Owning a 27 year old motorcycle has it’s challenges. Keeping the machine in top running condition is one. This evening I took on the slowly degrading charging system. It has been ever so slowly approaching failure ever since I’ve had the bike. I’ve known for some time that it was borderline in regards to function. Output voltages were down 1 to 1.5 volts from spec. Since the riding season is nearing it’s end, I’ve decided to upgrade the charging system a bit.
The upgrade: A FH010BA regulator from a ZX10.
The FH010BA is a substantial upgrade to the original in terms of technology. It features modern electronics, and FET (MOSFET) components, which should translate into more reliability, and cooler operation.
Wiring this bad boy up wasn’t hard at all. Five wires was all it took to make it operational.
From L to R: Ground, Positive, Stator wires (in no particular order)
Please note the connections are temporary. This was for testing. I’ll be getting the proper waterproof connectors soon enough.
Amazingly enough, the regulator fit directly onto the bracket that the original was located on, and fit, albeit snugly, into the spot where the old R/R lived.
Overall, it wasn’t a difficult mod to make. One thing that was key was knowing some information about the charging system on this bike. Not all systems and regulators are the same/compatible. In this case, the regulation is provided by the FH010BA R/R. Some bikes provide regulation at the stator, in which case this R/R would not work.
The results were good, gaining 1-1.5 volts to the battery. This was through the 27 year old wiring harness, so I suspect that it would improve if I wired it directly to the battery. This upgrade should allow me to add a few small farkles, such as the heated grips that are on their way as I type this.
I’m going to venture an educated guess and say this was worth the little money and time I put into it. Let’s hope I’m right.
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