testlight once you know that you have proper voltage in the system.

Agreed and I have a really nice Snap On one here at home.

Do you think I should buy a new ignition switch assembly tomorrow...they only cost $15?

Pull the switch out and check it over good. It sounds like a wire came loose because you have no lights when you turn the key on. That is if the main fuse is good.

Happened to me once. Checked fuses by eye looked good but one end of main fuse (unseen) was rusted out. Replaced all fuses, problem solved.