GT185 - Going batteryless?

[panama]

Hey all,
I've done some searching on the forums looking for more info on replacing the battery on my GT185 with a capacitor but haven't found much info relevant to the little 185.

I was hoping to replace the bulbs in my turn signals and brake light with led's, upgrade to an aftermarket regulator and run a capacitor instead of the battery.

Is there any reason why this setup would not work for the 185? The bike will be kick only and here in Australia we are not required to have the headlight running whenever the bike is running.

Also, are there any known aftermarket regulators suitable for the 185, I've seen the units suitable for the triples at http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; but nothing for the 185.

Thanks,
Jarrad

[jabcb]

The GT185 does not have an alternator. It has a generator that also functions as a starter.

The generator has a field coil, so without a battery you will have no generator output.
Also, generators produce very little output at low rpm, so you need a battery at low rpm.

All of the products sold by Oregon Motorcycle Parts are for alternators, so none of them are suitable for the GT185.

I have not looked into it, but there may be a modern aftermarket voltage regulator intended for a vintage Triumph that might work on a GT185 if you eliminate the electric start function.

See the wiring diagram:
download/file.php?id=827

[Flywheel]

You're going to have to do some electronic prinicpal research here before you attempt this. Since the GT185 is strictly DC, the system requires a power source to energize it, otherwise the bike will not start. A capacitor may not have enough storage to do this. My opinion another option would be to research the charging system on a GT125, I'm fairly sure that's an AC system and the GT125 and GT185 share may parts. A swap may be possible.