Think I've had enough.

[zore]

So I've had the bike less than a year.  The only reason I even entertained riding the thing is because it was free and it was in really good condition, but today was the final nail on the coffin.


I finally got the R5.5 running well.  I've been commuting on it 2 days a week and running the Triumph 3 days a week.  Then today, about 40 miles into my 65 mile commute, I pull the clutch in to go thru the toll booth.  As I slide thru, I suddenly feel no engine vibration.  I look down and see a dim red light.  I hit the start button a few times and got nothing.  Now mind you, this portion of the Garden state parkway is about 15 lanes wide and I am on the left most lane going thru the ez pass and it's rush hour in New Jersey.  And now I'm stuck with a bike that wont start.  I pulled the helmet off and pulled up the seat and did a token check of the fuse box then called my wife and told her to hook up the trailer to come and get me.  She had no idea what to do to hook up the trailer so I hung up more annoyed than before. 

So I'm looking across 15 lanes and trying to figure out how I'm going to frogger myself and the R5.5 to the outside shoulder.  Then out of desperation, I pulled the 2 light fuses out, put my helmet on, turned on the ignition and ran like the wind.  I must have been going in the 10's of feet per second so I slammed by prosterior on to the seat and popped the clutch!!!!!... nothing.  Zore, XZ, round 2... FIGHT!!!  Another running start, this time in 4th gear.  Plant butt on seat... and wammo, off I went.

I made it the next 20 miles to work and when I got there it actually idled.  Out comes the battery and off to sears I go for a charger.   I let it charge until I was ready to leave, installed it and it started right up.  With no lights and lots of hand signals (some of which were not standard road signals)  The bike made it the 65 mile trip home with out issue so I quickly put a volt meter on it.  12.6 volts at idle.  Gave it some gas it went up to 12.8.  I hooked the lights back up and it went down to 12.2.  I guess the stater put out just enough to get me home.

I guess I'm used to putting 41000 miles on a bike in 2 years and not have any trouble with it.  Dare i say it's less reliable than my Ducati... SHREEK!!!!  I like working on bikes as much or more than anyone, but I don't enjoy doing it on the side of the road and it's the 3rd time this year.   Now it's never left me stranded, but this is getting a little old.  As I sit here and type my rant, I've decided to diagnose it and replace X, whatever X maybe, but I think the next thing to go will be the final straw. 

Now that I'm on it, does anyone know of a 82 cb750 regulator would work just in case I need one?

[Night Vision]

not sure about the CB R&R, but I have a spare R&R from a northern philanthropist that could be passed your way if that's your problem..

[haunter]

a pair just popped on ebayt for 99 cents and 9.99 starting bids



and a ebay store has one buy it now 34.99 and a few bucks shipping....

if you wanna go that route

[VisionaryDan]

Zore,
How many miles has that Vision have on it? In retrospect I have gone through a stator about every 10K miles. Now I know I don't ride as long or as far as you do so you will probably get even less life out of a stator. So that's where I would look first. The R&R could be an issue but it sure sounds exactly how my last three stators have bit the dust.

What I would do is to look up in the stator cross reference list that was posted again just last week and find one from another bike on ebay. I have a a stator in my second V right now from a Honda. It isn't covered in the same resin as the stock on (lighter in color) and the windings have more space between them - I'm hoping it will not over heat as easily.

The stator is the main problem with this bike. Just look at the posts on the Technical board about it. We'll solve it one way or another. Hang in there hate to loose a another NEROV member.

Dan

[Mutt]

Time to pop another wood chuck!  :)

Mutt

[zore]

I guess I've just run into a bit of bad luck with my vehicles.  First the explorer gets a nail thru the side wall which can't be repaired on a new set of tires.  Then the focus pops an alternator last week and now the vision. 

[don_vanecek]

Yup, these things happen. I still have to laugh at a situation I had back in 94, my station wagon had an axle bearing out, the Citation had a head gasket out, the pickup had a broken ball joint and to top it all off the ONLY working wheeled vehicle was the V, but I was running it on a burned out stator!  Needless to say I went to a used car lot that night and did not even price haggle just so long as the guy let me drive the car home that night!

[jasonm.]

I have an LED(using a zener diode and LED) that lights only when I have above 14 volts...as it should be when riding. One day it did not light up on a ride home. Turns out it was only the regulator/rect. that died. Hope yours is as simple to fix.

[d0n]

You've got more patience than I do.

Lots of horror stories on the ROV forum about vision reliability. I'm hoping that when I get my 83 vision done and on the road that it's reliable and doesn't leave me stranded. If it does I'm gonna be pissed too. There's nothing worse than being stranded.

That happened to me a couple months ago on my honda helix 250 scooter. Riding to work the thing just dies on the highway. That sucked. Luckily, a friend was home and was able to pick me and my POS up within 1/2 hour. There's nothing worse than sitting on the edge of the highway waiting to be rescued.

I got the helix home, put the cover over it and left it. I haven't even looked at it since. Leave me stranded will ya?! Bad scooter! Bad!  :D

[zore]

Now that the Sprint is dead, looks like I'll need to fix the vision rather quickly. 

[kiawrench]

zore,,
   may not be of much help ,, but go to the electrex web site, look up our regulator, then use the cross ref chart, you will find a slew of bikes with same stator and same r/r
  i am using one from a kawasaki-- wires are different , but the charts on electrex site will help you find right ones for hook up.    more moden units last a lot longer and are a lot cheaper too. esp in salvage yard ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, good luck