TOPIC:

Again, thanks guys I really appreciate the help........

ok, black on battery, red on yellow/black connector = 0v
red to headlight housing yellow/black = 0v

So, it's my understanding that black/yellow is also Earth? so I checked that in headlight bowl too & got 6.8v........am I getting ahead of myself?

 

Roy, with the ignition off do you have continuity from the neg batt terminal to the far side off the black/yellow bullet connector highlighted in the diagram below?
If you do then check that you have continuity from the batt neg to the far side of the next connection up that circuit. Keep moving up the circuit until you don't have continuity. Once you get to that point you'll know the issue lies between the last and second to last points you checked. 
You'll need a wiring diagram to trace where the Circuits runs. If at any point the circuit splits into two then you'll need to test both far side points. 
Im not familiar with your bike but on 650's that wire splits into two inside the the loom wrapping. Kawasaki in their wisdom thought a bit of copper tube with the bare wires pushed into it then crimped would be adequate. Maybe in a hot dry climate but the copper oxidises and breaks the circuit after 40 odd years in wet/damp uk conditions. 

Yeah,
the yellow/black is earth. it runs like a spine from front to back on the bike.

So wherever you measure it, it should be 0.0v ideally.

Where did you get the 6.8v again? That may be an area of concern.
 

Strange that Kawasaki do two different colours for earth?

Anyway, whilst I was running through the checks I noticed a spare yellow/black & black/yellow cables near the battery box (I thought they were spare as have come across this on other bikes), so I connected the yellow/black to ground & nothing, I then connected the black/yellow to ground & what do you know, everything came to life.....even the indicators

I really would like to thank you guys for taking the time & getting me looking at things from a different perspective, I really appreciate it. From the start I thought it must be an earth fault but everything I looked at seemed to be ok so couldn't figure it out......

thanks again
Roy

Great news, as I suspected the main loom earth wire. 
Thanks for posting the outcome for anyone else in a similar position that may stumble across the thread. It's nice when the original poster takes the trouble to finish a thread off and not just disappear once they have their answer. 
Make sure to stick around and keep us updated on your progress. Thumbup! 

Good job Warren!