UPDATE: Good News! (Maybe) CRAP! All the smoke escaped...

[NorDog]

So I'm on my way home from work today, splitting the two most left hand lanes on the 101 North going through downtown Los Angeles.  At about 30 or 35 mph my S4RS went completely dead.

I was able to get the bike to the center divider safely, which is kinda impressive considering that the traffic was bumper to bumper stop and go, and my bike, while traveling at more than 30 mph, had no power, so braking was tricky.

When finally situated safely on the shoulder of the center divider I noticed smoke coming from around the rear header pipe.  After much searching I realized that the smoke was coming from under the seat.

Took the seat off to find that the voltage regulator was toasted; literally.  The plastic of the underside of the seat was melted into the cooling fins of the regulator, and the regulator was melted down into the plastic of the crank-case-vent-oil-collector-tank-thingie.

The wires coming out of the regulator were fried.

My speedo and tach needles are frozen at the 10 o'clock position.

At this point I'm just hoping that the damage is limited to the regulator and vent tank.  Hopefully the gauges reset when I finally get this disaster powered up again.

I'll post pix tomorrow or so.

Crap.

[Moronic]

Well that's the second report in a week or so.

Another member posted on the Tech board here: http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=42736.0

Mine went a few months ago. Different cause - looks like a connector shorted - but regulator was toast. Details in above thread.

It does not fill me with confidence to hear of another S4R/s stopping dead while riding because of an electrical fault. 

Mine died while stationary about to pull out from a rural driveway. Your incident was more hazardous, and with the potential for serious injury. Sounds like you did a great job to get off the road safely.

It is easy to think of yet more dangerous occasions for failure. Overtaking on the highway is one that occurs to me.

Good luck with sorting the issue.

[DoubleEagle]

I'm sorry to hear about this sad story NorDog.

I had a VR go out on my 1098 R in the Zaleski National Forest last Summer and I was down in a Valley where I couldn't get a Cell signal.

Luckily a Coal Trucker eventually came by and I gave him my Roadside Assistance info. and when he could get a Cell signal was able to call in.

I sat there for 4 hours ( being eaten up by Mosquitoes since it was very hot and I had to take my Jacket off ) waiting for the Tow Truck to show up.

It was just my VR that had failed.

Shortly thereafter there was a recall on the VR to shield it from the exhaust plus use the same one as the 999R.

Hopefully you just destroyed your VR.

Dolph        

[junior varsity]

look into the underseat re-locator that puts in a space with more airflow

[NorDog]

look into the underseat re-locator that puts in a space with more airflow

You make it sound like there's a kit for that.  Is there?

[ducpainter]

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/13/tracking-your-period-there-s-an-app-for-that.html

[NorDog]

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/13/tracking-your-period-there-s-an-app-for-that.html

Oh man, that's just wrong.

[junior varsity]

Of course!

Call our friends down in College Station:

https://www.tpoparts.com/cat093/index.php?route=product/product&path=1_11&product_id=165

[junior varsity]

mas pictures:

http://www.tpoparts.com/products/53

[NorDog]

Thanks.  Are you running this kit on your bike?  Do you like it?  Any problems?

[junior varsity]

i am not on my Monster - i have *lots* of TPO parts however, and have been really happy with all of them (lightweight front axles, ti swingarm pivots, etc etc)

the reason i am not on my monster is that on the model i have (99 m900) the reg/rec is placed at the front of the frame, above the oil cooler, in direct airflow - completely different mounting location than what you have.

[NorDog]

As a long shot I called my insurance company just now and asked if this damage was covered by my policy.  They patched me over to the claims department.

The lady I spoke to was very gracious and helpful.  She assigned a claims adjuster and told me that I am covered for fires.  (I had explained that it was an electrical fire even though it was mostly out by the time I got the seat off the bike.)

There's a $500.00 deductable.

The question is, beyond will my policy actually cover this, is this a case of replacing a couple of parts, or is it a total loss?

I spoke to the service guy at a dealer here in LA and he said it could either be a case of replacing a couple of parts, or be "a really big problem".

Here's to hoping that AAA comes through.  

Anyone here ever put in a claim like this?

[NorDog]

The claims adjuster just called and confirmed that I'm covered for this loss.  

Here are some pix:

[junior varsity]

I'll pull Jeff and Jordan aside today and ask away

[TAftonomos]

It's a known failure point on these bikes, and I'd be surprised if it was more than $500 to replace the seat and the rectifier....

I'm tripping over like-new ones, I'll send you one for cheap, just PM me.