Considering a 1996 VFR

(I'm a retired engineer.) Here's what seems to have happened: Last summer, the former owner had a problem with the charging system and changed some of the spade lug connectors. He used a spade connector that had too small of a hole to accept the stock wire diameter. The wire was drastically narrowed to fit it into the hole and this caused a relative increase in its resistance to current flow. That set up an overheating situation which completely incinerated the insulation on both an inch of the wire and the blue stuff on the connector. Gradually, the hi heat deteriorated the wire's flexibility at the entrance to the connector to the point that, if it was even still conducting, there wasn't enough to charge the NEW Gell battery and run the bike. Then, after buying it and the owner driving it 40 miles to my house, I took it for a ride...never made it home.
So, I went to Home Depot and bought a foot of #10 ga. wire and stripped 1.5" of it and left 1/2 inch of insulation to hold the strands together. I crimped this in a naked hi temp spade lung that is normally used to connect the wires to an element on an electric stove top. It accepts wire up to .100".
Then, about an inch from the crimp, I wrapped the stock wire, which I cleaned the burned plastic insulation off of first, around the bare copper wire and soldered it along the overlapping lengths. The 1/2" insulated section is outboard of this solder joint and will be easy to peek at now and then to see if the overheat situation is still there.
I have taken several rides and, after, the wire is not hot and the battery is charging normally at 13.7 VDC.
And, here's the great news: the former owner is a totally stand up guy. He sent me a new regulator and is sending a $50 check for the work I did on resolving this. I'm not sure that the situation I describe above didn't damage the regulator or shorten its coming life so I'm storing the new one he so generously (it's a 15 year old bike, after all) ordered, paid for and shipped me.
And, now for the review that Squirrelman asked for above in this thread: GEN 4 IS SO AMAZINGLY BETTER THAN MY 1985 600 THAT I'M HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING WORDS. I used to describe the '85 as a bike that would do anything from ripping along at redline to loping at 30 mph in 5th gear. The VFR fits my 6'3", 200 # frame PERFECTLY. I could go 400 miles a day on this thing easily. The Two Brothers can makes it sound like an Inde racer but not so loud that the neighbors in my tight little neighborhood are going to mind me coming home at 11. I truly can't believe the amazing feeling of being in a jet. And, it's 45 degrees here in NH today so I've got to cut this short and go heat treat my exhausts!
Thank you all for your suggestions and information; I love this forum and will be installing a voltmeter this spring,
Varooom

 

Voltmeter ? Here's the $5 "alternator tester" i picked up at Harbor Freight and attached to my '86 700........

A series of LEDs indicate charging rate and battery voltage, and it's very sensitive to small voltage fluctuations. Installing it on your bike so it's visible while you're riding is a challenge to your creativity and imagination.