KZ250 Electrical/Starting Issues

Hi all,

First time posting to a forum like this.

I recently broke my foot and decided it was time to have a go at a project bike. Picked up an already bobbed Kawasaki KZ250 was all going really well, doing minor mods and tinkering whenever I had a chance. Today the bike lost power and I pulled over and it seems I have an electrical issue, here are the clues I've figured out:

-Horn still has power
-Neutral light works and is on, however when I hit the start button it dies out
-Indicators do not work, neither does head lamp or any other breaks.
-All 3 fuses in the fuse box are intact, however middle fuse doesn't have power running to it.

The only sign of life I have is the neutral light, it's helping keep my hopes alive.

Anyone have any ideas where I should start? I am pretty new to this whole thing but pick things up quick and understand basic electrics.

I was thinking CDI or ignition unit but don't really know how to test this..

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Could test for a battery issue by jumping to a good automotive battery, but if the automotive battery is in a vehicle, the vehicle MUST NOT BE RUNNING while jumped to the bike battery. Because the running vehicle's charging system will fry the bike battery.

Good Fortune!

The battery is a good place to start. If you cannot or are uncomfortable jumping it, you can take the battery to most automotive parts stores and get it load tested. If it is at all weak, replace it.
Those old glass tube fuses can trick you. They can look fine, but be broken internally where it is hard or impossible to see. If in doubt, pluck it out and replace.
Check the battery cables at both ends to insure that the connections are really clean and tight.
If all that checks out, then there may be a loose or broken connection in the wiring or switches. You will need a multimeter, some Deoxit D5, small brass brushes and maybe some q-tips. The wiring diagram in the fsm will also be of great help. Drink an extra glass of patience before starting, and be very thorough. It ain't rocket science, but it can get tedious.

yes I got the multimeter out today, originally showed 12.5-13V but then as soon as I hit the start switch it dropped to 2V and then wouldn't go back above 10.5V.

After leaving it for a while it was above 12 again but as soon as I tried doing anything, it would just die.

Leads me to think it's the battery so will try doing a jump tomorrow

Thanks for the heads up, will be giving this a go tomorrow