Spare r/r unit

[david beshoff]

Hello
I have a 1996 vfr 750 and have a questions that I am sure some kind soul will put me right on..
First, I believe the regulator unit can malfunction with the end result that it can cook the battery and maybe cause other electrical problems..So I am thinking of packing a spare one with my toolkit...My question is...How will I know if the one on my bike has malfunctioned and needs to be replaced before the battery fries. Do I need to fit some sort of ampmeter?
Any comments much appreciated...
Thanks.

[VT Viffer]

The first signs of a dying R/R are that the gauges will stop working while riding. The lights will dim significantly, and then the bike will not re-start (with the starter) after shutting it off.

If the battery is still good, you should be able to swap the R/R and continue riding.

HOWEVER - the wiring is most likely the culprit in the R/R failure in the first place. A VFRness (an upgraded charging system wire harness) is available for the 4G, and is a good alternative to re-wiring the bike by yourself. If you're good with wire and solder, then by all means upgrade the wiring on your own.

[david beshoff]

Such a speedy reply to my r/r question..
This is new to me that there is an upgrade available for the charging harness.
I will investigate this as it is my intention to keep this bike until I run out of road.
Many thanks for your reply.....DB

[Knife]

Originally Posted by david beshoff

Such a speedy reply to my r/r question..
This is new to me that there is an upgrade available for the charging harness.
I will investigate this as it is my intention to keep this bike until I run out of road.
Many thanks for your reply.....DB

Go to Tightwad's business link ==> Wire My Bike

[derstuka]

Originally Posted by david beshoff

Such a speedy reply to my r/r question..
This is new to me that there is an upgrade available for the charging harness.
I will investigate this as it is my intention to keep this bike until I run out of road.
Many thanks for your reply.....DB

What would give you the idea that the R/R's fail on VFR's? The 8000 threads on here about it? I am joking, do not answer that.

It is a good idea to buy a multimeter and test your batter voltage with the bike off (should be over ~12.7 to be considered healthy), bike idling, and revved up to about 5k or so. It should be 14k+ volts at 5K RPM. As was mentioned, a R/R will only do you good if the wiring was not damaged as well. The wiring many times is damaged...melted/burnt, and whatnot.

The upgrade was made by a VFR rider who is also a member of this website. His handle is "tightwad." I had an R/R failure this year, and I bought a VFRness, and a new R/R from him, along with a new fuse, and battery. The VFRness that he supplies is of larger gauge wiring...that is one of the culprits of the failure....wiring that is too small gauge to handle the voltage which causes a buildup of heat because of age/condition of the wiring and connectors as well. Heat is the enemy here. It is what your R/R tries to dissippate much of while it is converting AC current from your alternator to DC to your battery for the bike to run on.

If you buy a spare R/R, and really want to be prepared...well, buy a VFRNess, extra fuses, some extra wiring and connectors for the stator, and a small portable butane soldering kit. That is if you REALLY wanted to be able to fix things....as long as your battery was not fried.

Here is his website.

Wire My Bike