I have a 1997 ZX6-E that I just got back into running order after taking it in to a shop. A new battery was among the items on the list. The biggee was a carb sync and jet cleaning as the bike sat for 2yrs while I was at grad school.

I took a 200mile highway ride (at about ~75mph) to see some friends. When I stopped to get gas at about 120 miles in I had to push start the bike to get it up and running. The gas station was <1mile from the exit. When I tried to start the bike the bike hesitated the first time. Then after that I just got the click-click-click of the battery not having enough juice. I didn't have the choke on because the engine was warm from the ~2hrs of riding.
Another 80 or so miles at highway speed and I get off the highway. To get to my friends place it takes a good 15-20 minutes of city driving. After stopping at my friends place, I then had to move the bike. I kept stalling the bike out because I forgot to raise the kickstand. Yet I started it ~4-5 times without any battery problems.
The next day I went riding with my friend. We cruised around the countryside probably going no faster than 65mph and averaging high 50s (when not cruising through small towns) for ~60miles. Every time we stopped and started the engine cranked over without a problem. We stopped 3-4 times and often cruised through small towns on our trip.
On my way home (two days after my arrival) I again encountered the battery problem when I had to stop to get gas. I was cruising along at 75-80mph and then pulled off and grabbed gas within spitting distance of the highway exit.Hit the starter to get going again and pfffft..she didnt' crank over. I hit the starter again and just get the click-click-click. I push start and am on my way yet all the more frustrated.
When I got home I stuck the battery on the trickle charger as a preventative measure for ~7hrs.
I took a short ride (10min 3 miles) to run an errand the next day and the engine cranked over fine with the starter and battery doing their jobs just fine.

I find it interesting that at lower speeds or times when I end a ride with the engine in the low rpm range that the battery kicks the engine over without a problem. Yet the problem manifests itself after riding at high speeds (75+ mph at 6000+rpms) and then quickly getting off the highway and shutting the engine down.

I did a test I found online to check the charging system:
I checked the voltage on the battery and am getting 14.2V on the terminals with the engine off.
I then turned the engine on and let it warm up a bit.
I checked voltages on the battery terminals with the engine running and at 5500rpm I get about 14.60 volts with it increasing from 14.20V. I did this with both the low beam and high beam on. Both showed 14.6V at 5500rpm. I then turned the engine off and read 14.9V on the battery.
This is a new battery (Bikemaster TruGel MG12-BS)

All fuses are in tact (checked the junction box fuses and the main 30A fuse)
I've pulled the junction box and the contacts all look to be in great shape. I did a continuity check on the junction box and get all the recommended resistance readings.

It appears that I need a special tool (from what I've read in the maintenance manuals) to check the rectifier. Is this true? Are there any ways around this? I all ready spent $$$ to get the bike back up and running and would like to not have to bow down to the Man for this.

Is there an easy way to check the alternator?
I read somewhere that you can check via starting the bike and then removing the wires from the battery. I attempted this and when I loosened the positive terminal on the battery, the engine cut off. I'm not sure if this is an accurate measure of things as no book I've seen mentions such a test.

Am I missing some obvious problem spot that I should check?
Something is obviously wrong. I'd like to figure it out before I ruin the brand new battery that I just got installed.

Any help or hints are greatly appreciated.

Nick

 

My supplemental mentions not to use an ammeter when testing the rectifier but use the light bulb testing instead. Is that the special tool you are mentioning?

 

No it states that there is a special Kawasaki tester tool that you use. It has some internal circuitry and when you test with the leads one way you get reading X but when you test with the leads flip-flopped then you get reading Y. So you can't test with a regular multimeter.

 

according to my manual, yes.