I should probably rephrase that. When I checked the starter relay I start to get a voltage reading on either 85 or 86 (can't remember which) when I hit the start button. Then the breaker blows and it goes to zero. So I did the same check on pin 87 to see if the 12 volts was getting there before the breaker blew and it was not. So, that relay is not activating. I'm guessing when I hit the start button the 12 volts that should be activating the relay is shorting to ground somewhere....Please, please, please be right at the switch...lol.

 

Exactly! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I would venture a guess that it's the switch housing or where the wires go into or out of the bars. Possibly the switch housing clamped too tightly pinched a wire...

 

I'm hoping it is at the housing. My risers are the type with two separate caps instead of the one big one so I can see very clearly where both harnesses enter the handlebars. I gave them a super close inspection yesterday and there is not so much as a nick in the sleeve around the harnesses. So, its either at the switch or a broken wire somewhere in between the switch and the relay. I did the apes about 2 years ago. When I extended the wires I did it right. I used butt connectors plus soldered them, used shrink tubing. Bundled everything up nice. Filed down all sharp edges on the bars. Haven't had any problems at all till yesterday.

Once again, thanks for the tips and the help. Its officially 0-beer-30 and I'm tired of thinking about it. Sooner or later I'll get her figured. I always do....

 

When you figure it out, please report back on what you found. Good luck!

 

I'm officially lost again. Pulled apart the handle bar controls this morning and everything looked perfect. I'm back to the drawing board again. Guess I'll have to put it on hold till my service manual gets here and I have a clue what to ohm out and what voltage should be there. Meanwhile I'm gonna run by my buddies Indy shop and pick his brain. Maybe I'll get lucky and he will say, "are you really that stupid, it is this right here". At least I can hope...

 

There's always the other "chafe spots" to check, such as under the tank, under the seat, at the head where the steering turns, under the side covers, even near the circuit breakers. Good luck and report back!

 

Is there any way it could be a weak breaker?

 

Well...wasted a good part of the day riding instead of working on her. Kinda hard to wrench on a running bike when its 79 and sunny out with winter looming.

Did some thinking though and tried a few things. I ran a jumper across the wires on the back of the start button on the bars. No help, so the switch is good. Read 12.7v on one wire going to the starter button, when I hit the button, the voltage immediately plummets until the breaker pops and then of course it just goes to zero. So, it just dawned on me a few minutes ago that I can cut the wire that runs from the start button to the starter relay at the head, right in between where it comes out of the bars and before it goes under the tank. I can then open the handle bar switches again and see if the voltage is still shorting to ground when I hit the switch. If it does, the problem is in the bars, if it doesn't then it is under the tank somewhere between the end I just cut and the starter relay. At that point, if worse comes to worse and I can't find it, i'll just run a new wire from there to the starter relay and hope that when the wire I cut fried it didn't fry any other wires with it.

Hopefully that makes sense and sounds logical. My brain melts when I work with electronics...And I thought about the breaker too THC, swapped it out, no difference. Something is shorting to ground preventing the signal that should be activating the starter relay from ever getting there.

 

I have been reading these posts for a while. Just curious because I am Electrically ignorant.. What does putting two relays accomplish really? I ask because since I bought the bike 2 1/2 yrs ago, The previous owner was troubleshooting bike when i looked at it, he wouldnt sell to me cause it wouldnt start/run right. Decided to try the starter relay so he could at least start bike and let it run, and bam, its fixed.! Two weeks ago it started acting up like it was on one cylinder, wouldnt run rightif turned to lights, etc..If switch was just turned to run, was fine. Me and my Indy decided it was the switch. Went to where PO works to see if he had one or could get it, he suggested the relay. Works perfect again! Should I run two in series until i can find the real reason they are not working?

 

Why not just add a push button on the starter? It's easy, cheap and works all the time.