Any time you're working an electrical issue your first step should be to make sure the battery is good.

Other possible issues... wire shorted to ground somewhere. I'd get the battery checked first.

 

Alright battery is good based on advance auto parts load test, where do I go from here? how do I check for shorts? Something a multi meter can handle?

 

You can use your multimeter on the continuity or ohm setting to check fuses, bulbs, wires, relays,etc. basically it is checking to see if there is a break in the conductor. On this setting you should hear a beep if there is no breaks in the conductor. It is a very handy setting. What kind of modifications have been done from the stock bike. Always keep it simple. Usually the simplest answer is the right answer. Don't dive in thinking of the most complicated answer and start with that. Talk to a tech at the dealership and see if they have any insight. Your bike isn't that old.

 

I would start by visually and manually checking the wires to critical stuff (your battery terminals for example). Could be, likely is, something simple like a loose wire.

Assume you replaced main fuse already? Ignition switch going bad?

 

Remove the battery cables, clean the ends and re install them.

Make sure all the battery cable connections are secure.

Perform a charging system check.

 

what I hear is that the bike dies when you pull the front brake lever and that you found an issue with the wiring to the rear light...I would say what is happening is either, that when you go to turn on the front brake that it is shorting out the electrical system enough to kill the bike...I would check the front brake switch, I believe for your bike there is a button between the brake handle and the switch that breaks sometimes and causes issues, alos I would go back over the repairs you made to the broken/ chafed wires to make sure none of them are touching each other (do this first)...if there is a short there some where it will keep the bike from starting by drawing the electricity away from the computer that runs the bike (elect. always takes the path of least resistance, aka. the easiest path to ground).. this doesn't sound like a really bad issue, you just need to focus on the rear lights and the wiring, switches etc. for them... I am willing to put money on the wiring correction you made to the rear lights..if it is not the issue check the wiring inside the handle bars or in the neck area where the wires go towards the frame...

 

Hey, I just went back and reread the part about a ticket for misplaced license plate..has the license plate holder been moved?? if so check the wring for the license plate light while you are looking around...hell, check it out if the plate hasn't been moved...

 

Is it possible for a fuse not to have continuity if it's still visually intact?

How exactly do I check continuity? I know to set the multimeter to ohms, but does the black go to the ground and red go to the end of the wire I'm checking? or red to positive of the battery and black to wire?

Only mods from previous owner were drag bars & V&H exhaust to my knowledge

Myself, I've changed the headlight bulb, passenger pegs, pillion, and repainted the bike. There was a splice wire with the tailights that was shorting, which I fixed with electric tape. A while back

 

The first couple of weeks I thought it was the rear taillights also, and I did find some wires got spliced / chafed which I electric taped up and the bike was good to go. But now even if I disconnect all rear wiring (tail and license plate) I don't have the speedo digits turning off when pulling in the brake, BUT I the headlight is still off and nothing comes on when the ignition is turned to RUN

I did have a problem where I had to recently rebleed and fix the front brake so I had to take apart it at the handle, how can I check if the button / switches are okay at the front brake?

 

Yeah unfortunately the license plate light was beyond repair so I just disconnected it, and she ran perfectly for a few weeks. Do I need to have the light plugged in for any purpose other than local traffic laws?