Gen 5 battery

1315 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by 2K16/10r, Aug 29, 2016

2K16/10r

Discussion Starter · Aug 27, 2016

Any of the other fellow Gen 5 10r riders have a starting issue? as in a hard start.. takes a few extra "cranks" to get started. I addressed this issue with my local dealer and they said they contacted Kawasaki directly and the reason for the harder start on the 2016 model, stating I am not the only one with this concern, is because Kawasaki shrunk the battery.. and said my bike is fine and they would not recommend replacing it as there is no problem with my battery. I already tested the battery before hand and it did come back as a good battery, with engine off, gauges on, and under load running. If I'm correct, isn't this battery the same one that many bikes use, including previous year zx10r's. thank you for any input!

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kronos

· #2 · Aug 27, 2016

I've had the same problem with my Gen 5 on three or four occasions. Took several extra cranks and when it finally started up, it was idling real slow for a second or two before RPMs jumped to proper idle levels.

Having said that, I usually would just give it a little throttle or let off the starter and try again, with no further issues. I've been considering replacing my battery with a lithium battery, but I don't know what brand or model is best for Gen 5.

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2K16/10r

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 27, 2016

Yeah, I'm not too sure.. and thought I may have been the only one with the issue.. Kawasaki apparently reviewed my videos I sent them and said it was quite normal because they shrunk the size of the battery for the Gen 5, which I don't believe unless someone can confirm this. I was reading the preparation manual that comes with the bike when it arrives at the dealership (I saw this manual on this site earlier today actually) and it stated "make sure battery turns engine over and starts abruptly." Just curious as to if my dealership is pulling stuff outta their ass to not have to deal with me bringing it in. thanks for your reply Kronos.

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SkyDork

· #4 · Aug 27, 2016

Yes, and no. The battery wasn't shrunk down for the Gen 5. It was shrunk down for the Gen 4 from previous models, and it's the same battery on the Gen 5....

12v 6.0 ah battery (Gen 4 non-ABS)
12v 8.6 ah battery (Gen 4 ABS)
12v 8.6 ah battery (Gen 5 all models)

Your issue is quite normal and the Gen 4 guys have talked about it in the past. It is what it is and isn't really an issue other than the somewhat slower starts.

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Reactions: 2

scout

· #5 · Aug 28, 2016

get the shorai from motomummy as they'll send out the latest. Amazon sends out whatever and had prob with that shorai. The oem battery will fail so unless you want to not ride waiting for Good Times to take care of the battery after you push this bike home or whatever have the shorai ready to go. And PACK that tiny shorai in with the supplied pads. I didn't put enough pad in mine and the stupid battery came loose and slapped around long enough to pull the lead from the engine. I'm serious. i was stuck and had to call the wife to call me a tow. She remembers every fookin thing. Hope you get the point. lol

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kronos

· #6 · Aug 28, 2016

Good info, Scout. For anyone wondering, the Shorai model you'll need for the Gen 5 (according to their website) is the LFX19A4-BS12.

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dricked

· #7 · Aug 28, 2016

Check to see what your bike charges at before buying a nice battery. The manual says anything between 14.2-15.2 is acceptable. If your bike charges high like mine (14.8-9) you'll cook your fancy new battery in no time. I suspect it's because I have no lights and I could add a resistor I suppose but the stock battery is just less hassle for me.

FYI all these bikes turn over slow. I thought the same thing too but even starting with a battery charger connected the motor turns over slow. Just make sure it's holding a charge and I wouldn't worry about it if there's no other troubles.

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2K16/10r

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 29, 2016

Thanks to everyone who chimed in, I appreciate the feed back and the help. ill double check the charging voltage as dricked said and thanks for the specs skydork. and thanks scout for the recommendations!

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