Electrical Gremlin.

[jimyed]

About a week and a half ago while on the way back from my east coast road trip I went to start the bike and it made a noise like something in the wiring shorted (Possibly when I turned the key, possibly when I hit the starter.) The bike then went completely dead. I jiggled the key and looked at all the fuzes (None blown)  and it came back to life a few minutes later with no indication of an issue other than the clock reset to 1:00.
 I knew there was a problem but I decided to let it go until I got home. Today at work it happened again. This time I am sure that it was when I hit the starter button. I turned the bike off and on a few times and it came back and started no problem.

There is definitely a sound like frying electronics when this happens I just don’t want to actually fry anything so.. Anybody have any ideas? Does it sound like a known issue or am I breaking new ground here?
 

[txbanditrydr]

Can you isolate or locate the area of the noise???  Do your other electrical items work with the key on???  Headlight, horn, turn signals, etc......

[jimyed]

The noise comes from the Key area. The whole bike goes dead and nothing works at all for a few momemts.

My wifes Shadow had a bad starter handle bar switch which is a known Shadow issue while we were away and I'm wondering if this is the same sort of thing.

[BanditoNova]

Maybe badly worn contacts in the ignition itself??
If that's what it is there is one for sale from an 04 B12 in the buy/sell area of the board. Wish I could be of more help. If your clock resets I would think you're losing total power from the battery (check connections) or from the key to your gauge cluster. Just my thoughts

[Slider]

I agree with BanditoNova:
I don't have a NexGen bike but if the clock is reseting, the problem is pretty basic. I don't believe the keyswitch would ever be capable of cutting power to the clock. It is unlikley the wiring would go near it It has to be another fault between the battery and the clock that also includes all else downstream. The fact that it it makes everthing dead must be electrical fault fairly close to the battery.

Let us all know when you found the dirty little bugger. There is little worse than an intermitent electical fault.

Good luck

[jimyed]

I had a look at the battery and my positive terminal was slightly loose. It could be the problem as after tightening it I have not had the same issue.  I now believe the noise I heard was closer to the battery than the ignition switch. So I will watch and see what happens. I can find no other trouble spots so far.