Not always, sometimes they will overcharge the battery and that will eventually cook it:doze:
Only one way to find out! 
Dammit!!! :crazy:
Just had a blast out to RAF Brize Norton this afternoon. All is well, bike keeps ticking over etc… Dropped off my friend at the Departures gate, had a coffee, repack the bike with her helmet, gloves and boots and start the bike no problem! 
Ride all the way back, stopping at a garage for fuel near Oxford, also taking a nice little detour around some of Oxfords lovely twisties… No Problem
Get back to my house after filtering through loads of traffic on my way back through London… Try to restart bike… BASTARD!!! :pinch:
Chunkymonkey, my hat is off to you! You are a knowledgeable legend, and you were right all along! 
So, where do I get a Regulator/Rectifier from in London, preferably on the cheaper side of life? :hehe:
Sorry to hear mate.
Mine went a couple of months back and the part was around £90 (from main dealer under waranty), so you should be able to get one cheaper. 