[Just Me]

Mine went out on Saturday. I was hoping it was the battery and a quick replace but not quite that lucky. Extended warranty and the dealer won't be able to get on it for a week.

 

[wayneman]

Your what? went out on Saturday. Rectifier??

 

[Just Me]

Not sure exactly yet. Either the stator or rectifier I suppose. Dealer won't get on it till beginning of next week.

 

[Just Me]

Just got back from the dealership. The stator is fine but the rectifier is gone. Suzuki is footing the bill under the extended warranty. I should be on two wheels by this time next week!!

 

[valkyrie]

How many miles did you have on your 650? I wonder how common this charging system failure is, and how extensive the repairs are. haven't heard much for charging system fails on the newer 650s around here.

 

[Buffalo]

Rectifier failures are not all that uncommon. Not hard to replace but you do have to remove the left rear frame cover (the one with the fuel door in it) to gain access. Retail on it from Suzuki in about $220 but you can get them for less.

If the rectifier does fail and you do not replace it in a timely manner then the stator can be damaged and that is a bit more of a job to replace and retails about for $650. You can have one rewound for a lot less than that though. I got one rewound for $200.

 

[valkyrie]

Thanks For the info Buffalo, I'm glad I Just installed A voltage meter on mine

 

[Just Me]

How many miles did you have on your 650? I wonder how common this charging system failure is, and how extensive the repairs are. haven't heard much for charging system fails on the newer 650s around here.

Just short of 17,000 miles. I had read that they did have trouble several years ago but thot it was solved on the 2009 models and newer. I intend to put a voltage meter on mine when I get it back.

Looking at these two but not sure why the price difference. Is the quality that much different? Appears both mount much the same.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-LED-12V-Voltmeter-Volt-Meter-Stick-On-Gauge-Battery-Voltage-Measure-/331133520376

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=motorcycle+voltage+meter

 

[DougInKY]

Just short of 17,000 miles. I had read that they did have trouble several years ago but thot it was solved on the 2009 models and newer. I intend to put a voltage meter on mine when I get it back.

Looking at these two but not sure why the price difference. Is the quality that much different? Appears both mount much the same.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-LED-12V-Voltmeter-Volt-Meter-Stick-On-Gauge-Battery-Voltage-Measure-/331133520376

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=motorcycle+voltage+meter

Your second link doesn't resolve to anything but the Amazon site for me. I just used the same search in Amazon that you used, Motorcycle Voltage Meter, and got to the Kuryakyn Voltage Meter.

I have used the Kuryakyn Voltage Meter on my V-Strom for years. It works well. My only complaint about it is that it is a little bright at night (a little distracting). It works well enough that I am going to get another for my Burgman. It seems to hold up well in the weather, never any problem for me even in heavy rain.

Namaste'
Doug in Kentucky

 

[Chérie]

Hear of this failure in hardlie group fairly often, seem to happen on all bike , all brand. Have been told can be cause by weak or bad battery.

 

[ErikDK]

Hear of this failure in hardlie group fairly often, seem to happen on all bike , all brand. Have been told can be cause by weak or bad battery.

You could be right. A weak battery jumps from its low idle voltage to the normally "fully charged" voltage (14.4V) very fast, without absorbing charging current, so the surplus alternator current is bled off as heat in the voltage regulator.

A healthy battery will absorb much more charging current, leaving less excess current to be bled off by the regulator.

Just imagine the bad battery having only 2 amp hours left from the original 14 amp hours.

 

[wayneman]

Being a "stunod" about these electrical things. i have a few questions.
If you put a volt meter on a 650 burgy where do most attach it too, for
accurate readings?(wiring wise) My original battery lasted 3 yrs. I started having issues so i purchased a mottobatt battery. Now 1 1/2 yrs into the mottobatt i am having issues again. My local battery guy says he does not stock mottobatt because of reliability issues. I brought the battery up and had it tested and he told me it was supposed to have around 240 cranking
amps and mine was at 120. The battery and bike had been sitting for about 3wks unused. Would a battery that sits test bad?
Just wondering if i have a bad mottobatt or a rectifier issue. Is there a way to test the rectifier??Should i purchase and install a volt meter first? Or, just go buy another battery?

