Originally posted on Zx-14 Mtc. earlier today but am posting here as well-hoping to get some ideas or feedback before I end up sending it to dealership:

...went to take the bike out for a ride but the speedo & tach did not sweep and there seems to be a dead LCD display. The lights seem to be working fine and and I am hearing (I think the fuel pmp?) some noise but no chance of it starting. Emerg lights working as are running lights, horn and alarm. I'm charging it now in case the battery is down (hasn't been out in a few weeks) but I'm concerned that a mouse may have gotten in there.

since this post have cecked the battery connection and all is tight.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

That alarm has to draw current all the time to function. And too, how was that alarm hooked to? Fuel pump? Plugs? See where I am going with this.

So, disable the alarm. We have spark?

I have alarms on both my bikes.....if I don't leave them hooked up to battery tenders, the alarms will draw the batteries down so low in a couple of weeks of sitting that they won't start either. Get a battery tender

Thanks to you both. There seems to be power enough for everything else on the bike but I'll try an overnight charge with the trickle charger and we'll see how we do.

Well, the good news is that I have a very chaged battery.
You can guess the bad news. I'll take a look at the fuses tomorrow in the daylight.
Is there a fuse that would control the LCD display, tach/speedo and ability to start the bike?
I've got over 35,000 on this '06 and this is the first problem I've had...good thing as I'm obviously not very mechanically inclined!

Remove the seat. At the tail end, you'll see the fuse boxes. The fuse will have a metal U in the plastic. Pull them out to look. They install either direction. Match numbers to the slot. Pull them one at a time so you know which returns to where. If you see the U gone, looking up at some light source, they are just two prongs not hooked together; most likely that fuse burned out. Some slots hold spares. So replace with the same amp rating.

If you have an old spark plug, pull the spark stick out. First, press the tab down on the spark stick. Then twist the spark stick and pull straight up in a two step removal. Then clip the harness back on the spark stick. Install the plug. Ground the plug to the engine. Hit the starter and watch for spark.

To reverse process, push the clip off the stick. Obviously remove the test plug. Press the spark stick back down with a good straight push down and listen to the pin click over the threads of the plug so the spark stick is sent home. Twist the stick so you can install the harness clip back on. Reinstall the fairing parts.

If you have spark, it might be fuel. Doubt it would be compression for it not to start. So, you are more in the process of elimination by watching spark, knowing you have gas in the tank and compression completes the loop of the 3 components you need to start the bike/car/lawnmower/etc.

Checked the fuses...did all the above. There is power, just not on the LCD, guages or to start. Looks like it will have to go in. grrrrrr
Will let you know what they find. Thanks again.

Mice...it was mice. They're working on it now.
They've been building a development just North of my house and all sorts of wildlife has been displaced this summer.
They have even managed to get in the house and hide my dogs food in the walls of the stove...caused a fire in the stove!
Seems to be under control now. Bike was the last victim.
Thanks again.

* Last updated by: ZXNV on 11/13/2009 @ 9:20 PM *

Thanks for sharing the fix ZX, I've only heard of the mice/wiring problem a couple times in my life lol. Thats a rare one indeed Glad you found the prob tho

Shop called today and notified me it was 5 hours labor for the clean up & repair. Including the new Michelins & oil change on the bike, the bill is in excess of $1200.00 (Cdn). Mechanic advised that WD-40 of all things carefully sprayed in a few strategic places can help to ward off mice. This was not an experience I'm willing to repeat.

Those were some expensive mice.