Motorcycle Charging System Diagnostics

This video covers a full motorcycle charging system diagnostic. This video will be helpful for folks diagnosing dead batteries from under charging and frequent blown and burnt out bulbs from over charging. The video covers the components of a typical charging system: battery, regulator / rectifier and stator. The video also displays a worksheet that can be used to fill in information observed when measuring components of the charging system. Usage of a multimeter (voltmeter / ohmmeter) is also covered as measurements are taken in DCVolts, ACVolts and resistance where continuity is being tested along with regular resistance measurements.
The motorbike in this video is a grey-market JDM 1983 Honda CBX400 Custom which is an under bored Nighthawk CB550SC.

[@ScaryJudgeofCaracter]

Did you get a new stator? Was that the issue?

[@andrew_ball]

Hi, I ordered a new stator from my local shop and the one they brought in wouldn't fit due to a manufacturing error, so they brought in another one and it didn't fit either. The shop offered to arrange to get a proper Rick's Motorsports one brought in, but there is currently a backorder so I'm not sure when we will see it, but hopefully it arrives for this riding season!

[@andrew_ball]

New stator was delivered this week and it works great! I am getting just over 13 volts at low idle and a nice healthy 14.5 volts under throttle.

[@ScaryJudgeofCaracter]

Thanks for the reply, I have a similar issue, might have to do the same thing.