It's the bowlingball, back with another calamity. Was riding down a back road just about half an hour ago and this happened: went to pass three very slow-moving vehicles and when i got on it, heard several backfires followed by a complete loss of power. Pulled over onto the shoulder to see what was up and realized that all my electronics were dead as well. No lights, no horn, no starter, no nothing. As I was on a downward slope I tried to pop the clutch to start it several times, nothing. As I type, she sits on the side of a country road dead as a doornail. Any thoughts before I go rent a trailer tomorrow to drag it back? Felt like a pretty catastrophic failure from my vantage point. :(

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/13700000/KABOOM-expositions-13710481-800-600.jpg

If there are no lights, no starter, no anything, it seems like a complete electrical failure. I'd check the battery connection under the seat before panicking.

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/13700000/KABOOM-expositions-13710481-800-600.jpg

If there are no lights, no starter, no anything, it seems like a complete electrical failure. I'd check the battery connection under the seat before panicking.

Thanks for the reply man. I had just had the whole thing apart a couple of months ago to diagnose a fueling issue. I could've swore I tightened the **** out of the battery cables when I put it back together. I'm going to go back tomorrow with all of my tools, a multimeter, etc and see if I can figure anything out before dragging it back. I was just wondering f anyone else had ever had a similar instance and what had happened.

Thanks for the reply man. I had just had the whole thing apart a couple of months ago to diagnose a fueling issue. I could've swore I tightened the **** out of the battery cables when I put it back together. I'm going to go back tomorrow with all of my tools, a multimeter, etc and see if I can figure anything out before dragging it back. I was just wondering f anyone else had ever had a similar instance and what had happened.

It seems to me that some main but in precarious condition cable or connection finally broke or got loose.

The explosions were from sparks out of time due to an intermittent power just before total failure.

Check for points subjected to vibrations or loose tools creating a bridge for a short ....plus some fuses blown as a consequence.

Confirm the battery voltage before digging in too deep.

So I finally got out to the Ninja this morning. I think I found the culprit. Looks like the rubber boot for the positive battery cable worked its way down the cable, exposing some bare wire near the terminal. Also looks like that wire contacted the frame, seeing as how there is an electrical burn mark on the wire and on the frame. Checked the main 30-amp fuse which looked fine. Pulled the battery and took the multimeter to it. Showing a little less than four volts, but, when I brought it home and put it on the tender, the green "charged" light is glowing.

Anyone have any other thoughts? Did I just fry my whole electrical system with the short? I hope not. :confused:

Naw, don't assume the worst with no evidence. You should be good to go, clean up the short and ride on!

Pulled the battery and took the multimeter to it. Showing a little less than four volts, but, when I brought it home and put it on the tender, the green "charged" light is glowing.

Anyone have any other thoughts? Did I just fry my whole electrical system with the short? I hope not. :confused:

I still think the battery is junk.

Put it under load and see what it does. I think it will drop back down to where it started.

Looks like you found the problem. :thumbup: I also think the battery is likely a goner, but with any luck, that may be the extent of repair.

...........Anyone have any other thoughts? Did I just fry my whole electrical system with the short? I hope not. :confused:

I don't think that the electrical circuit could be damaged; there is no reason for that.

Having suffered the strain of a violent short and showing only 4 volts, I doubt that the battery can be salvaged: the green light shows that the poor thing is not accepting any charge. :( :( :(

Solution: new battery and better protected connections and on the road you will be.