[Kiwihame]

I need a new R/R for my '89 SS so scoured ducati.ms looking for your comments on which one to get. The R/R I have right now is a Kawasaki one and is putting out 12.5 volts which ain't enough. (It's always the Kawasaki parts that break!)

It seems people have had good and bad experiences with Electrex and Electrosport, but there's also some misinformation out there, not least many people transpose the brands/products: ESR510 is from Electrosport (US). RR51 is from Electrex world (UK).(see below) For that reason its hard to tell which product you guys have been talking about when you've been talking R/Rs.

I asked both companies about reliability and here's what they say.

Peter Houghton from Electrex World (in the UK) Limited says:
"We have manufactured the RR51 for about 10 years and it has an outstanding reputation for reliability.
The ESR510 is from a company called Electrosport who were our distributor in the USA until they copied our products and had them made in China –reliability ???" (Prices are GBP61.95 or USD92.92)

Trent Kirby from Electrosport (the US Company) says:
The RR51 is our old R/R designed(sic) and the ESR510 is a much more reliable R/R. (Price is USD139.00)

So, what do you say?? What have your experiences been? Which one did you actually buy and have they been reliable? Is there a 'once and for all answer' as to which is the best aftermarket regulator/rectifier for the 900SS??

 

[TassieDave]

I have the ESR510 as a spare but so far haven't needed it. I am still on the original Ducati unit - bike (93) has a bit over 60,000 klms on the clock.

In LT Snyders manual he says "I have found these regulators to be inferior to the updated (pre 98) OEM Ducati regulators - but are $100 cheaper than OEM Ducati". He only mentions the Electrosport regulator.

After reading that, if my current unit dies and I get less than 60,000 from the electrosport I'd pay the extra money for a new Ducati unit. I'd probably even go as far as ordering one the day I fit my spare but that is just so I would have one coming - not the thought of ESR510 dying the next day.

I did read elsewhere about aftermarket regulators and they said the chance of failure was similar to an Ducati OEM.

 

[GM92SS]

regulator

thanks for digging in to this. I just went through this decision process only to find an undone barrel connetctor was my problem so i returned mine. A senior member here mentioned regulatorrectifier.com and he has had good experience with their unit. It goes for $115- just to put another option out there.

 

[944SS]

So, what do you say?? What have your experiences been? Which one did you actually buy and have they been reliable? Is there a 'once and for all answer' as to which is the best aftermarket regulator/rectifier for the 900SS??

I've had each a RR51 and an ESR510 fail on me. I've never appreciated the "generic" nature of these things either. Having to run the pos/neg leads straight to the battery is just weak. I was the one who suggested using the regulatorrectifier.com unit which does plug into the wiring harness. It seems to have about the same low rpm charging characteristics as the ESR510 (ie better than the stocker) and so far it has lasted. To be honest, I would have just bought the updated Ducati unit except it was on back order at the time so I took a chance on this unit. So far so good.

 

[Roland 97]

Gents, here's another source that's popular with the BMW Boxer community. Euromotoelectrics

Ironically, our Ducati single phase charging system is sold as the "high end" electrical upgrade for the older Beemers.

 

[bob181]

Hi Kiwihame. I fitted a Shindengen type regulator / rectifier to my 95 600SS. I'll hunt done the information and post it up when I get home tonight

 

[bob181]

I have replaced my regulator / rectifier on my 600SS so this is what I did. I used a Shindengen reg, part # SH673-12. The two yellow wires go to you alternator, the two red-white wires I joined togeather and this the battery wire the the two green wires I joined togeather on an eye terminal which goes directly to earth. I made up a 5mm heat sink bracket which I used to mount this reg as the mounting holes didn't line up with the original mounting lugs. I made up a jumper wiring loom to keep the bikes wiring loom and the regs wiring loom original, real easy to do. Any questions just PM me.

 

[gorma900]

I fitted a Shindengen regulator to my 900SS from a Honda CB400N. It's a three phase regulator of which you use only two yellow wires. So far so good...

 

[ducseeker]

I suspect I have an R/R problem. Just bought a FE yesterday. At first, she wouldn't start at all (lights, but no ignition.) I put it down to the fact that I trailered it home in the rain. Later, I got ignition and after some difficulty (perhaps old gas), did get her started and running. Thought I'd take a run up to the gas station to fill up and 2 blocks from home it died. No ignition (misting rain again) so I got my exercise for the day by pushing the old girl home. Battery is back on the tender and I will be going through all the connections to check for corrosion, etc.

Two questions: will any used late model Ducati OEM R/R purchased off fleabay work with the FE? Obviously, it should be a low mileage one, but that seems a reasonable option vs the aftermarket jobs.

 

[froryde]

ducseeker,

Just wondering what # FE you have? Mine's #299.

phil

 

[syd2315]

ducseeker,

Just wondering what # FE you have? Mine's #299.

phil

Not to hijack but #280 Chantilly, VA

 

[uglyDUCkling]

psep.biz the same reg/rec as the electrosport but paid 69.95 77.90 shipped. charges at 13.2 at idle so its better than stock in that aspect. only had it in for 2 weeks so time will tell, but at that price its worth the risk.

 

[UNLEASHED]

Have had the ESR510 in the 600 for 7/8 months with no dramas whatsoever!

 

[Kriis]

Hamish, I cannot be of any help re: RR51 reliability (or the other version) having only just bought one after all these years. I will say though (again with little help or relevance to this thread) that the O.E.M. single phase and three wire units get a hell of a pasting in the U.K. for being unreliable but I feel very strongly that this a total fallacy. The units are often blamed for failures yet it's nearly always the wiring and connectors offering a rising resistance due to corrosion and overheating over the years that is actually to blame.
All the Best to you.