Author Topic: What gauges are these? (Read 3700 times)

cobra2411 · « **on:** October 04, 2010, 10:57:24 PM »

Are these gauges correct for a 76 CB750 F1? The more I dig into the bike the more I realize all the little things that have been changed; like the 75 Sapphire Blue tank that was repainted like a 77/78... The bike was most likely Antares Red based on the pealing paint on the ducktail.

FYI I put the chrome rings on them.

Shenanigans · « **Reply #1 on:** October 04, 2010, 11:24:57 PM »

Early gauges, 70 to about 72? ish?

mick7504 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 04, 2010, 11:32:56 PM »

Yep, They're the early K1 gauges with the round lights in the dial faces.
Worth a few dollars these days too.
Mick

cobra2411 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:01:31 AM »

Cool... Nice when the substitute works in your favor...

Anybody have pics of nice ones? I've got a friend that's in the sign business and can print vinyl and I'm going to take the gauges apart this winter and have him make new faces. Not sure what I'm going to do but given what they are I might go back to original. Problem is the colors on mine are pretty faded.

mick7504 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:22:43 AM »

There's a few places that you can get replacement faces from to keep it looking stock.
Here are a couple but there are sure to be a few more including some of the guys here that could help.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB750-Series-Instrument-Appliques-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1e5ea1246eQQitemZ130436637806QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

http://www.honda4fun.com/merchandising/store.html
This is an Italian site but you can get the general idea.
I know that his (Thomas I think??) replacements are complete with the backing plate and new screws.

Mick

BLUE71TURBO · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:34:33 AM »

Mick, my gauges have a blueish green stock face.

They are stock. Kinda cool looking.

mick7504 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:55:26 AM »

How are you Blue
There were a few variations from model to model and for different markets but not sure exactly what was what.
Some were MPH and some KMH and some had a small cut out in the rectangular trip meter opening in the dial face.
Mick

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2010, 03:53:31 AM »

The problem that you've got mate, is that not only do you have K1 gauges, looking at your pics you've got K1 triple trees, and possibly K1 forks as well, so if you want to go back to original, you'll virtually have to replace the whole front end.

No matter, unless you're going for originality, but you can't just swap K1 gauges for F gauges as they mount differently. Don't use vinyl faces, they're rubbish, I recently bought the Italian faces and they're excellent, but not cheap. A member here, Lecram, makes pretty good ones for less money, I believe.

I wouldn't get too excited about their value though, I just sold a minty set on EBay, and lost money on them. Poop. Cheers, Terry.

MCRider · « **Reply #8 on:** October 05, 2010, 05:13:08 AM »

Quote from: mick7504 on October 05, 2010, 12:22:43 AM

There's a few places that you can get replacement faces from to keep it looking stock.
Here are a couple but there are sure to be a few more including some of the guys here that could help.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-CB750-Series-Instrument-Appliques-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1e5ea1246eQQitemZ130436637806QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

http://www.honda4fun.com/merchandising/store.html
This is an Italian site but you can get the general idea.
I know that his (Thomas I think??) replacements are complete with the backing plate and new screws.

Mick

Beware it says you have to punch your own holes for the idiot lights. That's beyond me. Replacement faces are a toss up to me. Seems the Yamiya faces are the safest bet for quality and durability, and likely the most expensive. Just remember you have K1 faces and many suppliers do not make them as the demand is small as they are unique to the K1.

The K1 gauges are unique to the K1. They mount like earlier gauges but have a recessed bezel and idiot lights. The earlier gauges have bezels that stand proud of the housings and a 8500 redline. The cutout for the odometer is different and unique to the K1 (I think) again with idiot lights.

I've seen a NOS K1 tach go for $750 on eBay. But used ones in poor condition are cheap and plentiful. Terry says he lost money on some. Like all auctions it depends on who shows up.

I like them the best as it keeps the idiot lights off the dash, and has the Unicorn top tree, and the recessed bezel which is a better look and quality than the earlier bezels. IMO.

wrenchmuch · « **Reply #9 on:** October 05, 2010, 05:42:30 AM »

Yamiya sells new faces with the light lenses in red and blue . A bit pricey though .

http://www.yamiya750e.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=769

The damping fluid may have leaked out of those gauges (staining on face ) . If you remove them from the bike they should be stored face up . Without fluid the needle may bounce around a bit . You can buy new silicone damping fluid and re-fill the pots while the gauges are open .

cobra2411 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 05, 2010, 07:26:29 AM »

Quote from: wrenchmuch on October 05, 2010, 05:42:30 AM

The damping fluid may have leaked out of those gauges (staining on face ) . If you remove them from the bike they should be stored face up . Without fluid the needle may bounce around a bit . You can buy new silicone damping fluid and re-fill the pots while the gauges are open .

