The barn find/survivor 1978 iron head Sportster I bought May 18 (and posted about it on this site) wont start. The bike hasn't been ridden or started in 38 years but it only has 5500 original miles on it (or 8900 kms.) It isn't seized but it needed an ignition switch because the previous owner couldn't find the keys. So installed a new one. It was a cheaper made in Taiwan one that I got from an independent motorcycle. Once the new switch was installed and since the bike never had a battery, I briefly hooked up booster cables from my truck just to see how the electrics were.The lights worked,. signals, brake light and horn all worked now after being hooked up.I finally decided to give the start button a press. All I got was a click from the starter. I tried it few more times and the clicks battery intermittent. I figured I should get a new battery at that point. I took the booster cables off and went out to get a battery..I trickle charged the battery all night and it's fully charged now. I then installed the battery and turned the ignition switch. NOTHING HAPPENED. I mean nothing, no lights, horn or anything that worked just a short time ago when I boosted the bike. Did I blow a fuse, or a relay, or did I wreck the ignition switch? Keep in mind, it's not that the bike doesn't start, it does nothing at all. I thought maybe the battery was messed up, so I tried boosting it again with my truck, I got nothing from the boost either. I feel the ignition switch is the culprit here but it is brand new, but I also hear theses made in Taiwan ones aren't the greatest. What do I do here?

 

Did you do any of the pre work and cleaning several of us suggested in the other thread you started ? Fluid changes , cleaning cables & ALL grounding points? and NEW battery ? Have you even opened the points plate to see whats in there, changed plugs or the plug wires ? Jumping alone isn't going to do it.........

 

You will also probably have to rebuild the carb.

 

I sensed that I wouldn't be able to make this clear, but I'll try again.It's not that bike doesn't start. It does nothing, even with a brand new battery and brand new ignition. I turn the key and nothing happens. Where as the previous day everything turned on. What happened?

 

Was the truck running when you jumped it with the cables?
If it was, that's generally not a good idea. Could have burnt something out doing that.
Have you cleaned BOTH ends of the battery cables, especially the grounds at both ends!

 

The truck wasn't running at first but then I started it for a brief while. I accept the fact that something might have burnt out but what typically burns out in an instance like that? I'll try cleaning all battery ends tomorrow too.

 

The stuff about jumping and burning stuff up and all that doesn't apply here. No computers on this bike to burn up.

 

I agree with that. However, is it possible something shorted then. My understanding is that those bikes
have a relay that resets itself once a shorted electrical problem is fixed. Is that a fact or did I get erroneous information?

 

I'll bet $10 no cables, ground contact points or any electrical connections have been checked & cleaned, something arced and lost contact when he tried to load it up.

 

Yep. And if anything smoked, it was hanging by a thread anyway.

OP: Multimeter and wiring diagram. Start at the battery. Work forward, cleaning (and possibly repairing) as you go. Eventually, something will be at 0v that should be 12v.