Best Bicycle Speedo?

[jami]

Any suggestions for the best bicycle speedo/odo to put on my 2003 Rosso Corsa till I get some working gauges? (I did read a couple of threads on this subject; saw mention of a Sigma (BC600) speedo....) Just wondering which ones actually work/don't work on the RC.

Thanks a bunch!!

Jami

[Tom M]

Definitely go with a Sigma. I used a Cateye on an old Honda and it stopped reading at around 70mph. Sigmas are good well into triple digits. As for which model Sigma, the BC1606L is what Aerostich is pushing in their catalog, so it should be good on a motorcycle.

[gstallons]

Jami,

Keep in mind: you can't run a wireless system (or so I was told) because of RFI from the ignition system and you want one that will read up to 100 mph. It is no good to have one that goes up to only 45mph. One more thing,the face on these are normally 1". You will have to practice reading at a postage stamp while you are riding.

If you want I can send you this one to look at before you buy.

[jami]

G-

Which one are you referring to? Yes, I'd like to see it (do you mean a picture of it?) I read your earlier post about the Cat Eye...

At my age, my eyes are failing a bit, as are a number of other things!! The odo function is actually more critical to me than the speedo, though I'd like the ability to at least ballpark the speed (having already gotten one ticket on the RC after the speedo broke....). G, i'll pm you re your other pm question.

I'll look into the sigma. Thanks for the info!! Any other thoughts greatly appreciated.

 

Jami,

Keep in mind: you can't run a wireless system (or so I was told) because of RFI from the ignition system and you want one that will read up to 100 mph. It is no good to have one that goes up to only 45mph. One more thing,the face on these are normally 1". You will have to practice reading at a postage stamp while you are riding.

If you want I can send you this one to look at before you buy.

[gstallons]

I will look in the house after work and let you know the make and model #. I put Alpina wheels on and the air gap on the pick-up and sensor (I think) is 5 mm. I could not find a good way to mount it so it is on the night stand.

[jami]

Hey G and Tom -

Now i'm thinking about just getting a whole new digital motorcycle unit, not a bicycle unit. A friend referred me to Electrosport for their speedo/odo units (with a number of other features as well...). I looked at their website and talked to one of their sales guys. Do you have any experience with that equipment? Maybe i'll throw out a general post, asking if anyone has gone that route. Electrosport said the old gauges would have to come off, and the new unit mounted - single-stalk mounting, i think.

Any thoughts?

So, G, what do you use the unit for on your night stand? Is that a Kentucky thing?

[Tom M]

I have no experience with the Electrosport but maybe someone else here does. It seems like it could work as long as someone can work out the wiring and the speedo and tach feeds. Just make sure that you don't lose any functions like the low fuel and low oil pressure alerts.

 

Mounting an aftermarket gauge set like that could hurt resale value, especially if you have to hack up the wiring harness.

[gstallons]

Hey G and Tom -

Now i'm thinking about just getting a whole new digital motorcycle unit, not a bicycle unit. A friend referred me to Electrosport for their speedo/odo units (with a number of other features as well...). I looked at their website and talked to one of their sales guys. Do you have any experience with that equipment? Maybe i'll throw out a general post, asking if anyone has gone that route. Electrosport said the old gauges would have to come off, and the new unit mounted - single-stalk mounting, i think.

Any thoughts?

So, G, what do you use the unit for on your night stand? Is that a Kentucky thing?

It's to remind me I waited 8 weeks for this backordered *********!!! to find out I couldn't mount it properly and if I did i would have to get within 12 in. of the face to see how fast I was traveling right before I crashed.

 

For the digital dash: if you could properly mount it and not destroy the wiring, GO FOR IT!

[WellWellWell]

Hi, I am a new owner of an 04 Ballabio with a dead odometer, and I just went through this process. I was advised to use the older Sigma that is widely recommended but I could not find it in stock anywhere, online or in bike stores. I saw Aerostitch was selling the 1606L on its website so I found one of those at my local REI. Once installed it seems to work great and I believe is more accurate on speed than the still working original ITI speedo.

 

The replacement electric speedo would be nice but this is a pretty good and much cheaper way to go.

 

Bill

[gstallons]

Has anyone had experience with Palo Alto Speedometer Service for the speedo problems on these bikes?

[Gino Rondelli]

I use a £9 Halfords cycle speedo on 2 of my Nortons ( because the speedo gearbox's break as do the cables) I also use the same speedo on my Mk3 Lemans because its got a KM speedo and I also wanted something more accurate. I took the magnet out of the holder that goes around the spokes and glued it to the wheel rim using Araldite. It works fine and has the added bonus of being able to tell the time.

[jami]

Thanks for your tips. WWW, came across the Sigma 1606L also, at Aerostich - I may go that route - thanks for the info re it. Also having a hard time finding any Sigmas at any stores - will have to order one online.

[WellWellWell]

Thanks for your tips. WWW, came across the Sigma 1606L also, at Aerostich - I may go that route - thanks for the info re it. Also having a hard time finding any Sigmas at any stores - will have to order one online.

 

 

Jami, It's certainly worth a try with not much to lose -- $30 and a little time to install. I figure I can still put in a digital unit later in place of the original speedo if I want to but this is fine for me now.

 

One caution: At first after the install mine behaved oddly, cutting off intermittantly. I concluded the battery that came with it was bad. I put in a new battery and it has been perfect ever since. The 1606L retains memory of your data when the battery is replaced so you don't have to program it all back in.

[jami]

Great - thanks for the info, WWW - very helpful!!

[jam]

Update on the RC and speedo issue: I bought a Sigma 1606L from REI last night, and dropped it off at the dyno shop just now, where the RC will be put on the dyno this afternoon for mapping. (The dyno shop knows how lame I am, and said they would install the speedo for me.) I'm hoping to pick up the bike tomorrow - needless to say, I CAN'T WAIT!!! Without the custom mapping, it was pretty damn good, but flattened out at the start of the top end of a gear. So if that is remedied.... OMG.....

I'll post over on the RC registry site re final results?

I am so in love with this bike.... My yammie (which has been dubbed the Soulless One) and even my Duc (which has become a bit of a beater bike but runs like a top) are languishing.....