I have an '06 KLX with 351, pumper etc.

It has a relatively new battery and has been kept on a charger over the winter. The charger is on a timer and runs two hours a day.

I took it out this AM as I plan to ride later today and rode it to work. I was going to get an inspection on the way to work.

I stopped at the dealer and when I went to move the bike for the inspection, it was dead. By this I mean no lights, no power, nothing.

I thought maybe there was a loose wire on the battery so I thumped it and the lights came on but as soon as the solenoid clicked the bike went back into it's dead state. I removed the seat and jiggled wires and it went on for some time like this.

Finally, a mechanic jumped the starter with a car battery. By this I mean he attached the battery to the starter directly.

I went home and when I shut the bike off I had the same problems.

I removed the solenoid, which also seems to distribute power to the accessory systems. I scrubbed it with a wire brush and shot some contact cleaner at it. I put it back in and the bike starts and runs normally now.

I am a bit paranoid because I intend to ride this bike in the woods today. I've started it 3 or 4 times and it's just like it's old easy starting self.

I rode the bike to work, and again it will not start. Same symptoms as above.

Any thoughts on this?

 

On my 07 the + wire from the battery was touching the frame close to the battery so with time the vibration got all the wire protection to wear off and created a shortcircuit. The fuse didn't blow out because it's near the battery so it's before the fuse in the circuit.

 

Interesting. Not unlike my problem.

I think I found the problem. I used a bolt that was slightly too long to bolt down the positive lead in the battery. So, the bolt bottomed out on the battery and seemed tight but wasn't. The positive lead was loose. Now it's cranked down and starts normally.

There is nothing harder to find than an intermittent fault.

Sorry about the two threads.