Sporty wouldn't start, just made clicking noises. Thought batt terminals might be loose, so cleaned + tightened them. Nothin got shorted, but now, instrument lites won't even come on when I turn the key. What'd I do?

 

sounds like your battery is dead.
does your headlamp dim when you press the starter button?
do you have a multimeter?

 

Yep, sounds like you've got no charge.

 

Check battery voltage. Report back.

 

Battery reads 12.54 VDC + as I said, the instrument lites won't even come on now.

 

If you removed the wires to clean ,
you may have missed putting one back on

 

It's only got 1 wire to each of the terminals (not counting the tender jumpers).

 

It's only got 1 wire to each of the terminals (not counting the tender jumpers). Gotta be somethin else, think I'll start checkin out the ignition switch.

 

Start with checking the main fuse.

 

3x check your connections and make sure they are nice and snug with grease, check your voltage and prepare to buy a new battery and charge it before installing. Better buying a new one so you don't waste time while fooling around with the probably dead one.