Power Issue

Well, I have at least narrowed it down to a power issue.

Bike started, I have spark. I have fuel in carbs. I have power at first, but then it dies out.

I used the method of putting the spark plug against the head and start it and got spark. After the bike died, I unscrewed the drain screw in carb and fuel came out.

However, the battery dies down and it's brand new, so it has to be power from battery to rest of system. IDEAS?

Load test the battery first. Even new ones can be bad.

I did that with my old battery when I went to turn it in, thinking I needed a new one. The old one was going to be returned for the core. When I discovered that the old one was fine (after them doing a load test on it) I decided to keep it. It was too late to do anything about the new battery - they had already put acid in it and would not refund me. So I have two batteries now. That's not the issue.

How much fuel came out when you took out the drain screw.
It may be using whats in the carb then shutting off and by the time you get the screw out be partially filled again.
If the wiring is now OK and the battery still going dead from starting it just may be weak from from excessive starting.

Still sounds to me like you are running off the battery until it gets belot 10.5v See what the manual says for testing the charging system... It should tell you what your charge rate should be (probably around 14v) you simply check that when its running by hooking you meter to the battery posts..a new battery should read optimally 12.6v ar atleast damn close to that when fully charged vehicle off... should be getting 14-15v (depending on voltage regulator design) when running... If your reading nothing but battery voltage when running follow the charging system tests layed out in your manual..

Okay. I'll check the manual again. I thought for sure it was the charging system and then the other day it had been sitting a couple of days and I put the charger on the battery, knowing that it would have run it down and it charged up right away. It will have to wait a few days again, as I got bombarded with work. Just wish I could get the muther fu**ing thing running!

Roy...I ride an 85 Honda VT700C Shadow (although it's been punched out to the max)...what type of bike are you riding? On the Honda's, there's a small aluminum fuse that may have burnt out...if that happens, forget about charging...just get some aluminum wire, wrap it, and you'll be up and running in a flash...it happened to me...