[mattsz]

I will be purchasing a top quality AGM immediately.

Can't hurt to have a good battery, but I don't think your old battery is the problem here, so a new one won't fix it.

Please let us know what happens with your dealer...

[mickey]

The problem has been rectified with no damage to the motorcycle. The culprit, the ground wire was touching the positive terminal creating a short circuit when connecting to the negative terminal. All the wires have been insulated and the ground wire repositioned so that it cannot contact the positive terminal.

Thank you to everyone who responded with sound advice, I appreciate it.

[Arizoni]

It's a good idea to check out all of the wiring on Royal Enfields to see if any of them could possibly rub on the frame, engine or covers.

If they could rub, I suggest buying some lengths of 5/16" and 3/8" vinyl tubing.

Cut a piece of it long enough to cover the wires in the area and then slit it down one side from end to end.
Prying the slit tubing apart, it's easy to put the wires inside the tube which will now act as a super insulator and prevent any future contact.

[gavinfdavies]

I'm glad you've sorted it. I was about to suggest the same solution... don't ask me how I know... 

I think I connect the same wire as you to the wrong terminal. As I recall, the wire in question is something like an earth line from the reg rec or the battery box/frame. I mistook it for a positive feed to the reg reg, and so connected it to the positive terminal! OOOPS! Big sparks and melted wire. All sorted now, similar to you.

[mickey]

It's a good idea to check out all of the wiring on Royal Enfields to see if any of them could possibly rub on the frame, engine or covers.

If they could rub, I suggest buying some lengths of 5/16" and 3/8" vinyl tubing.

Cut a piece of it long enough to cover the wires in the area and then slit it down one side from end to end.
Prying the slit tubing apart, it's easy to put the wires inside the tube which will now act as a super insulator and prevent any future contact.

This is great, I will be doing this very soon.

I'm glad you've sorted it. I was about to suggest the same solution... don't ask me how I know... 

I think I connect the same wire as you to the wrong terminal. As I recall, the wire in question is something like an earth line from the reg rec or the battery box/frame. I mistook it for a positive feed to the reg reg, and so connected it to the positive terminal! OOOPS! Big sparks and melted wire. All sorted now, similar to you.

Gavin, you're spot on! I hope that it didn't cause too much damage to the wires, insulation and rectifier. Any irreversible damage that needs to be replaced?

[mevocgt]

Spring check list....

Battery
Tires
Wires
Mice.......

[gavinfdavies]

This is great, I will be doing this very soon.

Gavin, you're spot on! I hope that it didn't cause too much damage to the wires, insulation and rectifier. Any irreversible damage that needs to be replaced?

looks ok and has been running fine for months since

[hpwaco]

I found a black wire with a ring connector hanging near the positive battery terminal on my 14gt.  Thinking that it might need to be connected to the + battery post (although everything seemed to be working) I touched it to the + post and drew a large spark!   Fortunately nothing blew or burned up!  It is now covered with electrical tape an tie wrapped out of the way.  I have no idea where the other end of the wire goes as it disappears behind the airbox.  And again everything is working!

[Arizoni]

Black wires on a RE are almost always a ground wire.

Connecting it to the + battery terminal created a direct short to ground.

As long as the ground wire didn't over heat you probably didn't do any damage.

[matthewreichlin]

For anyone reading this for information, yes, there is a black wire with a ring that sure as heck looks like it should be connected to the positive.  From working on old bikes, there are often a few wires to connect, so it is natural to do so.  I had battery out for afew weeks and forgot how it came out, so came to the internet. Now I know. t hanks guys.
 

i think that is supposed to be connected to the frame maybe where the bracket bolts the battery in. 

I found a black wire with a ring connector hanging near the positive battery terminal on my 14gt.  Thinking that it might need to be connected to the + battery post (although everything seemed to be working) I touched it to the + post and drew a large spark!   Fortunately nothing blew or burned up!  It is now covered with electrical tape an tie wrapped out of the way.  I have no idea where the other end of the wire goes as it disappears behind the airbox.  And again everything is working!

[Alan France]

Have you checked that you havent attached the earth wire to the positive terminal? Its a stupid design but there is an earth which attaches to the battery cradle. It comes off when you release the bar which holds the battery in. It goes back with the screw to the battery bar when you put the battery back on. If you are not familiar with this its easy to attach the earth to the positive battery terminal with the lead and screw both to the battery terminal. Connecting the battery earth to the battery causes a dead short. Easy done. Why RE put a + ve and - ve wire together is beyond me. Its also beyond me why all motorcycle manufacturers make getting at the battery so difficult especially as most are laid up in the winter - in countries which have proper seasons!

[matthewreichlin]

Yes, that is exactly what he did.  Hope this helps anyone else with similar problem. 

[hpwaco]

I hadn't had the battery out when I discovered the suspect black wire.   Perhaps it was an oversight on the dealers (REFTW) part when they prepped the bike and installed an agm battery and charging pig tail.   I can't tell from my wiring diagram where the battery negative is connected to frame ground.[

[Arizoni]

I'm not sure where the heavy black ground wire attaches on the CGT but basically, all of the UCE motorcycles have two separate ground wires.  The heavy wire is for the starter motor ground and the small, lightweight wire is for all of the other electrical parts like the headlight, EPU, Fuel injector and its pump, the charging system, etc.

In theory, having a dedicated ground wire to all of these parts is a goodness.  Of course it becomes a real badness when the damn little ground wire loses its conductivity with the main heavy ground wire or the battery terminal.