need help choosing a battery

okay i purchased a basket case 77 kz1000 ltd a few months ago. it ran like crap and looked the same. ive since got it running halfway decent with one exception. the battery looks to be as old as the bike and is in need of a replacement. can you guys recommend replacements that offer good cranking amps, etc...? the bike has all original parts, except for a sidewinder and accel coils. would like to keep it as far under a $100 as i can.. many thanks

I both of my Kawasaki's(1977 K1000 and a 1982 GPz1100) I've used Yuasa batteries:

www.yuasabatteries.com/motorcycle.php

If you can get five years out of a motorcycle battery, consider yourself very lucky as the vibration is the main reason why they fail.

Also get yourself a motorcycle rated battery charger.If a car rated charger is used,it usually boils the battery fluid or warps the plates, ruining the battery.

Most bike batteries should not be charged over 1.25 amps. Myself,I've got a "Battery Tender" brand that keeps my battery fully charged.

Others are out there, so do some comparison shopping....

John, I dis-agree w/Mfolks in that I feel the single biggest cause of battery failure is setting partially/totaly discharged. Vibration of course is a factor, But so to,is the fact that since inception reulators/rectifiers on Zeds have been culprit... with age stators are also a factor to consider. batterys which see regular cycling (ie daily use) often go 10 years or better, Yuasa/Yumicron Is IMHOP the best opt.and, at @ 1/3rd the price a conventional "wet" battery better than a "maint.free" battery. I've both, & with 14 bikes in the shed living in "colorful colorado" I have a old Christy 5 port charger which I try to rotate batts on as i thnk of. A YB14L-A2 (properly serviced) used regularly, and trickle charged when not, is my recommendation for both price & longevity.G

i bought my battery from interstate batteries for a little over 50 buck for my gpz

i swear by the gel batteries from fast by gast.
they cost more but so far i'm 4 years on mine.
plus you can mount it sideways.
fastbygast.com/Catagories/Products/Description/Battery.asp

+1 on the gel
Got mine from Z1

got mine at wal mart.and it has a bought on date where they credit how many months are on the old one...it is on the receipt...cost 42 and they gave me back ten for my dead one.....


i like the fast by gast one...cool for a RR build imo...

at the time i had some bills and was broke so wal mart 35 bucks and i was riding again the same day

one other cool deal there is that they have a touch pad selection guide on the battery isle....

so while my gal wastes time with food and water and soap...

i can check the plugs/filters/batteries for my bikes and cars...and it turns out they had one in stock for each veh i own ( 8 different batteries all in stock)

when opportunity knocks