Just as it says,I turn on the key (3position) lights on, push the starter button nothing. I first thought it might be the ignition switch, but after close investigation (and a few beers) I realized that might not be the case,
1. battery is on tender always up
2. headlamp is on
3.push the start button nothing.
I checked the wiring under the seat, all looks good, no corrosion around main ground, battery tight and posts clean
I checked around the starter switch doesnt look like anythig is cut split or shorted.
Checked the 3 wire molex connector from the key switch all looks good.
It is totally intermittent,so to be from home and it quit is bad news, I have had luck in jiggling the ignition switch ( might just be by chance, when it wont crank, it will usually crank over after fooling around a bit with the switch or the wires under switch plate).
I noticed also that the switch gets hot on the 3 wires in the back of it, not scalded dog but hot, hell I dunno.
A HD switch should be direct replacement but at $106.00 I dont want to unless I have to.It would be my luck the switch is a bit quirky but might not be the problem.
Any ideas would be helpful. I do have a schmatic and followed it out and all seems well,starter cranks well when its working, 35K on the bike-decent shape????

 

Sometimes when ign switches go bad, it does just what you are describing.

When you say you checked the wiring under the seat, did you just do a quick visual, or did you undo the connections, clean(wire brush) the connectors, ground & battery surfaces etc?
Sometimes a small amount of pitting and corrosion goes unseen where the contact is, under the connector.

Also load check your battery for free at a parts store or batteries plus. Sometimes a battery will displace internal corrosion after an ign try or two and work better for a while. They don't always just go bad suddenly.

 

Electrical problems can be elusive and have confusing symptoms. Troubleshooting an electrical circuit problem can be a very trying experience and trying to help via a forum is hit or miss at best. I have been down this road many times and my first thoughts are that you are describing symptoms of what sounds like a failing switch to me. As I understand, you can get it to work by shaking the wiring or jiggling the key. You feel heat at the switch (and if you think it is not normal heat, then it probably isn't normal). This is where you should start.

I pulled up the wiring diagrams you can quickly find by searching this forum for 1998 wiring diagrams and while I did not look too hard for the diagram for a 1998, I was able to quickly pull up diagrams for a 1990, 1999 and 2000. I do not know if there is any difference, and your's may be different, but these year models show the exact same setup for the ignition switch.

Looking at the wiring diagrams for those years shows a 4 pin connector with 3-wire circuit, a red wire power in and two red/trace color switched power out circuits, accessory and ignition. If you are comfortable trying, you can jump out the switch at the connector by finding the red wire from the system side of the connector and jumping it to both of the other two contacts on the same connector. The diagrams show the red wire is the power in from the main circuit breaker and the other two are the switched power out to the two main system branches. Jumping the switch will power up the system without the switch.

Keep in mind that the heat you are feeling may well be from the switch contacts going bad, it can also be caused from something down the circuit that is failing or corroded or something going on to cause it to pull enough power to heat up the ignition switch/wiring but not trip the main circuit breaker.

Your problem may be something totally different, the run/start switches, a bad connection somewhere, even a blown ignition fuse (you did check that, right?), but this maybe as good a place as any to start eliminating potential causes.

justathought...

 

Went through every connector and replaced a ground lug that looked pretty corroded,checked everything under the seat,it starts fine,but its that 1 out of 5 I worry about.
I am begining to think the ignition switch is a if not the culprit,after cranking it once together without seat on I put my finger to the back connecting wires on the ignition switch-it was hard to keep it on the connections on the back, due to heat from the switch.
I have owned this bike for a year and a half and no wiring has been done on it in that period. It has ran true without any problems-solid as a rock.
I figure the switch is arcing internally,Im going to take the bait,buy a new switch-if I go aftermarket Ill end up splicing and heatshrinking-PIA.
OE should include the 3 pin molex connector....Unless somebody has a brainstorm it looks like me and HD of Louisville....

 

If I were a betting man, I'd bet that new switch will fix your problem.

 

Ok first I learned a valuble lesson,Even though Harley will rape you on the price of parts,good parts cannot be found inexpensively. I bought a new ignition switch due to the heat,and replaced it with a Drag Specialties-mistake, it works BUT will turn past stops.
Anyway I replaced the starter relay,and ignition switch, and still have the problem.
I noticed the heat from the back of the switch "seemed" gone (new switch has additional covering making it hard to tell.
Not sure WTF, Im thinking it might be the handlebar switch...BUT even a bigger problem is the heat at the positive battery post-hotter than the old switch.
With seat off, turn the key on with ignition switch on handlebar to off-post is cool
turn the switch on post is cool,
Crank the bike gets HOT,at Idle it continues to climb I had placed a thick sheet of pliable plastic to keep the posts from shorting anything out, it fits the top of the battery tray- melted through it.....
As it continues to to get hoter even after I quit cranking and it is running- the voltage goes up to 13.90 volts.
I have worked in the automotive field for 40+ years, cars run 14.4 volts back to the battery,
This isnt my first rodeo,but ill be darned if I can figure this out.