Reg / rec gone - how many starts off a charged battery?

SteveSmith · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 08 Nov 2012 Karma :

Hi, my reg / rec has gone and I'm getting it sorted in the next couple of days. Meanwhile I'm a bit wary about using the bike for work. I can charge the battery overnight at home but not while parked at work. If I start from a full battery in the morning, what are the chances of starting the bike, doing a 25 minute ride to work and then being able to start the bike again to ride home?

Thanks,

Steve.

SteveSmith · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 08 Nov 2012 Karma :

Sorry, should have said it's a 2005 Triumph Sprint 1050ST.

arry · Super Spammer Joined: 03 Jan 2009 Karma :

It's what it's doing to the battery whilst running you need to be concerned about first. Have you got a multi meter? What's the voltage reading when up at 5000 rpm for example? That's what's going to do some damage potentially.

Isn't the bike an ST not a GT? Thought they didn't come out until later in the model range?

Pjay · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Jan 2016 Karma :

I'm not sure anyone could answer this, there are too many variables.
The condition of the battery and the drain the 25 minute ride would put on this.
The drain the lights/instruments/ecu etc would put on the battery.
If it has an immobiliser/Alarm too.

I'd say you would get away with it, with a good battery, but a 50 mile round trip at 60mph constant is an hour would be pushing your luck considering the drain you're going to get just riding it. If that 50 minute journey is slow and in traffic, you're going to struggle.
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B5234FT · Brolly Dolly Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Karma :

Fuel pump is a serious load, as is the combined lighting. When mine failed, I charged it with jump leads at the roadside and tried to ride the last 35 miles home and didnt make it.

It also cost me a stator, a reg/rec and a battery....

SteveSmith · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 08 Nov 2012 Karma :

skatefreak · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Karma :

You may well be surprised!
My buddys 2012 zx6r track bike stopped charging one day....
Dash went and then it cut out.
Hooked it up to his van and charged it with jumper leads and it lasted the rest of the day.

He forgot about it and on the next track day it died after about 3 sessions (so we swapped batteries and it lasted the rest of the day without issue).

So thrashing the nadgers off the bike for a for a good hour (3x20 mins) + half the previous track day. Admittedly its a track bike, no lights/indicators etc....

Can you not take a charger with you and charge the battery whilst you're at work?

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

It'll die. I'd not risk it.

B5234FT · Brolly Dolly Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Karma :

Is it fuel injection or carbs? There is a huge difference on the continuous drain.

Chris45 · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 23 Oct 2016 Karma :

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

ADSrox0r · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Oct 2012 Karma :

VFR just barely got me home, about 11 miles after the alternator went nuclear and took the r/r with it.
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

If it's essential - either bump start it, or see if you can hook it up to a car battery for the starting.

Depends a lot on the bike - modern bikes use a lot more with high pressure fuel pumps etc.

Wonko The Sane · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2013 Karma :

I've ridden for a while after two reg/recs have failed, but i'm on a ZZR so it's on carbs not FI

managed to run for at least a week needing to bump start once or twice and running lights off on the motorway the first time round to try and get some power back in the battery often cutting out in stop start traffic

second time the reg/rec went I managed a couple of days and ran out of electricity as the wiring had fried.

get it fixed.
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waffles · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Oct 2009 Karma :

My reg/rec went on my bike and took out a less than year old battery and the stator, its only just back on the road after a month. I wouldn't risk it, a reg/rec is cheaper to replace than anything else it might murder on its way out.
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sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

Dependant on the mileage it may well be fine.

Contrary to what many are saying here if you disconnect the reg/rec when it goes and the battery os fine you could possibly get 25 minutes ride out of it if you disconnect the headlight as well so there is minimal drain.

A few years back the ER6 took out its reg/rec so I did the above and it was able to get me to work 25minutes away in heavy traffic, only 3 or so miles but I was able to charge it at work.

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Pull the lights fuse and you'll get a good distance out of it. You'll know when it's about to die it'll start mis-firing when you use the brakes and indicators.
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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

The trouble with most modern FI bikes is if the battery goes really you can't even bump start them.

The only way i would try it is taking a charger to work and removing and charging the battery while in work but if I had the choice, I would use public transport for a couple of days till fixed.
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B5234FT · Brolly Dolly Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Karma :

FWIW, I added a voltmeter to my triple this weekend because after last year's fiasco I want to know as soon as something has gone wrong!

brains_t · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 20 Jun 2013 Karma :

SteveSmith · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 08 Nov 2012 Karma :

Thanks everyone for the responses. I did leave the bike in the garage until I'd got a new reg / rec on it.

Just to put on record for anyone else having the same issue, the reg / rec is on the right hand side of the frame under the side fairing panel, not on the left where the Haynes Manual says. It's probably useful to know that before you strip the left side of the bike down trying to find it...