Cripes! Terry - That just plain SUCKS!
I find this appalling to say the least. If grounding is a suspect cause, my less than electrically charged thoughts tend to lead me to the conclusion that those of us who have bikes with a few miles/years on them may benefit in taking a good, proactive look at the grounding connections to determine if there is any signs of corrosion or looseness that would adversely affect continuity, and those that take the time to check report their findings.
