Flat as a Tack

[billwest]

I have a battery that did service in my ZZR for 2 years, before giving up the ghost in that one. I then installed it in my ZRX where it worked fine for another 3 years.
A couple of weeks ago it started to hesitate, so I charged it up. At the same time I charged up a Motobatt battery that had failed to keep a charge in my ZZR about a year ago.

Anyway, today I rode the ZRX to lunch in Karagullen (WA), and all was fine. I left there around 1:30pm and paid a brief visit to Motorcycle Masters in Kewdale. When I wanted to leave there, the starter wouldn't turn over. I said "WTF" a number of times, but that didn't help. MM has a spare battery floating around, but that was not sufficiently charged to get me going.

Anyway, #2 son had to collect me, drive me to the city for urgent business as dictated by SWMBO, and then drive me back to MM.
He had brought with him the little battery starter pack that I bought a year ago and had never used. Connected, and it fired right up! Marvellous little item!

When I got home, I switched off, and tried to start again. No go. "WTF", I said.

I removed the offending battery, checked the voltage across the terminals (13.2V) and just for the hell of it, put the Motobatt (12.4V) in. Guess what? It started.
I guess the offending battery is simply rooted, or in layman's terms, it no longer works properly.

[billwest]

Yesterday at the bike shop the lousy battery only measured 5V across the terminals.
This morning, the Motobatt wouldn't fire up the bike.

Buying an SSB Glass Matt battery today...

[BrettZZR]

Sometimes batteries fail when the internal spotwelds on the lead straps fail. This can result in perfect voltage readings on the meter, but not even able to light up the smallest bulb, or zero volts, or anything in between...

I had it happen to a sub-1-year-old battery. Damn nearly dropped the mighty Ruby push starting it on Reid Highway! |~8

(-:

[bonester]

Original batteries are amazing- i got 7 years out of my original ZRX battery and it still JUST started the bike. Over 9 years on my ER6n. These were Yuasa and another brand I can't recall. Cheapo batteries since get nowhere near the life.

[billwest]

I wasn't too impressed with Kawasaki's original choice of batteries (Yuasa).
I mean, in the ZZR the original one only lasted 9 years, and in the ZRX only 8 years.



On a more serious note, I couldn't find the SSB I wanted (out of stock). The Motobatt is still firing it up. I might see how long it lasts instead.

[billwest]

Well, forget about that one.
The Motobatshit is totally faarked today.