electrical fault

Help please, took the wifes cb500 1998 out for a ride today. started fine then on the way home after 38 miles the bike stopped. would not start again as the battery was flat, had to get my daughter to give me a jump start. rode home 2 miles stopped the bike and the battery is flat again. any help appreciated.

Check the regulator rectifier. 

Also check the battery voltage when you press the starter anything 9 volts or lower means that the battery has a dead cell and needs to be replaced.

many thanks for that, will check it out today.

Would be worth checking battery voltage with the engine running as well, looking for 14v ish when you rev the engine. Does the headlight get brighter when you rev the engine?
Best of luck!

I had the same problem last year.

As James pointed out, its going to be the reg/rec. I believe there is a thread on here about uprating to a better reg/rec, as the oem ones(and some from Ebay) get too hot due to not enough cool air getting to it

Crash- Elmit wrote:I had the same problem last year.

As James pointed out, its going to be the reg/rec. I believe there is a thread on here about uprating to a better reg/rec, as the oem ones(and some from Ebay) get too hot due to not enough cool air getting to it

This one http://www.cb500club.net/t3130-charging-battery