I'm a one time rider just getting back into the game after a 12 yr layoff with a '99 ST1100 (non ABS) I acquired last week. I've removed most of the tupperware so I can detail the bike and examine it more closely for any repairs that need to be made and in doing so have made a rather disturbing discovery - a short 5/8" inch spring, about 1/4" outside diameter, that was sitting inside an extruded boss on the alternator that lies between the two top bolt attachment points. It was lying in there loose, with one end sticking out just enough to catch my attention ... concerned it might fall into the recesses of the alternator I grabbed it lightly with a pair of needle nose pliers and removed it. This took no effort at all so clearly this spring wasn't being retained in any manner but since I find it hard to believe it could have just fallen from another spot on the bike and coincidentally landed inside that recess I've concluded it has to be part of the alternator. The questions are - what the heck is it, what's it for, and if it's not reinstalled what are the ramifications? Does anyone who has perhaps taken one of these alts apart know what I'm talking about or could lend some insight into this? I'd like to know if it's something I can just forget about or on the other hand is a disaster waiting to happen. For what it's worth I rode the bike up & down the street several times after this discovery and it seems to run fine. Here's a couple of pics ... I've used a small screwdriver to show the location on the alt where I found this spring sitting. Thanks in advance for any help!