You could be right. A weak battery jumps from its low idle voltage to the normally "fully charged" voltage (14.4V) very fast, without absorbing charging current, so the surplus alternator current is bled off as heat in the voltage regulator.

A healthy battery will absorb much more charging current, leaving less excess current to be bled off by the regulator.

Just imagine the bad battery having only 2 amp hours left from the original 14 amp hours.

 

[Buffalo]

Yes you can test the rectifier. You will need a multi-meter and you will have to remove the right rear side panel to gain access to the plug. You can find the test procedure in a service manual. You can also test the AC output of the stator while you have access to the plugs.

 

[Just Me]

Got a call from the dealer and it works! Plan on riding it home tomorrow even if there is a little snow on the roads here and there.

 

[ChipDoc]

If you put a volt meter on a 650 burgy where do most attach it too, for accurate readings?(wiring wise)

Attach it to a switched circuit, so it doesn't stay on all of the time. I'd recommend a tap off of the back of the power socket in the glovebox.

My original battery lasted 3 yrs. I started having issues so i purchased a mottobatt battery.

You were just lucky with that first battery, Wayne. You live in Florida and very few batteries last more than two years down here. Just buy another one and don't waste time fretting over it. I've had good results with Yuasa batteries, but they all die after a couple of years.

 

[Just Me]

It was 18 degrees this morning when I brought my bike home from the dealer. Even at this temperature it had a mind of it's own and came home the "long" way. I forgot my spurs to keep it on the strait and narrow. Obviously changing out the rectifier doesn't change it's "mind."

 

[wayneman]

It was 18 degrees this morning when I brought my bike home from the dealer. Even at this temperature it had a mind of it's own and came home the "long" way. I forgot my spurs to keep it on the strait and narrow. Obviously changing out the rectifier doesn't change it's "mind."

Burgmans are like women...They can do that to you.

 

[wayneman]

Attach it to a switched circuit, so it doesn't stay on all of the time. I'd recommend a tap off of the back of the power socket in the glovebox.



You were just lucky with that first battery, Wayne. You live in Florida and very few batteries last more than two years down here. Just buy another one and don't waste time fretting over it. I've had good results with Yuasa batteries, but they all die after a couple of years.

I bought the yuasa trickle charger Cherie recommended. I Like the fact i can connect it to the unused posts on the mottobatt and use a supplied
connector. That way i do not have to remove battery cover every time.
Very convenient. so far, the mottobatt is holding it's charge, a loose connection was the culprit.

 

[Just Me]

Being a "stunod" about these electrical things. i have a few questions.
If you put a volt meter on a 650 burgy where do most attach it too, for
accurate readings?(wiring wise) My original battery lasted 3 yrs. I started having issues so i purchased a mottobatt battery. Now 1 1/2 yrs into the mottobatt i am having issues again. My local battery guy says he does not stock mottobatt because of reliability issues. I brought the battery up and had it tested and he told me it was supposed to have around 240 cranking
amps and mine was at 120. The battery and bike had been sitting for about 3wks unused. Would a battery that sits test bad?
Just wondering if i have a bad mottobatt or a rectifier issue. Is there a way to test the rectifier??Should i purchase and install a volt meter first? Or, just go buy another battery?

I know almost nothing about electronics but I mounted a Kuryakyn LED battery gauge this evening. I get one green light with the engine off and two with the engine on which indicates that it is between 12.5 - 14.5 volts according to the sheet that came with it. The gauge indicates between 8 & 16 volts with red LEDs at the top and bottom, then yellow LEDs between the red and green on both sides of the two green LEDs.

When I bought the scoot I had run two #10 wires from the battery with the +fused. I wired in a 8 bar connector bar and split the tie bar into 3 pieces up front above the bottom glove box. I wired the meter into the switched side. It works!

Makes adding stuff much easier. Now I have connected to the bar...
1. Power point in the glove box to the unswitched side to charge my phone.
2. Electronic cruise control always on with the cruise factory fuse.
3. volt meter on the switched side.
4. Electronic cruise control switched wire with the cruise factory fuse on switched side.
5. The cruise control switch fused wire to the switched side.
6. 4 ground wires from the above accessories on the ground bar.