I have a 2001 Big Bear. When I turn the key on nothing happens no lights at all. The fuses check out and the battery is good. I was riding stopped to walk a minute got back on and starter would not work. Got it started by the recoil starter. Any ideas. It seems like a connection is not being made. The headlights will not come on but once cranked with the recoil starter they come on.

 

The fuses are good? The connections at the battery are clean, shiney and tight?
How did you come to the conclusion that the batery is good? was it load tested?

 

If the fuses and battery are ok the next step i'd take is to unplug the key switch from the harness, and check the connector on the harness for voltage between the terminals and ground. I'm going to assume the big bear has the same setup as my warrior. There will be 4 contacts on the plug, 2 should have 12 volts between the contact and ground, and 2 shoud be cold.

 

Yes the battery was load tested.

 

Okay here is the latest. I reinstalled the battery and turned the key and power came on. However when I push the starter button there is a noise like a breaker flipping near the battery and nothing happens except all power is gone again. No head lights or dash lights. If I unistall the battery and reinstall it comes back on again. Is it possessed.

 

You have a dirty/corroded connection somewhere. Take apart all the connections for the battery cables and clean them good, and reinstall them. I'm pretty sure that's what your problem is, i've had the same problem on my recon and my warrior before.

 

Sounds like it might be a bad ground making intermintant contact. Try tracing the ground wire coming off the battery and see if everything is tight.