Topic: Electronic Guages for SOHC Hondas

[trueblue]

Ok I'm sick to death of not being able to find decent guages for my bike that actually work, I was googling and came across these ones from speedhut that look like they could be made to fit and not look too out of place.  What I was wondering is what are speedhut like to deal with first and foremost, and secondly is there a electronic pickup I can use that will fit on my bike.  I have a 79 cb650z with dual front brakes and comstar wheels.
http://www.speedhut.com/custom_gauge_description-gauge_type-Speedometer-auto_number-754.htm
http://www.speedhut.com/custom_gauge_description-gauge_type-Tachometer-auto_number-731.htm

[johnrdupree]

To find out how they are to deal with, shoot them an email telling them what you want to do and see how they respond.  If they're enthusiastic and helpful, great.  If they poo-poo the idea of putting one of their speedos on an old bike then it may be best to move along.

That being said, I doubt there is an off-the-shelf pickup that will work with an old bike and creating a pickup from scratch sounds like a pain.  There are all kinds of sensors for detecting magnets or gear teeth, but making sure it has the correct type of output (wave shape) and voltage gets complicated fast.

Their GM/Chrysler pickup looks like it could be adapted to replace the speedo cable from the front wheel, maybe.  Or have an adapter made that mates the top end of the speedo cable to the GM sensor.  That actually sounds doable.  You'd need something to connect the spinny part of the cable to the spinny part of the sensor and a housing with the appropriate threads to connect the two.  Ask Speedhut if somebody had already done it, or if they'd be willing to help in designing a part that they could sell.  Opens up a new market for them if they do.

Then again, they do sell GPS speedos.

Good luck,
~john

[johnrdupree]

Oh, wait, hold the phone:

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-chrome-acewell-2853-digital-motorcycle-speedo-speedometer-tach-tachometer-cable-honda-cb-cl-ace-s5.html

This cable is meant to work with Acewell speedos, but the output may be compatible with the Speedhut ones.  More questions for Speedhut, I guess.

~john

[cavapal]

Hi Trueblue, I just post one subject stated Electric Problems (rare) in which I found EMI or RFI in my bike creating electronic malfuntion to my SPEEDHUT electronic speedometer  (Already in my bike HONDA CB 750 F2), as far as I know is created by the DYNA-S coil set (replacement of the orginal coils and points).
If you dont have this problem the speedometer is very easy to install using universal sender (Hall effect magnetic) and works fine at least on board of my kawasaki z (She has not such a EMI problem)
I install the sender in the front wheel
Good Luck

(I-m waiting to get rid of this disgusting EMI before enjoy my gauge,,,,

[q2418130103p]

You could use one of their GPS based speedo units.

[Roach]

http://www.speedhut.com/custom_gauge_description-gauge_type-Speedometer_GPS-auto_number-830.htm

gps speedo was thinking of doing this but went another way. just need to find a way to mount it.

[xsmooth69x]

if your going to spend that kind of money get an acewell

rpm idiot gauges everything in one

Acewell 2853

[johnrdupree]

if your going to spend that kind of money get an acewell

rpm idiot gauges everything in one

Acewell 2853

Except that the Acewells are hideous.  The OP wanted something that looked like it belonged.  With the Speedhut models you can pick face color, light color, bezel color and style, and font.  The Acewell would stick out like a sore, brightly lit thumb.

~john

[Tintop]

The Speedhut GPS speedo & tach look interesting, but pricey.  The tach hookup looks simple (coil attach), and it eliminates two cables, and the stock speedo drive.  Would just need to block off the tach drive, and make a new spacer for the front.  Oh and a new dash to mount them.

Agree the Acewells are a bit clunky, and in the video the digital screen glares out a number of times.  For the extra $'s, and ability to customize the faces, I'd seriously look at using the Speedhut units.  Maybe the 550 is in for a dash upgrade.

[Dyrden]

That speedhut GPS analog speedo is bad ass.  I dont think Id have to worry about maxing it out.  I might get it.  Gotta see if I can french that big a gauge into my headlamp housing first.

[xsmooth69x]

if your going to spend that kind of money get an acewell

rpm idiot gauges everything in one

Acewell 2853

Except that the Acewells are hideous.  The OP wanted something that looked like it belonged.  With the Speedhut models you can pick face color, light color, bezel color and style, and font.  The Acewell would stick out like a sore, brightly lit thumb.

~john

sir i bet to differ..... if you get the black housing one and not the chrome one i think its tight!







it doesn't poke out to me 

[dave500]

the read out looks crappy and too busy/modern,a housing does not an instrument make.

[xsmooth69x]

the read out looks crappy and too busy/modern,a housing does not an instrument make.

in the gauges defence since i like it, i picked the first #$%*ty youtube video of it. its a $230 gauge and it is very very clean. the display is crisp and clean its just the videos camera is a pos

its do busy?.... maybe for you old guys jk jk idk my generations attentions span is about a squirrel so the more lights and LEDs the better 

and they make many models of the same gauge. with no gas gauge thing. no idiot bulbs (not as many) etc etc

Acewell gauge on CX500 Cafe Racer build

idk i really like the guage 

[dave500]

lets hope your attention span improves when you actually start riding,there will be far more important things to be looking at like the dick head beside you in a car admiring his fancy gauge as he changes lane into you.

[xsmooth69x]

lets hope your attention span improves when you actually start riding,there will be far more important things to be looking at like the dick head beside you in a car admiring his fancy gauge as he changes lane into you.

pshhhhh i dont look at gauges what do they tell you anyways? there just there to make bikes look pretty

i only know one speed GO! 

