The ZX12 was a one of a kind frame design... hence the battery location... a good price to pay for the awesome power though
@ktm6404 жыл бұрын
I think the point is being missed here. The battery takes 10 mins to access because the petrol tank is situated where the battery would normally be. This is all done to keep the centre of gravity low to improve handling. The ZX12R even after 20 years is still one of the fastest bikes out there.
@Premises18712 жыл бұрын
It really pisses me off when basic consumables like (batteries, airfilter, oil filter) are in difficult to reach places.
@ramonrosado37 жыл бұрын
Yea it is a pain to get that off. Which is why it "should" have a positive battery terminal jumper that comes out. Also let's not forget that mounting the battery lower will lower the bikes CG, which improves handling characteristics, and that's important on a bike that already weighs 500+ lbs. Quick tip for you ZX12R owners, leave the bolt that requires all that extra dismantling off the next time. It's plenty secure with the 5 bolts that remain.
@davespragg45707 жыл бұрын
just looking at the following comments on a simple job, changing a battery on a 12R. what a load of wyning wimps just because it's a little bit difficult to get to it. when you want improved handling etc you have to trade one thing over another and getting the battery as low as possible is one improvement. I do my own maintenance as it's one of the joys of owning a absolute beasty of a bike. my 12R is now 14 yrs old but will piss over a lot of today's bikes with ease and thats one reason why I love it. why moan about a small maintenance job when the kick you get out of owning and riding a 12R is so rewarding. Doing the jobs yourself is rewarding too and also you know its been done right. There is very little i won't tackle myself.I have a 9R as well but the 12R is always my favourite. As soon as you go past 6000 rpm the surge forward is a real adrenaline rush, can't get enough. So stop moaning and get over it, just do it.
@Mightynr17 жыл бұрын
How does the 9 compare to the 12 in size, especially in kneespacing. I've had a 9 and could just get my knees in the kneesparing (is that a word?). Does the 12 have more room or is it about the same?
@ZMagic9712 жыл бұрын
This is a great example of what I tell people when they ask my why I really like Honda: they have their engineering department all lined up. They make a reliable bike, and when the time comes for any type of maintenance, they make it as painless as possible.
@Mrjoseph236 жыл бұрын
I prefer to use wps lithium battery. Worked pretty good for my zx12r
@twotalljarhead7 жыл бұрын
45 minutes! is something wrong with you hands
@dorrellk74717 жыл бұрын
PorkEatingCrusader took me 45 minutes my first time but after that it shouldn't be more than 5-10 minutes once you know what you are doing
@Bill.Papadakis7 жыл бұрын
lifting the tank?
@soishoro4 жыл бұрын
I need 10-15 min for that. no big deal When seat on 12r you fell the power. Best bike and afret 20 years. 😎🤘
@tysoncott74024 жыл бұрын
Kawi definately addressed alot of the 12R’s maintenance woe’s with the zx-14, its similar but easier then the 12R’s, the 12’s are still a good machine though.
@ajsmotolife56416 жыл бұрын
The ZX12 is a very special bike with a lot of cutting edge stuff built into it, I think they designed the frame then realized they still needed to put the battery somewhere. Most Kwaks have it under seat like normal.
@Next7x75 жыл бұрын
Improve the brand he says. The ZX12r is engineered to compete among the best bikes in the world at the time and it was 1st or 2nd during its tenure but the battery is harder to reach than a Honda so I guess I need to complain to the internet . Put in a trickle charger port if it’s that big of a deal and stfu
@kenoncagle31702 жыл бұрын
Not to mention the freaking brake reservoir
@BulvaiHammersson7 жыл бұрын
By contrast, my Honda Pacific Coast required seven fairings and body panels to be removed and far more of the overall bike disassembled as a result to be able to access the innermost terminal of the battery. A terminal, I might add, that you could *see* just by opening the luggage compartment, but that no tool could safely reach without the aforementioned disassembly. A battery tender extender was a flat requirement, full stop. And my kawasaki versys just requires seat removal same as your VFR.
@ross55066 жыл бұрын
Well they fixed that problem with the ZX14, unreal takes me 5 mins on my ZX14, it's too bad they didn't keep the look of the 12R one of best ever looking bike.
@deanjet12 жыл бұрын
Imagine how much weight Kawasaki could save if they simplified the design.
@kenoncagle31702 жыл бұрын
Absolutely!!!! Love my bike but for goodness Sakes it’s a pain in the Ass to work on!!!!
