Alberta Patriot
Member
Posts: 1438
Say What You mean Mean What You Say
Rockyview County, Alberta 2001 Interstate
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« on: August 18, 2018, 09:27:23 AM » |
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Just an update>>I hauled the bike over to the Alt/Starter shop Thursday so the tech(??) could test the Alternator in the bike(no sign of life in the alternator)...he then asked if I would remove it for him. I did that right then and there!!!! He put it on his bench tester...big surprise...it was DOA.
THIS was after I picked it up on Tuesday and installed it with his comment that he could find nothing wrong with it...what a pain getting it back in, just to start it up and 12.07 volts on the multimeter...damn!! What a waste of time this A-hole put me through!!
The new OEM Hitachi alternator that I ordered from the Troy Honda Dealership on Ebay was only $242.00 in US dollars, plus shipping....great price compared to Partzilla or Ron Ayers.
Installing a new Alt will renew my confidence in long haul riding again.
New Alt, New U-Joint...I should be good for some time now(knock on wood).
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« Last Edit: August 18, 2018, 02:29:37 PM by 7th_son »
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Say what you mean, Mean what you say.
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Alberta Patriot
Member
Posts: 1438
Say What You mean Mean What You Say
Rockyview County, Alberta 2001 Interstate
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« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2018, 09:47:59 PM » |
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After being stranded by the same alternator twice!!!...that price for the new one looks pretty reasonable to me. It is the one major component on the bike that gives no clues or warning signs and will put you at the side of the road with no solutions other than to trailer it. |
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Say what you mean, Mean what you say.
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gordonv
Member
Posts: 5766
VRCC # 31419
Richmond BC
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« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2018, 10:50:35 PM » |
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After being stranded by the same alternator twice!!!...that price for the new one looks pretty reasonable to me. It is the one major component on the bike that gives no clues or warning signs and will put you at the side of the road with no solutions other than to trailer it.
Agreed. But, add a volt meter to your bike, monitor it, and you can see when its failing/fails. When it happens, you can do something about it. Pull your fuse for the head light. You might get an hours riding out of it. I've had GW riders swap batteries for the bike that had the failed alt, and charged the low battery of another ride, swapping all the way home. Another reason to ride with others. |
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1999 Black with custom paint IS   |
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Avanti
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« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2018, 09:03:55 AM » |
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Skinhead
Member
Posts: 8742
J. A. B. O. A.
Troy, MI
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« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 09:25:20 AM » |
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will put you at the side of the road with no solutions other than to trailer it.
When it happens, you can do something about it. Pull your fuse for the head light. You might get an hours riding out of it. I've had GW riders swap batteries for the bike that had the failed alt, and charged the low battery of another ride, swapping all the way home. Another reason to ride with others. The first statement isn't necessarily true, read DDT's post where his alt failed in the MI UP, fortunately he had a portable rechargable jump pack with him and was able to connect it to the battery and make it to Grayling MI in the lower peninsula on that. So it would pay to buy a jump pack and keep it with you. We made it from Home from the Blue Gray ride in Gettysburg to Detroit by doing the battery swap thing. |
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« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 09:31:10 AM by Skinhead »
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 Troy, MI |
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DIGGER
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« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 04:04:01 PM » |
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What is the average life of a Valkyrie alternator under normal conditions?
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Willow
Administrator
Member
Posts: 16758
Excessive comfort breeds weakness. PttP
Olathe, KS
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« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 04:19:18 PM » |
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What is the average life of a Valkyrie alternator under normal conditions?
Average is hard to determine. I had one (Interstate) go out at a little over 30,000. I believe that was early. I have a Standard at over 190,000 still on the original unserviced alternator. |
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DIGGER
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« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2018, 04:40:31 PM » |
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What is the average life of a Valkyrie alternator under normal conditions?
Average is hard to determine. I had one (Interstate) go out at a little over 30,000. I believe that was early. I have a Standard at over 190,000 still on the original unserviced alternator. I had one on my standard go at around 50000 but think I knocked it out with a quick start 200 amp charger. Stupid I know. Currently have about 40000 on this one. If there was a AVG life of atlternator I would replace in preventive maint. |
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¿spoom
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« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2018, 06:27:55 PM » |
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What is the average life of a Valkyrie alternator under normal conditions?
I had the OEM go out on my '97 Std before TWICE it even had 30k miles on it. First time it was a broken wire at a brush holder, so I soldered it up and it lasted maybe 5k before going out the second time. This time it rang out as a break in the winding where it would have to have been rewound. I sent it out for a complete rebuild. There are known defects in the OEM Hitachi units, especially the first year or two (my bike is #1040) especially with windings opening up. Makes it hard to say what "normal" is, since it's a proven design than can often go through 2 sets of brushes with no other maint. needed and 100k+ miles on the original bearings. |
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Alberta Patriot
Member
Posts: 1438
Say What You mean Mean What You Say
Rockyview County, Alberta 2001 Interstate
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« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2018, 06:34:18 AM » |
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I am considering leaving the Kuryakyn Chrome cover off. Not sure it interferes with Alt cooling, but I am pretty sure that was not something they tested before they put it on the market.
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Say what you mean, Mean what you say.
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¿spoom
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« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2018, 10:54:46 AM » |
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I am considering leaving the Kuryakyn Chrome cover off. Not sure it interferes with Alt cooling, but I am pretty sure that was not something they tested before they put it on the market.
FWIW, I don't and didn't have a Kury cover. It truly seems to be luck of the draw, and one of the weak points in an almost flawless record of dependability. I would say any Valk out there with it's original alternator and more than ¼ mile on the odometer should have a spare handy. |
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« Last Edit: August 20, 2018, 10:56:21 AM by ¿spoom »
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Bighead
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« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2018, 11:00:07 AM » |
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My '99 IS failed at 42k and my '97 Standard has 120k+ on the original unit.
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1997 Bumble Bee
1999 Interstate (sold)
2016 Wing
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2018, 11:05:46 AM » |
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I am considering leaving the Kuryakyn Chrome cover off. Not sure it interferes with Alt cooling, but I am pretty sure that was not something they tested before they put it on the market.
FWIW, I don't and didn't have a Kury cover. It truly seems to be luck of the draw, and one of the weak points in an almost flawless record of dependability. I would say any Valk out there with it's original alternator and more than ¼ mile on the odometer should have a spare handy. I learned after my trip to Virginia in June to ALWAYS carry a spare. I also learned to make sure that the tools you have with you will actually fit in the spots you might need them. A socket and ratchet does you little good if it’s too big to fit on what you need. |
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