About 200 yards from my house the ignition fuse (10 Amp) blew.
I pushed home and replaced the fuse with the spare . Bike started and ran for about a minute before it blew again.
I disconnected a phone charger and battery voltage monitor that runs direct from the battery and put the parking light fuse into the ignition fuse . Turned on the ignition and it blew straight away before the instrument dash even came on .

I started the bike yesterday to check the oil level must have run for around 5 mins , starting several times ..

The only thing that has changed since I last rode it was I charged the battery , I really have no idea at all even where to start.. any ideas ?

Thanks for the reply, I am still investigating. The one thign I am trying to figure out is all the things that run from fuse 4 , from this thread http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?p=214705 I see it may be

"There are quite a number of components take a feed off ignition fuse 4: starter relay (trigger), ECU, start inhibit relay (trigger), engine stop switch, instruments, immobiliser and cooling fan relay (trigger). The ECU, instruments and cooling fan relay are highly unlikely to be the issue, but it could be any of the causing the issue. "

Scott, (how are you by the way - well I hope)

I'd go with checking the main wiring loom under the tank, the big fat one that runs up the right side of the frame (as you sit on the bike). The older bikes had this tied a bit too tight and it rubs on the frame.

You'll need to take the tank off, and even so it's a tight job unless you have miniature hands....

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Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Have a good look for abraded wiring first as GULG says. 99% of all blowing fuse problems can be attributed to short circuits/short to ground.

Failing that, start with the simple things:

1) Does it blow as soon as you turn the ignition on when the engine stop switch is in the OFF position? If, by chance it doesn't blow in the off position, then the engine stop switch and wiring needs a further look.

2) Pull out the fan relay - you don't need it to start. If the fuse doesn't blow, then investigate the fan circuit.

3) Disconnect the fuel pump from under the tank. Turn the ignition on. If the fuse holds then suspect the fuel pump.

Relays can be tested with a multimeter if you unplug them both for continuity and resistance. Its all in the official workshop manual. However, the easiest way to check them is to borrow someone's running bike and swap them over one by one.

When this problem has come up before it's more often than not been a wiring short, but I have known one starter/main relay be at fault and a few fuel pumps.

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My nephew had the same problem on his R and it was the wiring loom, it had rubbed through by the headstock, every time he turned the bars to the left it earthed out on the frame and blew the fuse

Thanks all for the help. Hmm interesting thought about what happens if I turn the handlebar .. I will let you know what i find

Fixed. What I found was the wires from the kill switch were routed along the clutch cable, this goes on the rights hand side under the tank. Every time you pulled in the clutch it would rub a bit. 60K miles later it rubbed through.

Thanks all for the help ..