@2wheelobsessed9 жыл бұрын
My 03 12R is a pain to work on no doubt, but one twist of that throttle on your 1st ride ontop of a 12R and you will realize it don't matter how hard they are to work on, its still the most raw exciting bike to own an ride bar none!!! Their absolute monsters with character to spare. You just don't get that with a bland feeling Honda...
@vosogo12 жыл бұрын
I was under the impression that Ducati batteries could only be filled with Holy Water from the Vatican, and had to be charged with lightning bolts from the hand of g-d himself.
@rossdonaldson12357 жыл бұрын
Its not that hard. Leave the top bolt out and I can change it in 10 minutes !!!!!
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
Don't get me wrong, the ZX-12R is a great bike....just a lil silly with the battery placement
@M3anMachin312 жыл бұрын
So, in my grandfather's 1973 Suzuki I just: 1- grab a beer with one hand -2 open left side panel withe other hand 3- voilá,there's the battery and ONE screw to take it out if needed. So Kawasaki is 30 years of R&D behind...
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
In all fairness, I've owned six Kawas in my life...4 of the 6 had easy batteries to get to, but those other two...man, they were a pain hahaha
@KINGHARGRAVE11 жыл бұрын
I use to have a 2000 zx12r and a 2004 zx12r....I feel your pain... they really are a serious pain in the ass to work on but god their extremely fun to ride at top speed....got a 2004 zx10r now...fast but its just not the same
@QuasarZX126 жыл бұрын
I have a ZX12R 2000, and it's constantly conected to my tender when not riding. I just have the tender connected to the extra wire that as the purpouse of charging the battery without removing it. It as a red rubber cover. When riding, it sits in the sub frame, and its easily pushed out. For negative I use the exaust.
@SuperCheese8812 жыл бұрын
My 94 ZX7 is a twist of the key to remove the rear seat, pull of a lever for the front and there's the battery.
@ROKKIT4412 жыл бұрын
I love Honda for their simplicity. Simple is sometimes very complicated to achieve.
@MuzzleMike12 жыл бұрын
My 82KZLTD uses the key on a seat lock POP and the seat swings up to the right of the bike and BANG ! The battery is right in the middle of the bike sitting there smiling at you !
@Itsreload12 жыл бұрын
I actually don't remember much of the 748. I had a monoposto. And I remember using the key to raise the entire rear cowl and seat. But back then I was just a weekend rider.
@blipco56 жыл бұрын
You charged it but the battery will go dead again by the time you re-install it.
@Trinith12 жыл бұрын
Honda further refined the process with the 6th gen VFR. They removed the lever completely. On mine you just turn the key and the seat pops off. Still 2 of those push pins to get to the terminals though.
@TheZachCrooks12 жыл бұрын
well my brother had the zx6r and the battery was in the subframe his friend had told us that the next year ton the 12 they put the batter in the frame to place as much weight towards the center of the bike to imporve handling so this was done to balance weight
@Jeff-Vader_head_of_catering3 жыл бұрын
Agreed. I love Honda for it's rock-solid reliability, common sense and quality of build and assembly, and simplicity.
@Pianissimo1970 Жыл бұрын
To think it came after ZZR 1100 (ZX11) There was only a seat bracket in the way for getting the battery out
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
In the tool kit, there is a weird socket that has a slotted hole, which is used as a "T" for that very cover. I didn't mess with that silliness..hahaha
@Scuba_Son12 жыл бұрын
Agreed, the cbr600rr is the same and the Ducati monster is pretty much the same too.
@lampingromeo12 жыл бұрын
Holy moly batman! That's a serious PITA! I would get rid of it just for that! lol
@TonyGoesRiding12 жыл бұрын
You know, my dad rides a 2001 Kawasaki Concours and I ride a 2009 Yamaha FZ6R, and the both of us working on our bikes, I can gain access to my battery in about 3 minutes or less. Him? It takes him at least 15, and that is knowing where every bolt on his bike goes. So yeah, you can see that you do pay for higher levels of engineering on some bikes than others. That said, they are all beautifully built machines!
@justingeraldi23046 жыл бұрын
If you were just charging the battery or even jump starting,,,,there is a positive pigtail jumper harness that you can access in about 30 seconds on the left side of bike..it has a black rubber cover over it to protect it from shorts,,just pull out the connector and hook up to it,,,unless someone has put a battery in it at some point and didn't put the jumper harness in the correct spot so you can get to it freely.. Kawasaki put it there just for that reason. The ground wire can be attached to any part of the frame or engine block
@Atomusk9012 жыл бұрын
That's why i like kick-starters.
