Maxim 650 wont turn over

I bought an 1983 XJ650 Maxim a little ago from the original owner, right way electrical problems started popping up even though the previous owner never had any issues...

First off the battery got fully drained sitting overnight with the key in park (my bad). Charged up the battery (3 week old battery), replaced fuses, and it started right up. Rode about an hour and the bike literally died under me - headlights got very dim, and turn signals stopped working, then dead. A friend replaced the stater, I got a new battery, and again started right up. Finally got the bike home, and rode it in to work the next day, again got about an hour of riding and it died under me. Now the bike is home, I've charged the batteries with my trickle charger, checked the fuses, but it's not even turning over. Brake light comes on, turn signals will turn on but not blink, no horn, nothing else.

I am very new to working on a bike by myself (Dad used to do it for me and I would 'help), so I am not sure where to go from here. I've called a shop, but I would really like to see what I can figure out on my own, especially if it turns out to be an easy fix.

Advice?

 

First, welcome to the club... you will like it here.
Second, don't trust the previous owner.
Third, do NOT take your bike to a shop.
Fourth, be patient, recommissioning an old XJ requires patience, time and a few $$$.
Fifth, read this for starters:
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-information-overload-hour.27544/

 

do a voltage drop test on battery see what voltage drops to when you press starter button

sounds like a charging system problem check battery voltage a 2k rpm

even new batterys can be bad