Here is my Issue. My son left me with his 80 sportster while he's deployed. I got it running with a few replacement parts. Start button on handle bar was non-existent, instead, an on off switch was installed under the seat and hot wired to the starter. The wire from the battery to the main breakers was "I'm guessing" 18 gauge. Seemed pretty small to be a main wire. Anyway, that went to a 15 amp breaker.
When I turned the ignition key and handlebar switch to "Run". the run switch sounded like rice crispies, I could hear the breaker click open. the gray and white wires at the handle bar were getting warm.

There was a single white wire running straight from the ignition switch to the coil, removed that. Two black wires at the relay were backwards but I doubt that would be a problem. Having trouble tracing the white wire from the Run Switch back down to the coil. I just don't see it.

I got everything back according to wiring diagram. Let's just say "to the best of my knowledge". Minus the white wire and maybe replacing a 15amp breaker with a 30 amp. Any help, encouragement or corrections/suggestions would be highly welcomed.

BTW, I removed all the other wires from the breakers for now to get them out of my way. Brake lights and turn signals are a no-brainer.

Thanks. Nick

 

Well, I went to Bills Cycle & Salvage for advice and parts, returned home and went to town. Replaced the 15amp main fuse with a 30amp fuse. I started out just hooking up the ignition system wires to the fuses. White wire from the ignition switch to the coil. Soldered my push/starter button at the handle bars. Installed the battery, tried starting... After several tries, I decided to switch the white wire on the coil to the other post. Tried starting again and it fired right up.

While I was hooking up all the wires and soldering at the right handle bar. I noticed a white wire attached to the frame of the bike at the most forward part of the frame. I did a continuity test. I'm pretty sure that is my white wire that's supposed to go to the ignition coil from the "run/kill" switch. Just long enough to reach around. Wondering why it was screwed to the frame. I could be wrong and that's supposed to be there but since my "run/kill" switch has not come in yet(ordered a chrome one to match the rest of the assembly), I decided to forgo soldering in the old black "run/kill" switch that was questionable and give it a try. If it doesn't work, I'm going to have a chrome switch just for looks. WTF! I just want the bike up and running.

 

Chrome run switch installed. Everything works. I'm happy.

 

For my next project, I'll be checking the charging system. Don't know what the heck I'm doing, but with some research and the diagnostics info from this forum, I have all the confidence in the world. No procrastination... Just do it!