That damned Beelzebub

Must have been like living in the Marianas Trench

 

Not my experience. I replaced (twice) the original Spark500 on my Guzzi
V11 Sport with a Odissey PC545 and it works fine since.

I also had to replace the Ducati Energia reg/rec, swapped with a
Lombardini one: same shit but much cheaper (70€+shipping when Guzzi ask
for 165€ for the genuine part).

 

A lot of Elefant and Ducati owners ugrade the wiring from battery to
starter with thicker wire, hte original part is undersized.

 

I know. BTDT.

I did that after swapping the original battery for an Odyssey, but
before replacing the starter motor brushes. And now the original
battery's back in, and seems to be fine <fx: fingers crossed>.

The problem is particularly noticeable on Elefants, where the distance
from battery, via solenoid, to starter motor is something like 9', IIRC.

 

Okay... so why did you have to replace it twice?

On the Elefant mailing list, it's about a 50:50 split between those who
think Odyssey batteries are the bee's knees, and those who wouldn't use
one if you paid them. I'm still sitting on the fence.

Sounds familiar.

 

The original Spark500 lasted 5 years, the second one was killed when the
reg/rec died letting voltage pass through unregulated (more than 20V at
3500 rpm), 3 years ago.
The reg/rec was replaced by an Electrex 451 who also died (short between
+12 and case): the PC545 battery discharged through it overnight.

When I disconnected it shows a residual 6V, I put it on the optimate and
get it back fine.

AFAIC, it does the job nicely.

Yes. Shite Italian Electrics, no surprises.

 

Yes.

Refer to this if you're not familiar with the shape of an Elefant:
http://p1.bikepics.com/pics/2006\10\17\bikepics-703632-full.jpg

Battery, under seat, somewhere near the vent in the rear right fairing
panel;

Cable goes up right side of frame, to rear of tank, crosses under tank,
continues up left side of frame towards solenoid, which is mounted
inside the top-left fairing, roughly between indicator and headlight;

From solenoid, back to the frame under tank, down left side of front
frame rail, behind sump guard to starter motor terminal, located on the
right side of bike.

Those crazy Italians!

 

Yet you like Rothko - go figure!

 

To me, yes. By a very long way.

 

No question about it.

 

Mine looks much better than that, obviously. *cough*

Uh-huh. The only place it could be further from the battery is if they
mounted it on the screen. I don't know why. Monsters have it located
somewhere sensible, on the right side between battery and starter.

I dread to think. I'm sure it made sense at the time.

 

One's a work of art, the other of a deranged mind

 

Yupp, that there Rothko bloke must have been very disturbed.

 

And some people have the gall to think my Versys ugly

 

There's a reason for that.