I think my bike is French...

....cos I noticed a strong smell of rotten eggs earlier on this afternoon,
having just dismounted it.

Regulator / Rectifier unit has obviously died - I sort of guessed when the
bike eventually broken down due to lack of power in the battery, but
thankfully I've got breakdown cover.

Anyway... the nice breakdown chappie reckoned that this is a common thing
with CBR600s, and said to steer clear of any aftermarket replacements -
reckoned they're a false economy, and will self destruct much more quickly
than a Honda genuine replacement.

So... anyone else gone down this route, and if so, are their any aftermarket
units more equal than others, or am I resigned to a £170 bill for the real
McCoy to ensure normal service is resumed, reliably, and for the
foreseeable?

 

I thought Mr Honda was supposed to be reliable?

 

Something you'd eaten?

You're a despatcher. Have a look in the back of the rider's digest.
There's a whole page devoted to breakers in and around London.

 

Aren't you lucky?

See the "Company recommendation" thread up there somewhere.

Seriously, what they say they dom they do. Brilliant outfit.

 

Bloke down there recommends these chaps:
http://www.electrexworld.co.uk/

--
Dan L (Oldbloke)
My bike 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr
M'boy's current bike 1990 Suzuki TS50X (Heavily fortified)
M'boys NEW bike 2003 Honda NSR125R
BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD #26, BOMB#18 (slow)

 

Not yet... but I've just picked up a nice big curry for our tea though.

Ever the gentleman, think I might hold her head under the covers later...
;-)

Car based on the whole, and from the sticks; the bike is *my* toy - used it
this afternoon, as the job in question meant picking up right next door to
Dungeness Power Station, and then hooning across the marsh, gradulaly making
my way to somewhere up near Maidstone.

As a rule, it won't ever be used for work - my car costs far less to run,
overall.

Well I've thought of that... but chances are, I'd end up with the same
problem again sooner rather than later, due to these apparently being a
common fault on these, in old age.

Worth a try I suppose, if I get any time to myself tomorrow during working
hours!

 

Well this is the first of four CBRs that I've had, that has ever broken
down... the VFR was 100% as well, the two Rover 216 GTi Twin Cams I've had
with the Honda D16 16v lump as fitted to the CRX as well, both put up with
merciless thrashing to the 7,600 rev limit on a daily basis, and never
missed a beat.

I always thought it was Suzukis with a reputation for killing regulator /
rectifier units on a regular basis.

 

Well yes, I am actually... you see, I've had no cause to really look beyond
the bikes exterior up until this afternoon.

So I popped off the side panels, to find a Scottoiler I didn't know it had,
and the rear Showa shock looks pretty recent as well.

Ok... I'm just concerned that I'll end up having to swap units every few
months, and whilst it's nice they appear to bend over backwards to help,
Auntie Carole will get a bit pissed off (as will I), if she gets a call
every few months, asking if the bike can be recovered from the Outer
Hebrides etc.

 

Don't forget the obligatory burp in her ear beforehand. She'll
appreciate the head hold a lot more.

True. The weather isn't getting any better, either.

Got to be worth a shot if you can get one off a nearly new bike that
costs peanuts.

 

Nah, it's a Honda weakness, just about all VFR750s suffer from it at
some point. John had to replace his, he's now done the bodge with a
heatsink and CPU fan to keep it cool.

 

But of course... they all love sweet nuffins, in their ears.

Tell me about it!

I'm still waiting for the gear I've bought, to be delivered... so I'm using
an old puffa jacket and jeans at the mo.

My legs were quite frozen by the time the recovery chap arrived.

Aye... well looking at that recommended site elsewhere on here for
aftermarket ones, appears that lots of Hondas share the same unit... meaning
with any luck, I might be able to get one off a Deauville or up to 2000
'Blade, if not a up to '98 CBR600.

I guess I'll be buying MCN for the first time in bloody years in the
morning, in that case.

 

SteveH says...

On my Suzuki GSX750EFE I moved the reg/rec up front under the headlamp
into the airstream, as it used to get very hot behind the sidepanel. I
sold the bike to a mate who moved it back to the original position
because he was a funny sort who didn't like the extended wiring loom. 3
weeks later the sidepanel melted the alternator burnt out and the
reg/rec caught fire.

 

Aye. That they do.

You want a nice pair of tights, you do ;-)

Nice one. You might get one cheaper if it's off a Deauville?

I suppose the part numbers are the same if you buy new but if you ripped
one of a bike yourself you might get lucky. What about the 400s? I've
not looked at the site.

You haven't missed much. I bought one in the summer and I can honestly
say it takes me longer to read The Sun.

 

What are those two things we put under my seat? Is that one of them,
because if it is, I'll move it somewhere more open.

 

Also handy for those little post office hold ups necessary for you to be
able to order Honda genuine parts.

" CB1 (400) (NC27), CBR250R, NX250, BROS 400 (NC25), CBR400RR (NC23),
RVF400R (NC35), VFR400 (NC30), CB500, CBR600F, NTV650, NR750, RFV750R,
VFR750F(L), PC800, CBR900RR Fireblade (92-01), CBR1100XX Blackbird, VTR1000
Firestorm "

The only thing is... I've spotted a unit for a VFR750FP on ebay... going by
the sites more indepth desciption, it actually says FL onwards...

Anyway, said unit on ebay has a different part number to mine.

 

I've used their kit. It rocks.

 

Whinging Courier says...

That's the puppies, move them into the airflow if you're worried about
them.

 

Will do. There's got to be somewhere to put them that won't get
drenched. I've found the curious effect of riding with nothing over the
wheel washes the back of whatever I'm wearing in a film of road slurry.

 

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Whinging Courier

Heh. Road Stripe, beloved of many a numpty cyclist.

--

Dave

GS 850 x2 / SE 6a
SbS#6 DIAABTCOD#16 APOSTLE#6 FUB#3
FUB KotL OSOS#12? UKRMMA#19 COSOC#10

 

Make sure the battery isn't fried, too. They're just as likely to
overcharge the battery when they fail as undercharge, IYSWIM.

....well, Hondas in general, it seems...

Bollocks. There are some *much* better made replacements than wot
Mr.Onda will flog you. The last one I got for one of Suze's CBRs was a
pattern one and has a very nice finned integral heatsink, is fully
enclosed (unlike the Honda...) and has behaved itself for many faahsands
of miles.

Also, chances are that it's the same part Mr.Onda uses on any number of
machines; the early CBR6 units being identical to those fitted to the
CBR4, for instance.

Hell, one of Suze's CBR4s ran around for over a year with a CB250 reg-
rec unit on it!

£170!!! Daylight robbery, speshly as it's a five minute job to replace
(one plug, two bolts, typically)!

£60 should get you either a genuine Onda bit or a decent pattern
replacement. Second hand is another option I've used as they can be
picked up from breakers for £15-£20.
--
| Wik -UKRMHRC#10- 2003 R1150GSA -DC#1 -'FOT#0 'FOF #39 - BOD#12 BOB#12
|# You don't believe me | "Experience is the worst teacher.
|That the scenery | It always gives the test first
|Could be a cold-blooded killer. | and the instruction afterward."
***** human response from wik at blueyonder dot co dot uk *****