My first post.

I just got my bike few days before Thanksgiving. It's a Ninja 250 2005 model. Dark blue and 6000 miles.
My question is where can I check to see if it is a 2005 model? I want to make sure because I need to purchase a new battery for it. Apparently there is a difference in battery up till 2005. 2006 and up has different kind. Is there a VIN number somewhere on the bike or some ID to tell the year make?

Oh and does anyone know where I can get a reasonable deal on a battery? I check at a dealer and they charge 100+. I saw a few online and they run for about 50 dollars.

Thanks

 

Is the VIN and year not on the title?

 

The title would be the first place I would look. If its not handy, the frame usually has a placard with the vin and the year.

 

Welcome to KF

The title and the ID plate on the frame will have that info.
You could always pull the old battery and take the info of that battery to your local battery shop, auto shop, motorcycle shop, etc.

 

the year will be on the vin tag on the steering stem it's part of the vin#. as far as battery go to walmart. they have MC batteries and a neat little cross referencing computer in the battery isle. welcome to KF

 

I bought my last battery at autozone, they were on sale around this time last year.

 

Count the digits in the VIN number (there should be 17), from left to right go to the tenth digit. That's the year code. If it's an '05 model then it will be a 5, if it's an '04 it will be a 4, and so on.

Pre 2001 use letters instead of numbers. Y is a 2000, X is a 1999, etc. There are no "O"s, "0"s, or "Q"s to keep confusion to a minimum.

While we're talking about it...

The first letter is the country code, the second is the manufacturer code. So our bikes VIN's will all start with "JK". A Yamaha is "JY" a Honda "JH", etc.

As for batteries, the prices have skyrocketed in the last year. Every shipment of batteries I've gotten in has come with a price hike. I'm told that it is due to China's demand for natural resources (lead and plastic) AND batteries as they become a larger consumer nation. Whatever the reason I know our cost on batteries has in many cases doubled and then some. FWIW the way any manufacturer makes their batteries less expensive is to obviously cut back on the amount of lead and plastic used to make them, which ultimately leads to a shorter life span and increased risk of outer case failure.

Yuasa has long been one of the, if not the acknowledged leaders in powersports batteries as well as the battery of choice of most motorcycle shops due to better warranties and the ease of getting a warranty claim handled. Right now they are also one of the more pricey brands. But there are several distributors that contract with them to make their in house batteries. Parts Unlimited's branded battery, the Fire Power brand and the Bikers Choice brand are three that immediately come to mind. I'm told that they are made to the same specifications, but... The handful that I've looked at seem real close visually and weight wise but I haven't got enough of them in service yet to really get much feed back from the owners yet.

Bruce

 

On Australian bikes the compliance plate is on the head stock. The compliance plate has the VIN on it.

This photo shows the compliance plate (just visable) in front of the mfd. by Kawasaki plate.



This closer shot shows the plate a little better



Cheers

 

the photos didn't show the VIN I'm not that stupid





what is photos disabled or something? jeez trying to help someone you know **** it im outta here