Alternator rotor

[scooter paul]

Thanks to Tom Simpson at Foundry Motorcycles, Chichester, I was able to continue my journey today with a loan of a secondhand unit. I had a failed rota on my R80ST. Are the reproduction rotas from Motorworks as good as the genuine ones? They are considerably cheaper. Other options considered too.

 

[mikeyboy]

We seem to be fitting a fair few upgrade kits from motorworks,
400 or 600 Watts,makes sense if the bike is a daily runner,

 

[Santa-2512]

Foundry is just down the road from me,

They have some nice stuff in there

 

[scooter paul]

We seem to be fitting a fair few upgrade kits from motorworks,
400 or 600 Watts,makes sense if the bike is a daily runner,

I’m running minimal Enduro style lights and don’t often ride great distances at night so this would be overkill. Standard is fine for me but I’ve entered some competitions this year so reliability is essential.

 

[scooter paul]

And my apologees I meant to correct my speeling mistake. Of course I meant ‘rotors’. Anything good or bad about the copies?

 

[Beemerboff]

BMW dont always source spare parts for out of production bikes from the OEM suppliers, and some of the current parts have not checked out well, including cam shafts and oil pumps!
So chances are the copies are every bit as good as what BMW are supplying.
Have you considered getting you rotor to a rewinder?
The usual failure is in the portion of wire between the slip ring and the windings and is is usually possible to repair them by taking a turn of the winding and refixing it to the slip ring.
It is possible to check with a circuit tester and a couple of box cutter blades.
Even if the windings are gone rewinding is not usually over expensive and it is possible to use a finer wire which increases the output a little if you run with a heated bidet on the rear rack or whatever it is these guys need 600 watts for.

 

[scooter paul]

You make some very valid points. Having worked in the industry many moons ago I’m very aware that many parts are outsourced and in this global economy parts suppliers may even outsource some of their parts to a third party. Rewinding would be an option but with a ‘pattern’ part not expensive I’m going this route unless someone says they are no good.

 

[B Murr]

I was thinking of picking up one of those pattern ones as a spare as I presume the lacquer on my 25 year old windings will be brittle and a weak point prone to failure on a tour. Would be good to hear of anyone who has bought and used the pattern part .

 

[MickDB1]

I have purchased 2 rotas from Motoworks in last 10 years. I asked the lady on the phone, before I ordered my first one, if many "come back" faulty. She said she had not heard of any returns of their "recon rotas"
HTHY

 

[scooter paul]

Thanks for the replies. As there’s no clamouring of ‘don’t buy them’ I’ll give it a go.
Paul.

 

[Blackal]

And my apologees I meant to correct my speeling mistake. Of course I meant ‘rotors’. Anything good or bad about the copies?

Saw the headline and thought “Alternative Rotas”.

 

[ChasF]

Mine was rewound in Johanesburg more than 25 years ago and still going strong.