The CB400 Rectifier/Regulator Question

compiled & edited by Kristian #562
Please read the Disclaimer before attempting any work in this FAQ. 

 

Following Chris Ratay’s comment on the Honda CB400 Regulator in a 2002 Sprockets and HsN’s comment on the capacity I did a little follow-up:

Q. Is Chris’s Comment Valid?

Why? Well, the wiring, VR size etc may all look OK from the outside, inside the VR may not be up to the 280W output of the F650 alternator.

 

Erin & Chris Ratay's Original Comment

 

"FYI: We confirmed we can use a regulator from a Honda CB400 -- it is exactly the same shape, with mounting holes in exactly the same places, and 6 wires.  Price for BMW part here is probably around $125, the Honda part is US$55.  The only diff is the color of wiring - 4 wires are the same: 3 yellow, 1 red-white; for use on BMW, need to swap positions of the brown (earth) and green wires - Honda uses green for earth."

 

As far as I am aware Chris & Erin did not actually USE the CB400 regulator, it just looks very similar.

 

Electrex USA shows the RR71 with a G7 Stator (F650 1997-2001 G7 $151.00 RR71 $134.00.)

Table 3 below also shows the 3 Hondas that are on Electrex site with a G7 Stator.

 

These are the: VT500C Shadow ('83-86), VT500 FT Ascot('83-84) and VLX600/VT600 Shadow ('88-2001), along with some other bikes, but the RR's are different, unfortunately (RR65, RR25, RR25*). This is also clear on Table 3.

This site has the Wiring of the CB400 Reg.

 

This site has General info on CB400 incl. Alt/Reg Problems

 

This site gives a CB400 Regulator Model Number 715536

 

Inputting the number 715536 at this site, this regulator is also on these bikes:

 

All Honda – Table 1

CB250 NA/NB/NC S/DREAM 78-85

715536

-

£51.95

CB250 RSA 80-81

715536

-

£51.95

CB250 T DREAM

715536

-

£51.95

CB400 HONDAMATIC 78-81

715536

-

£51.95

CB400 NA/NB/NC S/DREAM 78-85

715536

-

£51.95

CB400 T DREAM

715536

-

£51.95

CB450 DX 89-92

715536

-

£51.95

CB500 R/S 94-00

715536

-

£51.95

CM400 T

715536

-

£51.95

CX500A/B/Z/CBCUSTOM

715536

-

£51.95

FT500 C 82-85

715536

-

£51.95

GL500 SILVERWING

715536

-

£51.95

NSR250R MC16/18 93-96

715536

-

£51.95

XBR500F/G/H/J 85-88

715536

-

£51.95

XL600LM 85-87

715536

-

£51.95

 

Searching on 715536 in General throws up this with another list of Regulators tying in with Electrexusa’s naming system, but has no RR71, which is what Electrex say is for the F650.

 

 

Interestingly the Search also turned up this site which gives another number 615-218* but says “SMALL MODIFICATION NEEDED”. Perhaps the RR71 has that small modification from the RR18 (Was it RR18?)

 

 

Looking at this page for Hondas on the SAME site

 

 

 

 

All Honda Table 2

 

Application

Year

Generator

Regulator

Regulator

CX500

-

'78-'79

-

615-216

-

CX502

C

'79-'82

-

615-216

-

CB250

N

'80

-

615-218

-

CB250

RS

'80

-

615-218

-

CB250

T

'78-'80

-

615-218

-

CM250

C Custom

'82-'83

-

615-218

-

CMX250

Rebel

'85-'01

-

615-218

-

NSR250

 

'93-'96

-

615-218

-

CB400

A

'79

-

615-218

-

CB400

N

'80

-

615-218

-

CB400

T

'78

-

615-218

-

CM400

A

'79-'81

-

615-218

-

CM400

T

'80-'84

-

615-218

-

NS400

R

-

-

615-218

-

CB450

N/DX

-

-

615-218

-

CB450

S

'84

-

615-218

-

CB450

SC Nighthawk

'82-'86

-

615-218

-

CMX450

Rebel

'85-'87

-

615-218

-

FT500

 

'82-'85

-

615-218

-

XBR500

 

'85

615-045

615-218

-

XL600

RM

'86

615-043

615-218

-

CB500

-

'94-'97

-

615-218*

-

           

 

 

 Repeating the same exercise for the Generator (Stator) yields these results:

 

Various  - Table 3

Application

Year

Generator

Regulator

Regulator

Rectifier

Honda

 

 

 

 

 

CBR929

RR

'00-'01

615-007

-

-

VLX600

Shadow

'88-'01

615-007

615-225

-

VT600

C Shadow

'88-'01

615-007

615-225

-

VT500

E

'83-'85

615-007

615-225*

-

VT500

FT ASCOT

'83-'84

615-007

615-225*

-

CBR900

RR

'98-'99

615-007

615-230

-

XL600

V Transalp

'87

615-007

615-264

-

XRV750

Africa Twin

'89-'97

615-007

615-264

-

VLX400

Shadow

-

615-007

615-265

-

VT400

C/Shadow

-

615-007

615-265

-

VT500

C Shadow

'83-'86

615-007

615-265

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muz

 

 

 

 

 

500

Silver Star

-

615-007

615-208

-

500

Silver Star

-

615-007

615-226

-

660

Scorpion

'94

615-007

615-208

-

660

Scorpion

'94

615-007

615-226

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzuki

 

 

 

 

 

VS600

Intruder

'95-'96

615-007

615-275*

-

VS750

Intruder

'86-'91

615-007

615-275

-

VS800

Intruder

'92-'99

615-007

615-275

-

VX800

 

'90-'92

615-007

615-227

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yamaha

 

 

 

 

 

XV535

Virago

'88-'96

615-007

RR48

-

XZ550

Vision

'82-'84

615-007

615-239

-

SZR660

 

'96

615-007

615-208

-

XTZ660

 

-

615-007

615-226

-

XV700

Virago

'84-'87

615-007

615-228

-

XV750

Virago

'86-'96

615-007

615-228

-

XV1000

Virago

'86-'88

615-007

615-228

-

XV1100

Virago

'87-'97

615-007

615-228

-

From Both Tables 2 & 3 it would seem that there is no Single Bike with the same RR and Stator.

 

This is the location of the Wiring Diagram for the CB Series Bikes between 350-550cc:
 

 

So to answer HsN’s question, all we have to do is find the biggest charging system of one of those bikes in Table 1 or 2 and if it is greater than the Classic, it’s a goer. (i.e. it'll work)

 

I did TRY a few searches on CB400 Alternator, but so far have only found out this one:

 

 

Alternative VR Sources:

 

Moving on then I found that funnily enough these guys in Greece actually make a Regulator for the F650, for 80 Euros.

 

SXelectronics use the same regulator on the:

 

Don't forget Electrexusa have one that works:

 

However none of the Hondas, including the CB400 Four, use the SZ7 Model, so you have to ask if that CB400 really is one you can use?

 

Misc. VR sites:

 

 

Conclusion:

We do NOT think the CB400 VR will work, but the research brought about other Alternatives and MAYBE another Jap Bike with a VR that does work. We have yet to find it.

 

Cheers,

 

k