Good to know but they came to me this way... I'm sure plenty of people over the last 40 years have stored them face down...

Source for the damping fluid? Mine do bounce a little.

I'm going to keep them on the bike. I like that the lights are in the gauges, it's a cleaner look. I have another set of triple trees, forks, gauges, etc from a k7. So I could change if I wanted to. At least I know why I had a hell of a time getting a front caliper seal and had to order one from an earlier bike...

Magpie · « **Reply #11 on:** October 05, 2010, 07:40:02 AM »

Wrenchmuch, can you post a lesson on how to install the damping fluid please?
thanks,
Cliff.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #12 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:00:52 AM »

On what model/year did they start using "dampening fluid" in the gauges?

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:04:11 AM »

A while ago I started a thread on this to try to assemble a gallery of clocks to answer this very question.

It is here:
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=6961.0

Take a look.

CycleRanger · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:35:24 AM »

Quote from: Bob Wessner on October 05, 2010, 08:00:52 AM

On what model/year did they start using "dampening fluid" in the gauges?

Don't know what year, I would think all years, the practice of using viscous fluid to dampen needle gauges is an old one, and it's generally silicone fluid that's used.
You can google "silicone dampening fluid".

Also, that's a great thread with the gauge pictures but it might be easier to find if it was titled "Reference gallery for Speedometers and tachs" or even "Reference gallery for gauges" rather than "clocks".
I suspect there may be more than a few folks who aren't familiar with that term in regards to motorcycle gauges.

MCRider · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2010, 08:39:21 AM »

"England and America are two countries separated by a common language."
George Bernard Shaw

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2010, 09:30:27 AM »

There's a FAQ for that as well!

... I will re-name it in the hope that we get a few more submissions.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2010, 09:39:29 AM »

Quote from: CycleRanger on October 05, 2010, 08:35:24 AM

Quote from: Bob Wessner on October 05, 2010, 08:00:52 AM
On what model/year did they start using "dampening fluid" in the gauges?

Don't know what year, I would think all years, the practice of using viscous fluid to dampen needle gauges is an old one, and it's generally silicone fluid that's used.
You can google "silicone dampening fluid".

Also, that's a great thread with the gauge pictures but it might be easier to find if it was titled "Reference gallery for Speedometers and tachs" or even "Reference gallery for gauges" rather than "clocks".
I suspect there may be more than a few folks who aren't familiar with that term in regards to motorcycle gauges.

You sure about this? In restoring the faces of my K0 gauges, as I recall anyway, there did not seem to be a construction design that would support retention of fluid.

$:-\$

CycleRanger · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2010, 11:44:21 AM »

Quote from: Bob Wessner on October 05, 2010, 09:39:29 AM

You sure about this? In restoring the faces of my K0 gauges, as I recall anyway, there did not seem to be a construction design that would support retention of fluid. $:-\$

No, I'm not sure, I'm assuming that Honda kept the same basic internal mechanism from 69~76.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2010, 12:38:44 PM »

Quote from: CycleRanger on October 05, 2010, 11:44:21 AM

Quote from: Bob Wessner on October 05, 2010, 09:39:29 AM
You sure about this? In restoring the faces of my K0 gauges, as I recall anyway, there did not seem to be a construction design that would support retention of fluid. $:-\$

No, I'm not sure, I'm assuming that Honda kept the same basic internal mechanism from 69~76.

Mark, where are you??

We need some history here.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #20 on:** October 05, 2010, 05:01:26 PM »

Bob, the fluid goes in the little round "pot" that the needle shaft comes out of, behind the gauge faces. You've definitely got them in your gauges, or they wouldn't work. Cheers, Terry.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #21 on:** October 05, 2010, 05:25:03 PM »

Hmm, definitely need to take a closer look. In any event, I perhaps misunderstood from the start I thought it was a reference to the entire gauge face being fluid filled, like my oil pressure gauge.

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2010, 05:40:28 PM »

Silly old bugger..............

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #23 on:** October 06, 2010, 02:02:49 AM »

Ha, ha, you should hear what my wife calls me.

wrenchmuch · « **Reply #24 on:** October 06, 2010, 06:37:54 AM »

I'll be taking apart My K1 and K4 speedos and tachs this winter . I'm replacing the faces and I need to put the fluid back in the damping pots ( I stored my k4 gauges upside down , silly bugger , wife also calls me worse but only because she still loves me

) . I promise to take pics of the process .

http://www.turntablebasics.com/silicone.html

I bought the light viscosity from this site . The fluid is held in a small pot with a lid just under the top spindle bearing .

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Author Topic: What gauges are these? (Read 3700 times)