dakmatik

All right, here's the story. I bought my hawk last winter and replaced the RR unit with a cheapy off of ebay. I started riding and all was good until, I blew a headlight bulb. Ok, figured the bulb just crapped out. I ended up replacing the bulb, then decided to test the voltage. I was getting 17.5V at idle. not good. So in order to keep riding I threw the old one back on and continued going about my business. Well, a week later that one gave up the ghost about 75miles from home. So a phone call and 3 hours later a friend drove down with the ebay one so I could get home.
Now, since that one had proved problematic in the past, I ordered a new electrosport one from dennis kirk. A week later it came in, I installed it, tested the voltage, 13.8@4krpm or so. Now, a month later, out for a ride, and just as I start to pull out from an intersection, the bike almost dies, then picks up again, and my gauges are going nuts. Basically bouncing all over the place, then nothing. I immediately pull over and now I have nothing. The main fuse is blown. Luckily I started carrying spares with me after the first incident. I replace the fuse and check the voltage and find its only getting 12.5V@about 4-5krpm. Not good again. I ended up going riding for the rest of the day with no problems.
Now a week later, I took my bike into work, go to leave at the end of shift and it has enough juice to crank it, but not enough to start. So I hook up the battery charger and it fires right up. I head home and start tearing into it. Now I'm getting 11.8 volts from the electrsport R/R. WTF. I have tested the stator. fine. Did a leak down test. slightly high, but not bad. So, just for gits and shiggles I hooked up the ebay r/r unit and I am getting 12.8 volts now, while the electrosport one is still toast. I tested the diodes across the r/r and get mixed results from both of them.
I have done a pile of searches and have found similar issues, but haven't found any results as to what the solutions were and such.

Does anyone have any sort of idea what might be going here?

I'm just about ready to push the bike down a steep hill and watch it crash into the lake and be out of my hair forever.

lazn

Perhaps going to a GSXR or R1 unit is your best bet?

RickB

First thing to check is all the battery connections and see if any are loose or dirty, the R/R plug connections for any damage or corrosion (they can get real hot and melt or at least oxidize from the heat) Do a search on here for other testing procedures if you don't have a manual to go by as well.

You should probably get a new later model Honda unit with the cooling fins or the beefier gsxr (needs some rewiring) unit some have had good luck with - sounds like you are going to need a good one once you get this figured out. Good luck!

MotorToad

When your r/r fails open, you get stator voltage (17-18 V) going to the battery and this will at beast boil the fluid out of it if not burn it out completely. So you might be facing battery problems brought on by the failing r/r. A lot of problems can come and go with heat, also, which makes things really suck. IMO, get the best r/r you can find and a new battery just to be sure.