No, I don't know what the battery volts were prior to starting that particular ride. I do know that the starter worked perfectly fine and started the bike normally that morning, and all the lights functioned etc, as the system had been working all year. So nothing that indicated that the battery was down. And I rode about 15 or so miles, stopped, got gas, then it started back up normally. I rode about 6 more miles and when I got to Scott's house, I heard that 'ticking' coming from the engine, at which point I stopped riding the bike.
Before that ride, I think it had been about a week since the last ride, and that ride was about 100 miles.
With the ride from two weeks ago, it was basically the same thing, the only difference being that the low beam filament was out on my bike, so I rode with the hi-beam on (the bulb in there is a 35w/35w replaceable). But the bike started totally normally, I rode to Scott's house, stopped the bike, then it started back up normally, we rode about 30 miles, stopped, had breakfast, started the bike back up again. It did conk out one time as I was leaving the parking lot of the diner. But I started it back up and it was fine. Rode back to Scott's house, turned the bike off, stayed for a bit, then I started the bike back up (here again, all totally normal), then I rode about 20-25 miles more, then I got off the highway, stopped at the traffic light off the exit ramp, then the bike conked out again, and that's when it would not start and I had to push start it to get it going.
Japan Meets Britain
I asked as the charge system has not been as powerful since HONDA changed the rotor from the one you have now.
Any chance you have a bad battery?. .......lm
It doesn't seem bad -- I mean, I haven't done a proper load test on it or anything, but it seems to be holding a charge fine and it's only a couple of years old (it's a Powersonic gel battery).
Here again, for the types of mileage and trips that I've been known to do, I'd like to have a charging system that's as confidence-inspiring as the rest of the bike (the latest oil pump issue notwithstanding), so hopefully this Rick's system will do the trick. I would be interested to hear from those members who have had the Rick's stator/regulator for a while, and how it's been for them.
John's had the bike for a little while, and did a few updates. The Rick's Motorsport Electrics stator and voltage regulator combo is now in the bike, and it's charging at just a bit over 14 volts, which is exactly what I was hoping for. John also noticed a bit of wear settling in with the carb slides, so we replaced them with a set of anodised slides (this wear is to be expected on these Amals at about the 8000-10,000 mile mark, and I think I've managed to get 16,000 miles so far). It seems that Amal discontinued their chrome slides, but these anodised ones are supposed to be better. Unfortunate thing is that no one in the US stocked anodised 2.5 slides for their 600 series carbs, so I had to get them right from the source. Not a big deal - just took an extra week or so for them to show up at my door.
Other than those things and few minor bits, everything seems okay. Can't wait to get the bike back, and am looking forward to the nicer weather!
Finally got the bike back today, and everything seems in good order. I'll likely have to put the bike through its paces to see if we need to go through another session of 'test and tune' on the carbs. The new slides fit much tighter than the old slides, so that may have changed the 'personality' of the carbs. In any case, John seems to think that the bike is running great, so hopefully we'll be able to get out for a ride this coming weekend.
 Honda2013 by Vince.Lupo, on Flickr
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