Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual: Battery

Kawasaki Ninja Owners Manual / Maintenance and adjustment / Battery

The battery installed in this motorcycle is a sealed type, so it is not necessary to check the battery electrolyte level or add distilled water.

The sealing strip should not be pulled off once the specified electrolyte has been installed in the battery for initial service.

However, in order to maximize battery life and ensure that it will provide the power needed to start the motorcycle you must properly maintain the battery’s charge. When used regularly, the charging system in the motorcycle helps keep the battery fully charged. If your motorcycle is only used occasionally or for short periods of time, the battery is more likely to discharge.

Due to their internal composition, batteries continually self discharge.

The discharge rate depends on the type of battery and ambient temperature.

As temperature rises, so does the discharge rate. Every 15°C (59°F) doubles the rate.

Electrical accessories, such as digital clocks and computer memory, also draw current from the battery even when the key is switched off. Due to a combination of such “key-off” draws and hot temperature, a battery can go from fully charged to completely discharged in a matter of days.


In extremely cold weather the fluid in an inadequately charged battery can easily freeze, which can crack the case and buckle the plates. A fully charged battery can withstand sub-freezing temperature with no damage.

Tire Wear, Damage
As the tire tread wears down, the tire becomes more susceptible to puncture and failure. An accepted estimate is that 90% of all tire failures occur during the last 10% of tread life (90% worn). ...

Battery Sulfation
A common cause of battery failure is sulfation. Sulfation occurs when the battery is left in a discharged condition for an extended time. Sulfate is a normal by product of the chemical reactions ...

Other materials:

Ignition Switch/Steering Lock
This is a three-position, key-operated switch. The key can be removed from the switch when it is in the OFF or LOCK position. A. Ignition Switch/Steering Lock B. ON position C. OFF position D. LOCK position NOTE The tail, city and license plate lights are on whenever the ignition key i ...

Cleaning Vehicle before Disassembly
Clean the vehicle thoroughly before disassembly. Dirt or other foreign materials entering into sealed areas during vehicle disassembly can cause excessive wear and decrease performance of the vehicle. Arrangement and Cleaning of Removed Parts Disassembled parts are easy to confuse. Arrange ...

Special Tools
Bearing Puller: 57001-135 Head Pipe Outer Race Press Shaft: 57001-1075 Steering Stem Nut Wrench: 57001-1100 Bearing Driver Set: 57001-1129 Steering Stem Bearing Driver, 42.5: 57001-1344 Steering Stem Bearing Driver Adapter, 41.5: 57001-1345 Head Pipe Outer Race Driver, 55: 57001- ...