Hi ... I'm in desperate need of some help. I was riding Saturday and the bike just died , dash lights and everything went out . While trying to get it started I found that if you move the handlebars right or left the power would come back and it would start back up . This happened 4 times then no other issues. I rode it home and took headlight out to see if there was a loose or broken wire . Had my ignition switch on so I could watch to see if it went off as I went through each and every wire , did not have any luck making it repeat what it was doing. Please help me identify the issue ? Thanks

 

Hello and welcome.
You state:
1996 road king...guess it has a carb...mileage not provided...unknown if bike is stock or has ape hangers or other changes.
you state:
Bike just died , dash lights and everything went out.
Did the headlight turn off also ? or only the speedometer light?
You really do not have many dash lights on a road king.
Reason: run/stop switch would keep headlight on if it was having a problem.
You state:
You move the handlebars right or left the power would come back and it would start back up.
What power? starter, speedometer, headlight..what power?
Leads me to believe that a wire is making a bad contact, very possible it is the run/stop wire.
You state:
This happened 4 times then no other issues. I rode it home and took headlight out to see if there was a loose or broken wire .
Guessing you took the headlight and entire bucket assembly out ?
Did you change handlebars lately? can you provide a little history ?
Guessing there is a bad contact from run/stop switch wire..i would start at that point and work deeper.
If headlight turn off then i would look at key switch....with limited information provided i would think run/stop switch.
If you have a fuel injected bike let us know.

 

Sorry. . It is carburated and has 17" apes on it. The bike has 59,000 miles and I bought the bike this winter with no changes except putting Led accent lights on it. The previous owner told me he never had an issue with it. But he also told me it was serviced recently and I found that to be untrue. When I say it powered back up , I mean the digital odometer and neutral light comes back on and I can hit the start button and bike will fire up. Yes I took the whole headlight assembly out to expose all wiring behind and around handlebars. I also took dash off to check key ignition switch connection and wires. Still no probable cause to why it just dies randomly and I can move handlebars left or right and fire bike back up ?

 

Bike has a big bore kit installed before I purchased so Idk the history other than what I have already explained.

 

If headlight stayed ON when bike shut down then i would look at run stop switch or the wiring for the switch.
If the headlight turned OFF when the bike shut down then i would look at the keyed ignition switch or the wiring for the switch.
Both would be relatively easy to create a jumper wire.
Make sure to check BOTH battery cables at BOTH ends...battery to starter, battery to ground and the wires from stator to regulator.
Still thinking it is the run/stop switch or its wiring.