Author Topic: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer  (Read 1301 times)

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Offline bdillworth

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1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« on: June 04, 2018, 03:17:35 PM »
I’m wanting to get rid of the stock tach and speedometer. I want to install a mini speedo with the indicators (headlight, neutral, turn signals, oil). With doing so I want to remove the handlebar indicator clamp too.

Is there a thread on this? Has anyone done this and have a cheat sheet I could go off?(I’m not the best at electrical work but wanting to learn)

This is what I have


Offline Scramps

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2018, 03:36:24 PM »
Those speedometers are pretty popular, and I’m sure you could find a thread that involves installing one. If I’m not mistaken, the indicator lamps on that speedo match up pretty closely to the dash lights on the cb500. As for getting rid of the stock dash, you can pick up some top clamps from a cb550, which will bolt right up

Offline calj737

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2018, 03:24:59 AM »
Here's a wire mapping from the new gauge, to your stock colors. You will need to install diodes for your turn signal (on the stock harness to that gauge).

Gauge            Function              Stock Color
Yellow               Turn R               Lt Blue
Yellow/Black      Ground              Green
Green               Neutral              Black
Green/Black      Neutral Ground   Green/Red
Blue                 HI Beam             Blue
Blue/Black        Ground               Green
Red                  Oil Pressure        Green
Red/Black         Ground              Blue/Red
Yellow              Turn L                Orange
Yellow/Black     Ground              Green

A little explanation:
On your stock harness, BLACK is switched 12v (power). The new gauge has LED lights, and each LED light has 2 wires; a power and a ground. The /Black color wire on your new gauge is the ground side foe each function.

The OIL and NEUTRAL lights are looking for the signal from your stock switches, and you run the stock /Red wires to the GROUND side of the LED. You run BLACK (power) from your stock harness to solid color (you are reversing the logic on the rest of the wires).

You'll notice the YELLOW gauge wire has only 1 input, but serves both sides of the blinkers. Thats why you need a diode to prevent the R signal from igniting the L side when active. The diode is a 1-way power flow restrictor.

Most of the wires you need are available from your stock handle bar clamp, but you will need to tie BLACK into more lights now, and GREEN into more wires now (since your gauge has so many "functions").

Before you begin, make dead certain you bought the correct gear ratio for your model of CB.
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline DurangoCB

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 11:46:07 AM »
J.Webster designs makes the prettiest clamps and they're available direct from him or through online vendors. 
1971 CB500 Four- current project http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170622.0.html
1978 CX500- next in line

Offline SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2018, 03:56:12 PM »
Now you'll want to strip and polish your triples to match.
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Offline bdillworth

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2018, 03:59:10 PM »
Thanks for the help so far, looks like I have a bad ground somewhere. Tracing all my wires tomorrow. I’ll get back to you guys.

Offline calj737

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2018, 04:19:12 PM »
Thanks for the help so far, looks like I have a bad ground somewhere. Tracing all my wires tomorrow. I’ll get back to you guys.
Because....?
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline bdillworth

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2018, 04:59:53 PM »
The sub wiring harness burned out, I got a replacement from a donor bike and have put everything back together but I have no lights coming on the dash or headlight.

Offline DurangoCB

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Re: 1971 cb500 wiring up universal mini speedometer
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2018, 06:44:11 PM »
Now you'll want to strip and polish your triples to match.

They're being powder coated.  Everything's gonna match just fine. 
1971 CB500 Four- current project http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,170622.0.html
1978 CX500- next in line