I just bought a 2001 Kawasaki Bayou 300 4x4 ATV. I've turned wrenches on all kinds of machines for nearly 50 years, but other than light work on my Mule, this is my first quad adventure. It was running when I got, but had brake, and carb leaking issues. Now all I have a neutral light, and it won't turn over at all. Nor do I have brake lights. Here's what I did. Removed an aftermarket winch, and it's solenoid. I pulled the fuel tank, air box, and carb. Replaced the 2 back brake cables, and shoes. Rebuilt the carb, and petcock. Cleaned the battery connections, and fixed a loose spliced wire connection at the ignition switch. Now it won't turn over. I know electrical, but I don't know a lot about ATV components, and safety switches.
So what might I have done fishing the brake cable, or working around the carb that may have caused this? Or what could have just gone bad, at a bad time? I have moved the kill switch to both positions, checked the fuse above the battery. I have not tried to jump the starter directly yet.

The thing bolted to the air box, I'm guessing a rectifier, was taken loose from the air box, but not disconnected. I've looked for loose plugs, and broken wires the best I could without taking the plastics off.

Any pointers will be greatly appreciated!!

 

Are you sure the battery is good? The only safety feature I know of is you have to be in neutral but if you have a neutral light on them you should be good

 

After taking a break, and thinking it over, I decided to run down the grounds. Right off the bat I found a ground wire that had become disconnected, and hidden. :-)
Runs great, no more carburetor leaks, and the petcock rebuild fixed it, (and saved me $75)! Took it out on my 37 acres, took a wrong turn and got a little lost, and hung up in the foothills of Eastern KY. Just another story to tell. I'm 58, but I haven't lost the teenager in me. LOL

 

Congrats. Sometimes it's good to get a little lost

 

I have to learn the woods one way or another. 😊