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Trouble shooting motorcyle electrics?

The problem for a novice non mechanic but interested amateur like me is -
1. How can i tell if the regulator rectifier needs replaced?
2. Or the stator (whatever that is)
3. Or a condensor or coil or sollenoid
4. Or a starter relay
5. Or a CDI
6. Or whatever ive missed in this list.
In otherwords troubleshooting electrics.
Vincent, September 2008
Thanks Busa Boy. Will try that and if no success can revert to Haynes.

Vincent, September 2008
I've always found Haynes manuals for motorbikes poor
yet the Haynes car manual much better. If it were me and i would get a genuine manufacturers workshop manual for the model of bike,sometimes you get lucky and you can find a PDF manual (genuine) on the web and download it for free.

Busa Boy, September 2008
Thanks Caine. I have now looked at Amazon for the book you mentioned and i see "Motorcycle Electrical Manual" by Tony Trantor. There's also a specific Haynes manual for my bike but i dont know if it explains everything to do with electrics. Thanks again.

Vincent, September 2008
Tall order.golden rules.all connections to be clean and bright,no rust or green stuf.most faults are juice not going where its ment to.elecrticts have to complete a circuit.no breaks.alternators have a fixed winding of wires(stator)and a rotating magnet(rotor).when spinning they out put alternating current which is tuned into direct curren by the rectifier and regulated to 13.5-14.5 volts by the regulator.(some rotors are electromagnets)when switching there is always a spark in the contacts.bigger the switch,bigger the spark so a relay is used.small switch on bars controls a larger switch in the relay-controls the big stuff.ie headlights,starter.solonoids are big power relays,u press the starter and the solonoid is magnatised to make a connection to the big cable from bat + to starter motor.suggest you seek out motorcyle electrics by Nigel Trantor if mymemory is correct.

caine, September 2008
Thanks Rich. Wasn't expecting to hear from Rich Hall.

Vincent, September 2008
Buy a Haynes Manual.

Rich, September 2008