@dcb616312 жыл бұрын
At least no one will steal a battery.....ever.. lol
@remytv12 жыл бұрын
That's quite the adventure for a battery. I own a naked sv650s, this bike has to be one of the easiest thing to work on.
@KatoomDriver1712 жыл бұрын
Concours 14 and ZX-14 have a similar set-up, albeit with a simple trap door that does not require the body tear-down like on this ZX-12.
@dazzelya12 жыл бұрын
A few days ago I stopped to help a guy that seemed to have so trouble with his bike (old cruiser type, I believe it was a Honda too but I didn't pay attention). His battery was acting up and it would only start if he wedged a tool underneath the battery. Perhaps it was just a damaged wire. However, he couldn't access the battery without a prop per cruise bike lift because the battery was placed low on the bike and only accessible from the bottom....
@Morpheen99912 жыл бұрын
Problem is we've become a society that pays everyone to do everything for us, so engineers just figure that the owner will take it too a mechanic to fix every single little thing...
3 жыл бұрын
No other ZX - R has a chassis design like the 12, which is a brake through and that's what you like it so much, stability at high speed is second to none. I love Honda, but this is not a fair comparison.
@NVDawg112 жыл бұрын
Amen Billy! Honda is quality. Although I ride a cruiser, I appreciate all the engineering they do. Mine is a 2003 Shadow ACE 750, and I also have clear access to the battery. It takes three screws. Simple.
@MaxPayne1914612 жыл бұрын
Same reason why i love Suzuki's
@onteamplanb12 жыл бұрын
My Triumph 675 is one key turn and poof, seat off, battery sitting in front of you! haha
@rynoride12 жыл бұрын
There are so many things I will be aware of when purchasing my next bike. It's little things like this that you don't really think of looking for during the purchase. Sometimes they can be a deal breaker...
@thelittle_kitteh9 жыл бұрын
most bikes has the same system with the battery under the seat, just like the honda. even my old GSX 550 from '83 - all i need is the key and then i have access to the battery
@j.azz0712 жыл бұрын
Its all in the name of lower centralized mass for better handling - the fuel tank is as low as possible which involved placing about half the tank under the front seat, replacing the battery, but better than having 20kgs fuel sloshing in top of the frame. This displaced the battery and the logical place is to put it even further down. This makes the bike handle better - but the tradeoff is inconvenience when you need to work on it. Gain some - lose some.
@suttonson32665 жыл бұрын
My dad has owned the same ninja he does that with his eyes closed man up dude
@mydan7869912 жыл бұрын
my yzf600r thunder cat is the same, i find it hard to believe why some bikes are so difficult to do even the most basic of maintenance on. my only gripe with the thunder cat is that you have to remove the left fairing for an oil change, approx 9 screws, about 5-10 mins
@nickdacquisto10 жыл бұрын
they were thinking that a stock bike that runs in the 9's should have it's components adequately placed.
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
I'm not sure how different the 07 vs 09, but it's wasn't as simple as it should've been on my KLR as well
@LEXPIX12 жыл бұрын
Remember the old ads for Honda? "Follow the leader, he's on a Honda." I've always liked the forgiving handling of Hondas.
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
I got them off ebay, from a guy who got them off ebay Lol...I don't have a brand name unfortunately. The finish is amazing, the detail, the gloss of the paint...the fit is decent, but not as good as stock, and I will say if you go that route, you have to be confident in your dremel skills. A few hundred bucks, and a few hours was totally worth the looks that bike gets when I take it out
@Shogun09R112 жыл бұрын
Dang...that seems like alot. Both my Yamahas are a piece of cake to get to the batteries :)
@woooster172 жыл бұрын
Agree.. I purchased a 4k mile A2 last year.. so I fitted a trickle charger cable. Well, I had to take half the bike apart to get to it! Kawasaki probably thought it was a great idea to tuck it inside the frame - Nope! 😐
@captainsensible298 Жыл бұрын
I've got three of em, takes me about 10 minutes if that.
@Maxxi99912 жыл бұрын
Same story on my GF's former ZX636R. The battery is actually sitting right under the tank mounts. The battery of my 999 and Hypermotard are incredibly easy to access. On the 999 you just take off 1 side panel and the Hypermotard is just 1 screw of the seat(but you know that already ;) ).
@swetuna12 жыл бұрын
Haha what a difference in solving the problem of battery acces. Those things is easy to miss when purchasing a bike.
@IronAddict3412 жыл бұрын
yes. Honda and Yamaha are the only bikes I will put in my garage now that I've had experiences with all kinds.
