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Sun actually shining today, off to Garstang autojumble and then Hawes via Devils Bridge. Done this run so many times we've worn a groove in the road, (so I know what to expect).
Wheeled the bike out, a funny 'clunk' from the front. The steering damper rod had unscrewed itself from the rose joint mounting. Bit of a faff getting an extension socket rod down there, undid rose joint, screwed it all back tightly and remounted. Its started to unscrew itself during the course of the day, Locktite methinks.
I left the damper on its loosest setting, never had the need for one before. Mistake! This thing sure likes to shake its head a tad!
As mentioned, I have only owned fireblades for the last..... Good Lord, twenty years!! So.... I am a little anal about charging circuits.... Installed an LED battery monitor as a matter of course. Hot day, er... spirited... run, yup, the reg/rec is getting hot and bothered. OK at nominal revs, but starts to dip output at higher revs. (Cant even balance dip beam, starts to discharge). Now on the hunt for a Shindengen R/R from a late reg Fazer 1000. They come with a 'long tail' of leads, makes adapting them a lot easier than the R1 with its twin sockets.
It was a hot day, we were.... riding at a pace, but, these things certainly get to sound a bit 'mechanical' with heat. Having said all that, it has been an 'interesting' day. The Falco seems to be a match for the old 'blade in performance, just that the 'blade purrs, this is an orchestra of things going whirr and clang. Maybe its got a few miles under its belt, I'll be doing a check on the TB's tomorrow and a general check all round, keeps me busy I suppose......

You're comparing two very different bikes there! After a while you'll start to get used to the mechanical symphony going on underneath you...

I'm a bit anal about regulator/rectifiers as well, having owned a VFR750 that's eaten two of the damn things. I've replaced the Honda one with a Shindengen MOSFET job, and have got another one lurking in the spares stash for if/when it goes Pete Tong on the Falco. To be fair, I haven't heard of many instances of the Falco R/R going south - at least nowhere near the number that seems to happen to Hondas.

Quick update.
I met a fair little crowd of Aprilia owners at Devils Bridge, mostly Tuanos, a Futura in there and what looked like a de-fairinged Mille. One of the lads suggested I check the throttle body balance, he was quite correct! Sounds a whole lot less mechanical now.
As to the reg/rec. I am actually amazed that no-one mentions this. It sits in a virtually sealed, airless box with nominal heatsinking to the frame. The voltage indicator I have fitted showed the atypical symptoms of the old shunt SCR type reg. As it gets hotter, it shuts down, couldn't balance dip beam towards the end. Suspect that this might be contributing to the battery problems that DO seem to be prevalent. Shindengan R/R from a post 2006 R1 Yamaha delivered today. But where to fit? It really needs free air, but little on the frame suggests itself. I will probably mount it where it is, but a nice little computer fan will be sourced from Maplins!

Touch wood in all the Hondas Iv'e had never ever had a regulator problem.

Pursuing the reg situation. Sunday was hot, probably the one of hottest we are likely to enjoy. So ambient temp was high, but the sun on the black pillion pad would raise that temperature within the seat cowl higher. There is a duct in the front of the seat hump which should let some fresh air in there, but as the rear hump cowl is pretty well a sealed box, I cant see enough air circulating to allow the reg adequate dissipation. As I am basically stuck with the standard mounting position it does look as though a small fan will at least allow air to circulate and exit via the small slits around the rear light.
It might be instructive to fit a voltage monitor, cheap enough at £14 off the bay.... you might be surprised at the results!
At least the MosFet type regs do run cooler, hopefully that will prove to be the solution.
As to the Honda / Triumph / Kawasaki..... well, most of them that use a permanent magnet alternator. I have found that the Shindengen device usually cures all ills. But, a little judicious ventilation hole drilling into side panels helps just as much.

On my old VFR I mounted the R/R on the LH side frame rails, where it's almost completely hidden by the side panel and pillion footrest. Here's a pic of the installation with the R/R at top right:



Not sure if there would be anywhere similar on the Falco to do the same...