Hi everyone, newbie here.

My bike: '05 Ninja 636 - bought new, owned nearly 3 years, 12K miles

Issue: Until this past November my bike had never gone more than a week or so between rides (lived in Florida and rode year round). Now I live up in the DC area and my bike has been sitting in my garage for the last 3 months or so in it's first true winter. Obviously, the battery is dead and the bike won't start. (And before everyone asks, no, I didn't "winterize" it at all, but I'll just claim not knowing any better as this is my first motorcycle.)

I downloaded the service manual off the forum and borrowed a friend's trickle charger, and began working to get to the battery. My question is, do I really have to completely remove the gas tank just to charge it? That seems like overkill just for my purposes. I can of course see the battery once I remove the front seat and side panels, but only the negative terminal is accessible. I really don't want to have to deal with fuel spillage. Being three years old am I probably going to have to replace the battery anyway?

Note on my mechanical ability: I know it sounds bad, but I'm one of those guys who takes their bike to the dealer for maintenance every few K miles, and I've never done anything more advanced then changing the oil and filter. I don't feel I'm mechanically retarded, but if I don't know what I'm doing then I'm very timid about trying to do it myself (especially considering that simply riding my ninja is dangerous enough as it is without me potentially screwing something up that could result badly).

Thanks for any advice in advance.

Steven

 

well you are unfortunatley going to have to remove the fuel tank....[] i say this because there is a bar that goes perpendicular underneath the tank that is right over the middle of the battery...idk about you but that battery pretty big and i would have to say that you couldn't get the battery out even if you tried...

so you will have to remove the fuel tank then replace the battery...my only suggestion is that you make sure to put down a black big plastic garbage bag underneath the hoses of the fuel tank then put a couple towles over that...then to the advice of the service manual take off the hoses make sure to pick up all the fuel if any leaks at all immediatly!!!

then keeping the fuel tank level place it on a level surface with some towels incase of leaks...

and then do what you gotta do...i would also suggest that if you had the bike in storage for awhile to not only check the battery but also check the spark plugs etc... to make it one trip killing two birds with one stone as they say...

 

to charge it, no, you can just unbolt the tank from the sides and top and under the seat and prop it up a few inches with a board, just enough to get a charger in there but, make sure the clamps are well insulated incase you tap the tank with it hooked to the battery.

3 months tho, just replace the battery, guaranteed it will not hold a charge.

even to remove the battery, you can do it without completlt removing the tank.

 

i know, i know you get what you pay for. but i have the same/identical problem. where can i get a good replacement battery for around 50 bucks or less for a 04 ninja 500?? i've heard wal mart, but havent got around to going there.

 

I just got a new one from autozone, I think it was $45. Justtake your old one in with you so they can get part numbers, and they will take your old one so you dont have to worry about disposing of it.