Bimota Forum

[Arsecati]

Hey guys. Well finally got myself a Bimota SB6R about 3 weeks ago, and loving it so far (especially since I got suspension set up - so has even done a track day!). Problem is, it looks like the alternator has gone (though I believe it could be the rubber coupler). So yeah...... so the engine has to be dropped or pivoted to get to it. I've searched everywhere, and unless I'm losing it with age - I cannot find an easier/how to method of doing so: anyone any ideas/tips? I have all the fairings and seat unit off (decided to do some minor cosmetic repairs to plastics also while they are off), but going to have to bit the bullet sometime now and tackle this alternator!

Cheers guys!
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So many bikes, so little time.

[Jonny B Bad]

You have to pivot the motor on the rear lower pin to get all of the bolts out that hold down the cover on the starter clutch assembly, on which the alternator coupler is mounted. Be careful to get the side stand bracket locating bolt out (screws into a boss on the crankcase) before pivotting the motor or you’ll wreck the boss, creating a bit of a problem!

Once the cover’s off the starter clutch assembly, the latter just lifts out. There is then a sub-assembly comprising the coupler, a carrier and a bearing that needs to be pulled off the starter clutch shaft. I believe that the coupler and carrier can still be obtained, but the bearing, which has a groove in the outer race, cannot. Removing the sub-assembly necessitates having a puller pulling on the outer race of the bearing, following which you would generally fit a new bearing, if only they were available. It would be worth speaking to somebody who re-builds gearboxes, to see if they can help. The only other solution is to buy the bearing in the correct dimensions and try to find somebody to cut the groove cut in the outer race. Not impossible, but the width of the groove (1.65mm from memory) may be smaller than a machine shop’s narrowest cutting tool.

If the above is too much of a headache, you could fit an entire starter clutch assembly from a breakers. But chances are, the coupler may well be compromised on a second hand starter clutch from a 25 year old bike and this is not a job you want to be doing twice in quick succession - exhaust off, rad and plumbing off - do the valve clearances while you’re in there, take a close look at the clutch slave and probably replace chain and sprockets!

The other solution is to fit a starter clutch from an earlier GSXR11 model, but you would also need to fit the alternator that goes with it. And Suzuki ditched the older version for a reason - the later coupler can fail without doing catastrophic damage to the motor!
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What, Jonny's gone!

[Jonny B Bad]

Damage to your alternator coupler may well have been occasioned by a previous owner. But, once you get it back together, always ensure the battery is showing good voltage before starting and give the coupler as easy a time as possible by always starting with the clutch pulled in.
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What, Jonny's gone!