The Blog
News, how-tos, new parts, and tech talk from the shop in Hampstead, NH.
125 posts
Overcharging Diagnosis for Field-Excited Systems
Overview: Charging systems that use a 12VDC signal wire connected to the regulator to control output voltage are sensitive to voltage drops in this circuit; this is especially true on older field-excited systems where the regulator is responsible for controlling the strength of the field coil (electromagnet). If the signal is interrupted (open or has…
Recitifer Regulator Signal Wires
Many Rick’s Motorsport Electrics Rectifier/Regulators eliminate what is commonly referred to as a “signal wire” on OE pieces. For example, on a 1981 Kawasaki KZ440, there are 5 wires going to the OE part: 2 yellow wires (AC inputs), white/red (DC “+” output), black/yellow (DC “-“ output), and a brown wire. The brown wire is…
How to use a Multimeter
Modern digital multimeters come in all shapes and sizes. The following is a guide on the basic operation for an autoranging meter. If your meter requires you to manually set a measurement range, you may need to refer to the manual that came with the meter to determine the proper setting and reading. Let’s take…
2006 – 2009 GSXR 600 / 750 Stator Test Procedure
These bikes utilize a 3-phase permanent magnet system; however, due to the unique way they are wound and the configuration of the magnets in the flywheel, it is essential that the stator and flywheel are both the correct parts for this bike. If you believe your GSXR stator may need to be replaced, use the…
Why MOSFET?
For many vehicles, Rick’s Motorsport Electrics provides a rectifier/regulator option with MOSFET technology. Some common questions regarding these are what makes them “heavy-duty” and what is the advantage to purchasing them as opposed to the cheaper options? MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) are semiconductor switches which act to control the flow of…
Late Season Snowmobiling
We are coming up on the tail end of snowmobile season and I wanted to share a few things for our readers to keep in mind this time of year. It’s easy to just throw your machine into the trailer at the end of the day and assume you will clean it up after the…
How to test a motorcycle stator
How to test a motorcycle stator on a 3 typical 3 phase charging system.
Top 10 reasons riding a motorcycle is better than driving a car
Why riding a motorcycle is better than driving a car Here’s a top 10 list from the motorcycle engineers at Rick’s Motorsport Electrics giving the breakdown on why riding your motorcycle is so much better than driving in your car. MPG – you save way more money in gas. Maneuverability – the handling in your car just…
Make Sure Your Motorcycle Battering is Charging
Trouble Shooting Motorcycle Battery Charging Getting Ready for Spring Part 3: Make Sure it Charges What good is cleaning everything up and getting ready to ride if your charging system is bad? As we are preparing for the first ride of the season we are going to need to test our motorcycle battery charging . Don’t worry,…
Cleaning Motorcycle Electrical Connectors
There are a ton of different connectors on your motorcycle or ATV, but don’t worry – you don’t have to clean everything that plugs into the main harness
Dead Batteries on Motorcycles and ATVs
Tips for Troubleshooting and Preventing Dead Batteries on your Motorcycle or ATV
Stater Motor Rebuild
Step by step instructions on how to rebuild a starter motor for a motorcycle or any motorsport vehicle.