[trueblue]

the read out looks crappy and too busy/modern,a housing does not an instrument make.

in the gauges defence since i like it, i picked the first #$%*ty youtube video of it. its a $230 gauge and it is very very clean. the display is crisp and clean its just the videos camera is a pos

its do busy?.... maybe for you old guys jk jk idk my generations attentions span is about a squirrel so the more lights and LEDs the better 

and they make many models of the same gauge. with no gas gauge thing. no idiot bulbs (not as many) etc etc

Acewell gauge on CX500 Cafe Racer build

idk i really like the guage 

xsmooth I hate to tell you but that guage looks like a piece of $h!t, it may look ok on a cafe bike but on my bike it would stand out like a sore thumb, I have gone to great lengths to make sure everything on my bike looks like it could have rolled off the show room floor with it fitted, someone who knows what they are looking at would know otherwise, but most people around here haven't even heard of a cb650 let alone seen one. There is no way for the sake of a few dollars would I even consider buying something that I'm not happy with, I have poured a lot of money into this bike so I figure another couple of hundred wouldn't even be noticable.  I went ahead and ordered a set, I'm going to try and mount them in the origional chrome cups for the guages, I'll just make up an adapter ring to mount it in, I'm not sure exactly how I'll do it yet I'm tossing up between making them out of sheet metal or billet, I'll figure that part out once the guages are in my hand.  As for the old guy comment I'm 25 I love the simpleness of the older bikes I can't stand what a lot of my generation and even some of the older generation do to some of these old classics, they are beautiful old bikes which have survived many years and quite often with neglectful owners, they deserve a little respect and tlc, not to get slapped with a lot of aftermarket parts that are a fashion trend, because they look cool at the time, in 5 years time that wizzbang flashmurry piece of cr@p acewell will look like sh!t, where as a nice clean set of guages will be timeless.

[dave500]

??

[dtmmil]

I kinda like the idea of the acewell gauge, I personally don't want one with all that stuff on it, but the speedo/tach in one like xsmooth69x has to me would be nice. I will have to do some digging. 69x, where did you get that one? Do you have a link to an online place? thanks

[dave500]

lets hope your attention span improves when you actually start riding,there will be far more important things to be looking at like the dick head beside you in a car admiring his fancy gauge as he changes lane into you.

pshhhhh i dont look at gauges what do they tell you anyways? there just there to make bikes look pretty

i only know one speed GO! 

soon this boy will be amounst us???

[trueblue]

lets hope your attention span improves when you actually start riding,there will be far more important things to be looking at like the dick head beside you in a car admiring his fancy gauge as he changes lane into you.

pshhhhh i dont look at gauges what do they tell you anyways? there just there to make bikes look pretty

i only know one speed GO! 

soon this boy will be amounst us???

with that attitude Dave unfortunatly he will probably learn the hard way.

[m in sc]

if you are going for a stock style upgrade, that's a nice choice for sure, they look great.

might need one of those for my H1. not because its near stock but because i would like to ditch the tach cable.

running an SPA speedo/tach on one of my RD's and it is hands down the best made gauge i have ever seen. neat thing is you can trigger the tach off the charging system ac lead (as the cdi was causing it to go bat#$%* at 8k) and it gets 6 pulses per rev, very very responsive. clean all the way past 11k if needed, and the speedo in the face works very well.

recall function too...



night shot, much 'cleaner' in real life, camera got a bit blurry in the lighting condition



the reason i bring this up is they also make speedos and the insert readout can be used for cyl head temp and oil temp, charging, etc, and im pretty sure they will fit into stock gauge housings. they also make them in black faced versions. they are pricey though, that unit cost 445 when i got it 3 yrs ago. worth every cent though, been very happy and customer support is top-notch

[Tintop]

Thanks for posting that m in sc, always nice to know about the other options out there.  As you say though, a bit pricey. 

[xsmooth69x]

if you are going for a stock style upgrade, that's a nice choice for sure, they look great.

might need one of those for my H1. not because its near stock but because i would like to ditch the tach cable.

running an SPA speedo/tach on one of my RD's and it is hands down the best made gauge i have ever seen. neat thing is you can trigger the tach off the charging system ac lead (as the cdi was causing it to go bat#$%* at 8k) and it gets 6 pulses per rev, very very responsive. clean all the way past 11k if needed, and the speedo in the face works very well.

recall function too...



night shot, much 'cleaner' in real life, camera got a bit blurry in the lighting condition



the reason i bring this up is they also make speedos and the insert readout can be used for cyl head temp and oil temp, charging, etc, and im pretty sure they will fit into stock gauge housings. they also make them in black faced versions. they are pricey though, that unit cost 445 when i got it 3 yrs ago. worth every cent though, been very happy and customer support is top-notch

this gauge is so freakin awesome i was so exited i was going to search and buy right when i got done reading all the cool things about it until i got to the cost part...... darn it!! why do all the cool things have to be so expensive!!!

[xsmooth69x]

lets hope your attention span improves when you actually start riding,there will be far more important things to be looking at like the dick head beside you in a car admiring his fancy gauge as he changes lane into you.

pshhhhh i dont look at gauges what do they tell you anyways? there just there to make bikes look pretty

i only know one speed GO! 

soon this boy will be amounst us???

 

[m in sc]

darn it!! why do all the cool things have to be so expensive!!!

because, its worth it sometimes.