onewhosquawks

Hi all

New SV650s curvy 2000 owner. She's been a bucket of problems and came to me with a fresh MOT after four years of neglect and possible a front ender!

Long story short but it's been painful getting her ridable despite a fresh MOT (they count for sod all these days) - brake calipers basically fell off on ride home!! That's just one example.

Anyway - she seems roadworthy now but still exhibiting a few issues.

My primary concern right now is the electrics/charging circuit (please don't let it be a short - really don't fancy going through the whole loom)

Here are the facts

Battery keeps draining overnight - not tested the voltage as had to get to work but will get this later. This is the second time it happened - last time I put it down to dumb luck.

After a long ride yesterday (60 miles) she went lumpy at idle although I think this may be a mixture issue however I killed the lights and she picked up enough to seem like she wouldn't stall.

Now to the meat -

- Battery with bike off - 12.5

- Battery with bike on but not turning over - 12.7

- Battery did not dip below 11 when starting her up

- At idle before revving she was at - 13ish

- After revving to 5000 she was at 15.4

- Voltage didn't drop again - she remained at 15v at idle with lights on - this seems odd to me but I'm unfamiliar with this bike.

Tested circuit for drain and nothing

Tested alternator continuity (or lack of to ground) - all fine

Tested resistance - all fine

At this point battery was struggling with tests/getting started

Voltage dropped to 6 when starting

The only thing I haven't tested is the voltages coming direct from the alternator. It was late and I wanted the sofa and beer and the battery had given so sod bump starting it.

I'll charge the battery again and test alternator direct voltages but it seems like it's either battery or reg/rec or both.

I've heard a duff battery can take out a reg/rec - Is this true?

So what should my next step be and if I replace the battery and it isthe reg/rec am I going to murder the battery again?

The battery was 12.5 after being stood overnight but when I tested it the day before it was 12.8 and didn;t drop below 11 when cranking.

Anayway - I hate electrics


I used search and saw lots of people with curvys and similar issues but none as specific as mine. I'm a bit weirded out by it holding 15v at idle only after being revved.

Is the 15v at idle a regulator clue?