Comment #3 here is copied from the Tech section thread with a couple videos and tidbits added.
This is going to become a very expensive project if you keep frying $100+ Rick's Electric reg-recs, lol. Honestly, I don't know why people buy those things, guess they don't know any better. You can put together your own better reg-rec set-up for around $40 or less using an automotive regulator and a rectifier from the electronics world.
Actually, for 20 to 40 bucks you can build a "professional" looking reg/rec that's a direct swap for the OEM's that works just as good or better. Here's mine. Seeing that on a prospective bike wouldn't faze me in the least.and I'm not going to bodge together some homemade reg/rec then try to sell a bike to a prospective buyer like that. I'm not an electrician and I don't design my own components, the people at Rick's are and do. A buyer can look in there, see the part, and I can give them the receipts and info about how and where to get support for it. Would you buy a bike from some guy who built his own electrical components and swore up and down that they were totally fine? I sure wouldn't.
There is an eight pin connector that I suspect (it is on my '83) is under the left side cover, behind the airbox. It has three white wires that carry AC to the regulator/rectifier from the stator. Red wire is DC to the charging rotor. Scrutinize that connector. I've seen it burn up on several Yamaha XS motorcycles. Two of them are mine. It certainly won't charge if there's a failure there.
There's a thread on XS11.club that shows a table fork as the tool for XS needle removal. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to look it up.What's the best way to get that needle off without destroying it?
The needle is just pressed on. I think the preferred removal method is to use two spoons placed upon and pivoted on the face plate mounting screws to pop the needle off. The needle is slightly spring-loaded so it returns. Before removal, gently lift the end of it over the stop peg and let the spring unwind fully. Note the position it ends up at so it can be installed back in that spot. And be sure to use a drop of Loctite on the face plate screws.
They all start that way, 99.99% do not end that way though.Also, it's not lost on me that the "Low-Effort" part of this project has gone out the window.
No other way on a newly acquired XS"ride and wrench"