Suzy RF900 not charging and stalling once started...

[Chad]

G'day all, hope someone can help. Recently bought a Suzuki RF900 and have already clocked up a few thousand km's, but just recently had issues with batteries.

Three nights ago I went for a good ride and all was sweet, but just yesterday bike concked out in middle of town.

Managed to get it home and found but battery dead flat, and after quick investigation found its not being recharged so guessin at generator issues. However, even when I fully charged the battery and put it in, the bike will start, but as soon as you let the throttle off the revs drop right off and it stalls. Just doesn't seem to want to idle. Would this be normal if its not getting a charge from the generator?

[davereid]

RF900s are well known for having alternator stators that fail, so a cynic would go directly to the stator.

Bikes need a good battery voltage to operate normally, so terrible running on a bike known to have a flat battery and no charge current is not cause for (extra) concern, it is almost certainly related to the charging issues.

Get a good auto-electrician onto it. Use the search function here too, there are some threads on stator rewinds, and some recommended rewinders.

[bsasuper]

I owned a rf900 for about a year, during that time the drive coupling to the alternator failed (at 40,000km).I cant remember If you can see it spinning from looking at it with motor running(its driven off the gearbox, not the crank).

[notme]

Once more, just for all the ladies this time:

You need a multimeter and a copy of the charging system troubleshooting chart that is all over the net and KB. Use the chart to narrow down the issue, it could be as cheap as cleaning up your earth connections and tightening and cleaning connectors or it could be a new battery or stator rewind. Use the chart, Luke, and you will have your answer.

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[Chad]

after spending all yesterday checkin everything over its lookin like a rewind. Dang. Not lookin good for bike trip up North next week.... these things always happen at the worst times

[karmobRob]

I think it has a brush type alternator,so they are worth looking inside,maybe only the drive,brushes or reg.