OT - not to rub it in or anything

[Mikey]

Progress! Oil looks OK and motor turns over cranked from with a known good battery. Looks like the issues may be mostly electrical. And that I can deal with.

Excellent.  What year is that bike?

[Doc B.]

It's an 01 RSV Mille. The standard one, not the R. Already have an upgrade plan worked up for the starting circuit. Yamaha R1 R/R (Shindengen FH020, an excellent MOSFET R/R), fresh connectors, Yamaha 100A rated starter relay, and I'm thinking of a LiFePo battery for the extra cranking amps.

[Mikey]

The MOSFET R/R is a good idea.  I installed one on one of my bikes, it works a treat.
I don't know about the Aprilia battery and starter cables, but on the Ducati's they are horribly undersized.
There are kits out there to improve that weak link too:

http://www.motolectric.com/makes/aprilia.html

Of course, if you're like me you will just make your own with some welding cable and a solder pot...

In addition, I rewired all the way back to the stator itself with heavier gage wire:

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/56-superbikes/136928-1997-ducati-748-stator-testing.html

and hardwired right to the R/R, eliminating a high current connection in the process.

[Doc B.]

I put an R1 R/R on my CBR and it was really a nice improvement. And yeah, bigass wire and solder, baby! The Aprilia has the same issues with crappy connectors and undersized wire and batteries. Even my truck battery was struggling to gets volts to the starter, so I know I have a lot of stuff to clean up. Luckily the Yamaha parts are way cheaper, have beefier ratings, and bolt right in with minor connector changes.

[goozy]

First ride of the year Took the WeeBee R for an 80 romp just above freezing! The Guzzi Griso stayed in the shed though.

[Doc B.]

Yeow! You are a lot more macho than me. I was whining to myself about getting a little cold last week when it was 50.

[Doc B.]

For those of you who don't know, along with making awesome turntables and bracket racers, Mikey is a knee dragger:

(https://scontent-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10348727_822542111091191_7714306536113322464_o.jpg)

[mkane]

    I'm 62 and still doing trackdays. Age is just a ##. Been at it 50yrs.

[Mikey]

Is that...Valentino Rossi??   

[Doc B.]

The helmet is too conservative, I think not.

Looks quicker than stink, though. Maybe it's Biaggi.

[pdxgrampa]

Agostini?

[goozy]

Ages around here more likely Hailwood or even Woods. 

[mkane]

  Mid 80's stuff. We had a few big singles back then.

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi285.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll58%2FMKane63t%2F022_zps9a396511.jpg&hash=06d7d6ae97dbf806657014cf3141fc226cf49035)

[goozy]

That last pic was of me on my Yamaha xt550 at a vintage group track day a couple of years ago, I haven't decided whats more vintage, the riders or the bikes!

[pdxgrampa]

Is that Gary Nixon behind you?