Where does your motorcycle electrical supply come from? How does your battery remain charged even when you are using your headlights for hours at a time?
Yes, your motorcycle has an alternator that supplies electricity to all electrical systems, including your battery. Modern motorcycles require a large amount of electricity provided by the alternator.
What do you call an alternator on a motorcycle?
You may hear different terms from the alternator, stator, rectifier, regulator. You can think of the word alternator covering all of the other terms used.
The stator is not quite as complicated as an alternator but does the same job converting mechanical power into electricity.
The stator comprises the stator spindle, the rotor and magnetic field. The stator generates AC electricity to power everything electrical on your motorcycle, including the battery.
Your battery is mainly used for that initial start-up electricity, which starts the stator producing electricity.
Although your stairs produce AC electrical current, your batteries can only store DC direct current. The rectifier changes AC to DC.
How do I know if my motorcycle alternator is bad?
You will first know if your stator is terrible if your motorcycle battery will not charge. As you operate your ignition, you may find the engine turns slowly but with an added clicking sound. This means something in the ignition circuit has failed.
When your stair is not outputting electricity, you can expect your motorcycle to run rough and stumble along.
Your ignition light will remain on, and many flickers.
Before making any assumptions, it’s worth checking for corroded wires or loose terminals.
You can check your stator quickly with a multimeter. However, check your battery first. If it’s indicating less than 12.4 V after a charge, your battery is giving up, and it needs to be replaced.
Can a motorcycle run without an alternator?
Yes, you can ride without an alternator. If you have a decent battery, your motorcycle will keep running. It would be advisable not to use headlights if running in daylight.
If you do not have a huge ancillary power drain, you would expect to run for around 50 miles plus without too many difficulties. If you need to stop refuelling, try not turning the motorcycle off.
How long do motorcycle alternators last?
You can expect your alternator to last around 40 thousand miles in terms of mileage. It may last longer, depending on the type of rider.
It’s just a function of the alternator’s positions that it can become full of gunge which affects the needle bearings and causes the alternator to fail.
Taking your motorcycle to the shop is advisable if you suspect the stator is at fault.
Troubleshooting can be complex if you are not a seasoned rider and know all of the symptoms to look for.