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
I have thought about selling it, but nothing related to this...I just need the room
@DragginsFlight11 жыл бұрын
Honda...Originally a motorcycle builder (then made their transition to other things) Kawasaki...Originally a ship builder (then transitioned to motorcycles) I'm partial to a company that sticks with it's roots
@darrak48517 жыл бұрын
My sentiments exactly! This really has been a pain in the ass for me too; my bike is parked in an underground parking and at least once a year I have to go through this unnecessary ritual for no good reason. That's the main reason I'm getting rid of the bike!
@plaid1312 жыл бұрын
The problem is they have extremely technical minded engineers design these things. What they need to do is get like Bob the motorcycle mechanic to look at the prototype designs and say hey wait this is stupid fix it before they ever start selling them. Most of the time the people that design this stuff would never have to work on them at all. They need to realize that some people will not buy the bike if they know its a pain to maintain.
@edtje80853 жыл бұрын
I have a zx9r, and the battery is also very easy to reach, so its not a kawasaki issue. Maybe if Honda had something to match the zx12r, it would also need a weird place for the battery... if,if,if 😉😅
@BenDover-wu7ed6 жыл бұрын
Kawasaki engines far superior to honda chocolate engines
@GrimReaper-ly8zk3 жыл бұрын
Zx12r has fuel tank under the seat for lower centre of gravity. Battery is below that to lower the centre of gravity more. It's similar to MotoGP bikes in design. The regular fuel tank location is full of airbox instead of heavy fuel. The lower position of the weight helps a lot in acceleration and handling. The result is bye bye busa
@senawayad12349 жыл бұрын
took me an hour on my 2014 zx14r to install battery terminal leads for my battery tender; you'll need a six pack and at least a half a day when time to change the spark plugs: a nightmare!!!!
@rusty7two12 жыл бұрын
My Connie is somewhat complicated but not that bad.
@billymusick11 жыл бұрын
Thanks my good man, I was a on a road trip this week (via my truck) and saw an 03 Viff in a parking garage...thinking "I need to get one of those"
@myreality78176 жыл бұрын
My zx11 has easy access just like the Honda. I think this may just be a zx12 thing. They have an odd frame design which makes placement of things a bit different and obviously very difficult to access.
@user-tv4ow7vg9q10 ай бұрын
So the thin wire hanging to the left of the battery goes to the positive or negative terminal? I’m finally putting mine back together and o can’t for the life of me remember.
@Kralja19927 жыл бұрын
Positive battery terminal jumper out & your problems are fixed. I've done that on my 2000. & 2003. 12R just in case, much easier. Yup some stuff are strange on 12R but still that bike is the most epic bike EVER.. I don't even think about new bikes, for me there is only 12R I have 2000. & 2003. love them! I'm a big & heavy dude, sitting position & power is awesome, I can't see myself on any other bike..
@danmoto7312 жыл бұрын
bloody hell !! how much work ! Oh and Honda have improved the VFR, no lever now, you just turn the key and off pops the seat... :-)
@elshit198312 жыл бұрын
my friend also told me that Honda bikes are so much easier to take care of
@Motorius6712 жыл бұрын
yeah, i guess some are worse than others, my friend has a kawasaki ER5 which doesn't have a fuel tap and requires you to pinch a pipe full of fuel and feed it behind the frame to lift the tank off to get to the rad filler cap.. kind of inconvenient when the bike kept overheating and dumping its coolant all over the road!
@Motorius6712 жыл бұрын
I have two Kawasaki zxr's and i agree.. just about everything is a fricking pain in the ASS to get to!
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
Thats what Trinith said as well....On mine, that lock also serves as the helmet lock (which I would never use) the lever is to discern which you are going to use...One day, I will have a 6th VFR..=)
@jimbo8098212 жыл бұрын
haha , kinda glad I didn't go kawa now ... The 2012 V-Strom's battery sits in the same place as the honda's , right under the seat along with the fusebox , ecu , and starter solenoid , the most likely things to break during normal use , and can be accessed by just lifting the seat :) Of course the V-Strom wont be quite as fast as your ZX...
@dojomojomofo11 жыл бұрын
I use one on my first bike's battery, a plain, flooded lead acid one. It's going into its 6th year of service now and I'm starting to think I should replace it before it causes problems... The key is not to leave it on the float charger ALL the time. Take it off for a week or two and let it "breathe" a bit, then top it up again. But as a float charger, it isn't always charging - once it tops, it switches to very low power and monitors it, boosting charge rate only when needed.
