New toy!

[VTRDark]

Is the rectifier mounted on the right side near the battery between frame and panel? If so it's finned.

Yes that's the one.

(:-})

[Tenesmus]

Ok so I've started doing stuff. Start off with something easy - new battery as it let me down a couple of weeks ago.

Did I say easy? I got an Odyssey gel battery but the terminals are towards the middle, the battery is shorter and the positive cable doesn't reach. So off to Halfords for a 9" cable (and a relay for when I fit the loud horns that were supplied without one - how daft is that). Stuffed the battery box with cardboard to bring it up and stop it flapping around.

The Halfords cable has a large eyelet that needed filing down to fit on the bike side, and playing with washers on the battery side as well. The existing neg cable has right angled bits that match the stock battery terminal so I flattened them with a mole wrench, more playing with washers and now it turns over nicely.

Jobs to come - ditch the tax holder that results in a soaking circle of paper, fit the hugger, fit the horns. Decide what to do about the CCT and get it serviced - I already have the filters. I would have done it myself a few years ago but I'm getting too old...

[johnfish]

Nice!

Where are you based (perhaps update your location?)

[agentpineapple]

you wait until the modifying bug kicks in.....

[VTRDark]

Now you have a good battery on there make sure the R/R is good and outputting the right amount even if you have replaced it. It would be a shame for it to damage the new battery.

If you have a multimeter they are all simple checks by following the guide in my signature.

(:-})

[Tenesmus]

Nice!

Where are you based (perhaps update your location?)

Thought I had... obviously not. I'm in Bristol.

[Phimosis]

Nice!

Where are you based (perhaps update your location?)

Thought I had... obviously not. I'm in Bristol.

If you fancy a trip out im just over the bridge, I can help out on a few things, but make sure you change those ccts, they can kill your bike in an instant and most here will say the same I WOULDNT RIDE IT TILL YOU SORT THEM.

[Phimosis]

I have a King Carbon hugger, been on for 2 years and hasnt cracked, and fits well.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorcycl ... ear-hugger

expensive but looks great

[Tenesmus]

I forgot to mention when I connected up the new battery it sparked - should there be anything drawing on it when everything's off?

Fitted the hugger today - naturally the instructions are wrong, if you do it like that you can't get the nut on as the tyre is in the way so you have to undo it and attach the bracket to the hugger first and not the swingarm first, and that bolt is too long and won't go all the way into the swingarm, and you don't have to take the footrest hanger off to get the hugger in there... funny thing is I remember the same things the first time I fitted one about 15 years ago...

[Pete.L]

Do you have and alarm or any accessories added?
That would cause it to spark. If not it might just be a little bit of earth leakage. It still might be worth sicking a Meter in series with the battery and see if it's drawing any proper current. That might be why the battery went flat, even though it's more likely it was just old and not holding a charge well after seven years.

Pete.l

[Tenesmus]

Had a full service and the CCTs changed for manuals so a bit happier about using it.

Jobs to do (got the bits waiting for me to find the time) - install new reg/rect as a precaution as something is draining the battery and it's a cheap thing to try (no, there's no alarm etc).
Grab rail.
Loud horns.

Oh, and send off the OE CCTs as agreed...

[Tenesmus]

Fitted the regulator/rectifier and Renntec passenger grab rail (I found all the supporting bracketry there, a previous owner had fitted one, then the rail had been removed so that saved me a little work). Found one of the wires to the rear lights had been rubbing on the grabrail support and had worn away the insulation down to the metal - wonder if that explains the drain on the battery when the ignition's off?

Next - find somewhere to squeeze in the extra loud horns.

[Mav617]

Had a full service and the CCTs changed for manuals so a bit happier about using it.

Jobs to do (got the bits waiting for me to find the time) - install new reg/rect as a precaution as something is draining the battery and it's a cheap thing to try (no, there's no alarm etc).
Grab rail.
Loud horns.

Oh, and send off the OE CCTs as agreed...

Ah, so it's possible to get a bike shop to fit the manuals?? Gonna have to find somewhere to get mine done, I'm not doing it, although Steve did say he'd give me a hand so I'll wait and see what happens.

[VTRDark]

I don't see any issues with bike shops fitting manuals. Just supply them the tensioners and maybe download the pdf guide for them of my guide if they don't know these bikes. The bigger main dealers/companies may have issues with doing something away from the book, but a friendly local old school garage should not be an issue. I think one would have more trouble getting someone to do a stopper mod.

Mav have you read the guide to assess whether you think it's something you could achieve yourself or not. As long as the generator caps come off and you have all the right tools it's really no big deal. The whole process most likely sounds more scary than what it is along with some of the stories on here of the damage that a failure can cause. Take the fear of the unknown out of the equation and it's a couple of hours work one afternoon

(:-})

[Mav617]

Thanks Carl, Steve on here has offered to help me out and manuals are on the way from Bazza.

Can't get the airbox off at the mo as one of the four screws is chewed so need to dremel a slot in it (not been very successful on the seized ones on the swingarm mind!)

My bike has 43500 miles on it, for all I know it's already been done