Dead Sportster
 

Hello and Help: My wifes 1988, 883 is dead. The battery is new, the charging system appears to be working fine. We rode two days ago for about 25 miles. The wifes bike would occasionally quit running, then start back up. The tach stopped each time and no neutral light, with bike running. Finally, it quit all together and was towed home. Would a bad ECM be to blame?

Well a 1988 is 19 years too early for having an ECM on a Sporty.

When the bike died, was the headlight still on and bright?"
Have you checked BOTH ends of BOTH battery cables for clean and tight?
Does the starter still turn the motor over?
.
.
.
etc.

Lights very bright. Cables tight. When I push the start switch, I get nuttin'. I do hear what sounds like a breaker reseting and/or the control module on the left side of bike.

i would give a guess at the regulator. check to see if it is really dirty.. this is just a educated guess though

??? about the only thing a bad regulator will give you is a dead battery, and that's not the case here.

When the key is turned on, I get an intermittent clicking sound coming from the ignition module. It clicks for a split second and the lights dim briefly during the "click".
A click every few seconds until I turn off the key.

Thanks seee i even learned something from this thread. sometimes i should just read and not comment but thats part of learning

Help !!!

Nothing wrong with getting involved and learning, but I avoid offering advice unless I believe what I'm saying is backed by solid logic. Nobody with a problem, needs/wants to be sent on a goose chase. ;)

Sounds like a possible bad ciruit breaker to me. You can buy one at a local auto parts dealer, should only be a couple bucks. My 1991 had a recall on the main circuit breaker, would cut out and die intermittently.

John