(Another) Reg. / Rec. question
 

My '09 Ten has about 7000miles on it now. There have, to date, been no problems with the Reg. / Rec. If it were to go wrong, would it have done so by now? I am planning a long ride next year (to KL) and want to know if I should be looking at replacing the Reg. / Rec. or if it has been fine so far, it will probably remain so?
Cheers all.

unlikely to go now i would have thought but if i was to go on a real long trip in areas i couldn't get parts i'd carry a spare.
that and clutch plates as the rec and clutch apear to be the weak points. not counting the rear drive cush drive.

I left the UK 7 months ago on a 2009 Tenere with 7000 miles on it for a long trip (coincidentally I'm now almost at KL). 500 miles into the trip, in Germany, the reg/rect completely failed without warning and I was stranded on an autobahn. The unit was replaced at a local Yam dealer under warranty as the bike was only 20 months old.

Sadly that is not the end of the story. 7500 miles later, in Azerbaijan, the second reg/rect failed, again completely without warning, and left me stranded in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately I was able to get a replacement from a Yamaha marine dealer as it is the same unit used on some Yam jet-skis. Had it failed in Iraq or Iran, I suspect it would have not been so easy!

The thing to check is the connector - if it is damaged or burned/blackened in any way then you can expect a reg/rect failure. The problem is that this is not much use as an early warning system, as if you are constantly popping the connector to check it you will undoubtedly weaken/damage it.

I ended up drilling the damaged earth pin out of the connector in India and connecting the wire directly to the pin on the reg/rect. So far so good, but it could go again at any time of course. Carrying a spare can't hurt, and will get you going from the side of the road, but in my experience the reg/rect failures are a symptom of a damaged loom connector. You must get the cause fixed if you are continuing on a long trip.

Agree with redbikejohn re clutch plates. Mine are on their way out (25k miles) and even here in Malaysia where there are big-bikes aplenty, sourcing replacements is proving time consuming.

Good luck on the trip... pm me if you need any info about the route we took.

Cheers, JD

I wouldn't say don't carry various spares - just don't get preoccupied with every potential thing that can go wrong?

If they are small and can be packed away, go for it - but remember that there are very few places in this world that you can't get something shipped to, if you are prepared to wait a few days?

The most likely things to go wrong on a trip are things coming loose, and punctures - so make sure you carry a selection of tools that can fix/tighten anything on the bike, plus a puncture kit/spare tube. I'd also take some metal epoxy 'quick steel' stuff - multitude of uses, including repairing a punctured airbox cover! I'd also pack a spare brake and clutch lever, as that can be an inconvenience if you do drop the bike...

As for reliability, as RBJ says, I think any rectifier connector problems would have manifest themselves by now... and remember its the actual connector block, not the rectifier itself that as been the cause of those problems - if you really want peace of mind, do what Bernard (Stoic Bloke) did and chop off the original connector and replace the reg/rec with a similar unit (note. the reason why you would have to change the reg/rec is because the stock Tenere one has the connector receiver built into it, there are now wire 'tails' to put a different connector on) - personally making sure the connector is home and sealed (you can make a gaiter with a length of bicycle inner tube) ought to see you without any issues...

I rode a brand new [stock] Tenere over 23000 miles in the first six months (around and across the USA and back), and it was faultless other than the cush-drive rubbers wearing at around 10,000 miles... got some of those in the post and it did another 13,000 miles with no problem, save a single puncture...

Jx

Sod's law dictates that no matter how many spare parts you carry, it will always be something else that goes wrong on your bike.

Just about the only spares I am carrying are tubes, and I've had 2 reg/rect failures, a headlight unit that destroyed itself and a knackered clutch, but not a single puncture!

I'd agree with Jamies assessment � take all the spares you want, I'll guarantee it'll be something else that fails. My biggest issue to date has been the waterpump at 16,000 starting to weep coolant. Probably would have been OK for several more thousand miles if I kept topping up the coolant, but it was a warranty part so in to the dealer it went. The water expansion tank sprang a leak at the 12,000 service when a clumsy mix up of the fastening bolts saw the mechanic put a long one in the rear-most hole ripping the threaded insert out and causing a split in the plastic � that's just careless. Punctures don't really count as they're not failures so much as plain misfortune. Cush drives are the real weakness for a bike like this � why Yamaha are unable to make a set that will go a decent distance is quite beyond me, but then if you pack 'em they give thousands more miles of service.

All in all the Z has been the most reliable bike I've owned thus far.

Many thanks to all for your thoughts and suggestions. Anyone have a link to stoic blokes reg. / rec surgery? My computer says no!
Cheers.

I'm sure his bike prep thread (which is most likely to include the details) was called something like "paddy dakar", but I can't find it now. His threads for the actual rally are below...

http://xt660.com/showthread.php?t=15...=heroes+legend

http://xt660.com/showthread.php?t=15...=heroes+legend

ive never been unlucky enough to suffer the reg problem
but did check and seal the unit early doors

i carry a old fazer 600 unit as a spare which is prewired into the reg
by yamaha ..the block end i keep ready with spade clips so i can hack it into the loom elininating the weak connecor point
it fits under the seat as a spare ...it was 15 quid off e bay ..

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5760/img2175t.jpg
By minkyhead at 2011-07-19

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2962/img2174jd.jpg
By minkyhead at 2011-07-19

hi, as it's one theme that re-occurs from time to time i tidied up some of my mods, so for the reg-- http://www.xt660.com/showthread.php?t=17054 hope this helps.

you are probably never going to face the problem, tho it would give you better odds if its changed, if i was doing your trip- change to be sure!

i would reccomend taking a front sprocket.

all the best bernard