reversed poles on battery connection...Yeow!

Hey fellas, I've got two issues here w/my '97 KZP1000 w/18,000 miles:
I was enjoying a flawless ride a couple days ago amid 100 degree heat out here in CO until I stopped for a snackenbeer. When I came back to her after 1/2 hr she was DOA: no response w/attempted startup. With the heat I figured the battery, now two years old was dead. I trailered her home and went after a new battery.
So I just pulled the boner-of-the-year by mistakenly hooking up my new battery backwards, (yeh,I know better but I did it).
I disconnected it ASAP but the pos/red wire melted the insulation off partially for about 6-8" before I could complete the disconnection.
Issue #1. The first no-start may not have been a dead battery; perhaps a switch or other component? Any ideas here?
Issue #2. Now that I've done the red-wire-meltdown, what sequence should I follow to check damage to other components?

It happens.

#1 will have to be looked at after #2 is taken care of.

With a reverse battery, the most likely damage is to the rectifier.

Disconnect the rectifier completely and connect the new battery. See if the bike starts up and runs ok. It won't be charging, so the lights may seem dim. If everything seems ok, then turn the bike off, and connect the reg/rec. If the wires on the reg/rec get warm (bike is turned off completely), then the rectifier is history.

After the reg/rec is replaced, or at least not melting, then you can start doing voltage tests for charging problems.

The service manual in my signature will have a test sequence for your Regulator/ Rectifier.