Topic: Anyone running a AutoMeter or other aftermarket Tach on their CB ?

[ProTeal55]

As the topic states,

I was just wondering if anyone is running an AutoMeter or similar brand Tach on their CB's ?

All feedback is welcome, and pics are always appreciated....

[DarkRider]

Hmmmmmm provided our bikes are 12V i may just have a use for that slim Sunpro i pulled from my autocross car..will let ya know how it works out if i try it.

[dave75]

I don't think there is anything magical about a 12v tach except they are specific to the number of cylinders.  For an electric tach the input signal is usually just hooked up across your + and - terminals of your coil wires.  Based on the number of times your coil fires... the electronic circuit in the tach averages voltage for RPMs.  For our specific case where two coils are used for four cylinders.... you would want a tach that has been calibrated to read accurately for a two cylinder (and no, I don't think you would want to try and feed it from both coils).  To make one work accuarately it's probably nothing more than a couple of resistors in a devider network.... so you might be able to open the tach up; substitute resistors to get the response you wanted.... assuming your starting with a tach configured for a 4, 6 , or 8 cylinder application.

I once had a friend that worked in a OEM gauge factor for Detroit (many years ago).  Got to tour the factory... it was really neat.  I saw the tachs being assembled and they were basically all the same with the exception of the resistor values and they would make several different applications using the same basic platform.  Also had a humongous "magnet machine" where they would actually individually calibrate each tach when they wer done for accuracy.... it basically seemed to ZAP the internal magnets with an electric field to make them better or worse.......

[DarkRider]

Well i know my sunpro is able to read 2 cyl. I had to have it configured that way for the car it came out of since it has a coil pack set up like the bike has. im tempted to use it on the bike with a stock speedo just for a slightly different look. chances are i would probably clamp it to the Speedo using a hose clamp or bolting it to the same mount as the speedo or something...just something to keep in mind i guess..

[MRieck]

Shindy makes several electronic motorcycle tachs under the Daytona brand name. They will not with points. Several guys I know that roadraced tried the AutoMeter tachs and they basically sucked(they brokequickly). You can read about Ed Killar's impression of AutoMeter tachs in his book Nitrous Wars.....he doesn't have anything good to say about them.

[DarkRider]

eh the way i look at it is this..i have the sunpro to mess around with..it has a shift light on it and a setable redline..i dont see myself using it in the car so i might as well give it a shot on the bike..once i get my manual from the dealer (its supposed to be in next week) i will see what i can do about making it work as soon as i can get some spark out of the iginition.

[78CB750F1]

Probably worth more than some of our bikes, but this German company makes some nice gauges: http://www.motogadget.de

[MRieck]

I have a K&L tach on mine. I think it's intended to go on a 750 but I ditched my clocks used it in the middle.

That's an electronic Daytona tach right?

[ProTeal55]

I have decided to keep the stock tach , but plan to add a stand-alone autometer shift light.
I am working a new top triple-tree to mount the tach where the stock "dashboard" is now, and should
look pretty trick. Now I just need to figure out how to wire in the shiftlight. It is the "stick" kind that has the RPM pills to tell the light when to go off..