Lights Out

[Faz]

BLUF - No indications when key is turned on.

I am the proud new owner of a, previously, very exposed and beach air corroded GZ250. All chrome and non-painted surfaces show corrosion. She now resides in CO, which I am sure will cause it to require all kinds of adjustments to the carb once I finally get it to crank.

THE EPISODE: I charged batt (boxed, never used, yet ordered by prev owner in 2013); turned on key; headlight, neutral light, etc. lit up; pressed start button and....nothing. I did hear a small click coming from the direction of the starter relay, yet preliminary tests seem to indicate that it is bad.

I've never seen anything light up on the bike since "the episode."

ASSUMPTIONS: Every damn electrical connector on the bike needs to be cleaned. Start relay is bad. Battery is bad as it showed ~10.5v shortly after "the episode." Also, when I charge it, it quickly drops to ~10.5v once hooked up. Prob, on top of everything else, a gremlin draining the battery somewhere.

QUESTION: Should I get "dash" indications even if start relay is bad? It would seem to me that I should. Shouldn't I get a neutral light even with ~10.5v on battery assuming my neutral switch is functional?



I've downloaded all manuals provided in the forum; thanks for that! I have a feeling this bike is going to make a spark chaser out of me.

Anyone care to take a guess at the problem? I'm off to get some electrical connector cleaner, a start relay and a new battery.