Looking for a new battery - What do you suggest?

[FastPlastic]

So for the second year in a row my ZX7R ninja battery is dead. Last year I picked up a Wal-Mart battery for $60. Looking elsewhere they want at least $75 for a replacement that only has a 3 month warranty. I only paid $50 for my new truck battery. Anyone have any ideas what else I could use? If it's going to be a yearly thing I want something cheap. Otherwise anyone know of a battery that will last me a few years? I listed the bike specs below.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX7R
Also known as ZX750-P
750CC
Battery: 12V 10A

[Red_Liner740]

You should ask yourself why is it eating batteries? are you storing the bike during winter, and if so, are u removing the battery and/or keeping it on a tender?

perhaps check the voltage from the Regulator Rectifier? maybe u're cooking the battery with too much voltage?

[Clev]

My father-in-law's generator ate batteries every year because it sat all summer and was dead by winter. We put a Battery Tender on the battery and the most recent one (also 12V 10Ah) has lasted three years so far. The Tender also has a plug you can wire directly onto the battery so you can plug it in without having to remove as much body work.

It's pretty much a given if you're storing it for winter, or only take lots of very short trips where the battery isn't getting charged enough.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by FastPlastic

Anyone have any ideas what else I could use?

A Yuasa battery and a battery tender.
It'll be cheaper in the long run

Mine has taken 7 years of abuse while I had it - and it went on for a few more years after I got rid of the bike.
In the beginning I had no battery tender, so the battery drained every time the bike stood still for weeks or months on end.
It's been revived quite a few times before I finally got myself a battery tender (drip-charging) and moved the battery indoors during winter.

[Ryland]

Even with the best brand of battery, if you neglect it or abuse it you will have it only last a few years, neglect includes letting it sit for a month or more without putting a charge on it, abuse would include letting the battery run dead, a battery tender will keep the battery lasting longer and will be well worth the money, the other option is to go out and start up your motorcycle once a month, starting it up and letting it warm up fully is a good idea because it gets the oil warmed up so the moisture cooks out of it, it gets fuel moving and can prevent it from turning to varnish, letting it warm up fully also will get the battery charged.
worst thing you can do is take the battery out and let it sit on a cold cement floor, reason for this is that the bottom will be cold and the rest of the battery will be warm, I'm not sure if the acid stratifies or what happens but a battery on a cement floor for months at a time will almost always be junk.

[alvaro84]

The longest stop this winter was ~6 weeks because it took some time to get a new belt sprocket and get it replaced. That Yuasa still got so weak it couldn't start the engine more than once. It was less than 2 years old
Last winter it survived another 6 week break because of snowy weather without any complaint, I could FAS whole year without any problem.
I hate to dismember Teresa enough to remove the battery (that left fairing is a PITA to put back) but I won't let its successor to discharge this long anymore. Is it possible to recharge it while it's still in the bike?

[Clev]

The Battery Tender comes with a plug that you wire onto the battery terminals. Then just run that to someplace that's not immediately visible, but is accessible without having to disassemble the bike. That way, you can recharge it while it's sitting. In fact, if you're FASing, I would even put it on the Tender for a couple of hours every weekend just to keep it topped off.

[Christ]

You can also get a charger that plus into a 12v socket. Install one on the bike to use for GPS, cell phone charger, etc.... Then use it w/the charger when you're not riding.

[FastPlastic]

Thanks for the input guys. I went ahead and spent a little more on a pre-filled/charged AGM battery with a 1 year warranty. I don't want to take my chances screwing up the first charge so they take care of that for me. It did sit in the bike for a few months out in the cold before I brought it in. I would love to start it up once in a while over winter, but she just won't hardly crank under about 30F(no heated garage here). Last few years prior to this battery she just sat the same way, but I guess we did see some warmer weather once in a while. Guess I'll make sure to take the battery out and bring her inside to charge next year.

Now we'll have to see if she will start when the battery arrives(another one of my problems). Took her to the shop last year because she wouldn't start. They got her running but didn't say anything about what was wrong. Tried to start her this past winter and the same thing was going on. She'll crank like none other, but never turn over, won't even cough. One thing I noticed when I took her apart last year was I had oil on two of the spark plugs. Is it possible it's filling two of the cylinders and that's whats causing it to not start? I know if I let it sit for a week or two it would barely start and the first mile or so she would sound like a V-twin.

[Red_Liner740]

You're flooding the cylinders thats why it wont start...

Kawis are notorious for not wanting to turn on or idle when cold....my zx7 i have to crank the choke all the way on, then play with the idle screw on the side for 5 min while cranking before it will fire up and idle properly...sometimes i flood the engine and thats it, gotta let it sit for a few hours to dry out the spark plugs.