Why are my lights getting dim and my gauges flicking to zero!!?!!?

I had an issue with a broken highway peg.  After I replaced the peg I took the bike out for a spin and all was well.

Two days later I took a cruise up to Fontana, WI from Crystal Lake to check of the lake at night.   On the way the bike sounded like it was sputtering a bit and the horn sounded really funny.  I assumed the horn or the switch was going bad.  After i took a walk I hopped back on and the bike barely started,  I assumed the battery must have been going out and made a note to check it.  I moved the bike then parked again to chuck my extra keys in a saddle bag.  Big mistake!  The bike wouldn't turn over.

I tried push starting it but I was having trouble getting enough speed with all my gear.  After ditching my helmet and jacket I was able to get started but realized my attempts at starting had used up what little juice I had left.  Determined to get home or closer to home while I had her running I took off.  I was still thinking it was a bad battery but rev'ing the bike just made the gauges go dim and the needles sputter to zero.  Trying to use the turn signals was caused the gauges to drop out and the headlights to dim.  I realized I had no charging system. :-(



I pushed on cursing my inability to turn off the headlight which was killing what juice I still had.  Had it been daylight I would have tried unplugging the bulb but I wasn't sure I'd get started again if I stopped so I took back roads and got up as much speed as possible and then killed the motor with the key to cut the headlight.

This is stupid and I don't recommend it but it was a full moon and I could see very well so I would just coast until I lost enough speed I was a afraid I would stop and then would hit the key and slip the clutch to get the motor started.  I surprisingly made it the whole way from Fontana back to Harvard and was 1/4 mile from home when I couldn't get the motor to stay running.  Luckily I had enough momentum to coast.

Once I got a chance to look online I was googling the many harley forums on how to test a evolution Sportster stator charging system.  Luckily I found a post that said there is a pigtail in the front of the motor that can come unplugged.   I went back out and checked and sure enough it was disconnected.  I must have bumped it enough when trying to fix the pegs that it disconnected.  I plugged it in and push started it once more and ran it a few miles to charge the battery and it's been fine since.

Next time I have a charging issue I'm checking the pigtail first before barreling home with no headlights.