Some Starter / Wiring Questions

I'm looking for more CCA's to turn over my 1260cc's. Is there a specific battery that can be installed with little or no modification? Removing the small plastic liner in the batter box would help a little, and there's room to go higher for sure. Just wondering if anyone has done a mod like this yet? I've seen a lot of the FBG batteries but most are mounted in the swingarm. I don't think he has one that would fit into a stock KZ1000 battery box.

Also, I want to install heavier wiring from the relay to the starter. What gauge is good to run and where can I get terminals to fit? I'd probably have to solder the terminals?? Any good info out there on this stuff?

Thanks!

6 gauge welding cable is very flexible and can be bought at any good welding supply stores. What came with the bike is around 8 gauge(American Wire Gauge goes backwards to what people think,I.E. 22 gauge is very small while 6 gauge is many,many times larger in diameter).

A good battery shop should be able to crimp on the correct size wire terminations for you. I'd call around and see what prices are.


Having clean and tight electrical connections is the best way for maximum current flow to the starter circuit.

If your starter solenoid is marginal, take it along and visit the local riding lawnmower shops. The dealer wants about $100 for a new solenoid but at the lawnmower shops it might be under $20. Some minor wiring and mounting mods might be needed to make it work,but it's far cheaper this way. Sears and John Deere would be where I'd try first and then Toro.

If you're worried about keeping the polarity straight on the Positive and Negative wiring, get some red heatshrink tubing or red tape and mark the new cables this way.

Most Kawasaki's have the Negative(-) battery terminal going to and engine mounting bolt with the Positive(+) battery terminal going to the starter solenoid and from it to the starter motor.

Thanks for the tips. There's a shop here locally that makes all kinds of batteries - hopefully they can help with the cable too.

i always use no2 or 4 welding cable for my leads the cable is very fine guage strand so it will carry alot more current than standard issue battery cables from the factory in fact a lot of the cable i use is left over from winch installs that i have done over the years.

I searched "welding cable" on eBay to get an idea of what I'm looking for and a lot of good items came up. I see they have red and black cable available. Hopefully I can find it locally. I just need to figure out what gauge to get. I'd like to go as big as possible and still be able to connect properly sized terminals and also I'd like the cable to fit into the channel on the engine where it runs to the starter.