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
I had a tender extension lead on it...the ground side got pinched and broke
@TheVegasbud5 жыл бұрын
45 minutes ? You got paws for hands or what ! That 12 will walk that honda all day it's worth the 45 minutes ! LOL
@TheMotorick12 жыл бұрын
Wow, I had no idea. What WAS Kawasaki thinking?
@sonny12277 жыл бұрын
lol there's a screw you tenderly touched on your battery box that Kawasaki put so you can attach a tender to and in worse scenarios jump start you motorcycle... HAHA you didn't have to do all that unless replacing battery... btw, I ride an 03 ZX12R for 8 years & became garage mechanic aficionado. after 2 busas, an R1 and others the ZX12R hands down
@solomonstemplers8 жыл бұрын
this is a hyper bike its in the region of say owning a Ferrari it was never meant to be practical it was meant to be enjoyed a lavish expense sitting in your shed or on your driveway with a grin on your mug everytime you think of it. yes its a pain to change but not impossible I just put an upgraded battery and some tender leads on mine that should keep it good for sometime! I also own a zzr1200 which is much simpler but nowhere near as much fun to ride:)
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
Funny that you asked that, for some reason, I've gotten that same question quite a few times the last few days. (Probably because of this video I suppose) I freehand drew the outline in pencil and painted it with $2 acrylic hobby paint. There a company called Decal-Orations that you can have a decal made...but their largest is about 1/2 the size of mine, and they take a good two months to ship. Good luck on your project Billy
@pazzuto9 жыл бұрын
Just bought a 2014 zx14 a couple of months ago. I had a GPS tracker installed, and after 1 week of being parked, it drained my damn battery. I spent about 30 minutes just taking the panels of so I can clip directly to the battery. Not even talking about pulling it out. Geez!
@billymusick9 жыл бұрын
Hahaha, True story...My ZX-12 did not roll the entire year of 2014...I came back from a military deployment in May to find the battery dead....I went as far as buying a new battery, but never had the moxey to spend all day on the job....Thanks for the comment Eddie
@rideforrestride12 жыл бұрын
You make an excellent point
@jwhitt07012 жыл бұрын
my zx6r b1h pop back seat/cover off via key. undo 1 bolt with socket or spanner, slide open the latch securing front seat and there is the battery 60seconds
@fireguy77712 жыл бұрын
I used to ride a 1987 VFR... Now I ride a 1994 zx6e... I love both bikes in equal measure, but I TOTALLY understand.
@Rickenbacker19857 жыл бұрын
Funny thing is that ZX12R is sup'd to be lighter than a VFR800.
@UnreasonableSteve11 жыл бұрын
Your honda uses the same kind of battery tray that the 1986-2006 concours uses. A more modern superbike like the ZX12 is likely to be more hassle for a lot of things, not saying that it wasn't a daft decision to make the battery so hard to get to, but it isn't limited to kawi by any means.
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
Believe me my friend, I had a few WTF moments...without a service manual, i just had to call plays as I saw them. I originally thought only the frame panel had to come off....but when I found a bolt which was only accessible with the tank over off...I realized that I wasn't going to make the ride today. The sad part is proper maintenance would've had me pull the entire right side lower as well...I was so frustrated at that point, I just flexed it out of the way.
@cashstore112 жыл бұрын
To change the air filter on my 96 triumph trophy (that I just sold), you had to remove all 3 carbs. I did a mod that prevented that, but the first time was a bitch. The battery was easy to get to though.
@BrodyCox12 жыл бұрын
Want to talk about foresight? My ratty-ass '86 nighthawk never even CAME with a side cover to hide the battery, so it's out in the open on the side of the bike, just screaming, "I'm easily accessible should you need me!" LOL. Honda for life. Of course, I should probably invest in a new cover sometime soon...
@billymusick12 жыл бұрын
That grab a beer step should be on the first page of every manual =)
@Nath03758 жыл бұрын
I have connectors for my trickle charger running out the left side to avoid this problem. If you want a real problem try getting a swollen battery out. If you look closely at the battery area it's not smooth all the way in, the opening has a lip on either side that goes in for a about an inch which stops a swollen battery from sliding out.
@billymusick8 жыл бұрын
+Nath0375 I do now, put I didn't when I made this video lol
@Nath03758 жыл бұрын
+billmaa It is my job for tomorrow. Everywhere I have looked no one has come across this. Looks like the drill is coming out to create some pressure release holes (advice from retired old mechanic up the road). Luckily it's a new gel battery so shouldn't leak like an acid battery. I will be making a video of this to upload if you are interested.
@billymusick8 жыл бұрын
+Nath0375 I would really like to see a video of that..My ZX-12 has been sitting for a year, I need tires for it and don't have the money buy them