Installing SpeedHut gauges

[Scud]

Does it really matter if the Voltmeter stays where it was, that's an un-advertised feature, "Voltage Memory" Next time you ride the bike you would know how much it lost while you were away

 

No, it doesn't matter at all. I was just noticing how the stepper-motor worked. If I didn't know about that I would have assumed that the meter was still measuring voltage with the key off and was draining power (albeit slowly). I like how you turned this into benefit - you must be a marketing guy. "Speedhut Gauges - now available with voltage memory!" I guess they will also have hot idle speed memory and oil pressure memory. So many extra features...

[Kiwi_Roy]

Apparently the latest tachs have playback option.

 

 

Sent from my shoe phone!

[Scud]

Here's how I mounted the oil pressure sender unit that comes with the Speedhut oil pressure gauge. The thing is huge - so big that I called to ask if they had a smaller one (they don't and they said this is the only one compatible with their gauge.)  After much experimentation and thinking about how to relocate it to the frame (where the fuel filter or pump are on pre 2003 models), I hit on this:

 

 

To block:  Washer and metric 12 x 1.5 male to 1/8 NPT female adapter - available from Speedhut in brass or steel, I used steel.

Adapter to Sender unit:  45 degree elbow, 1/8 NPT male to 1/8 NPT female (also steel)

 

The sender unit has two electrical studs, one for the signal and the other for ground. The ground is not needed if you use teflon thread sealing compound (brush-on) instead of teflon tape. I tested and got 0 resistance between the ground terminal on the sender unit and the negative terminal of the battery. So just one wire is needed (from the gauge).

 

FYI - this would interfere with the rubber snorkels from the airbox, but I already ditched them.

[Scud]

I got the gauges mounted in the stock bucket today. Here's some more detail about how I did it:

 

80mm O-rings - 2.5 mm thick between trim ring and dash, 3.5 mm thick between dash and bucket. This takes up about the same space as the stock rubber gasket did around the ITI gauges - and allows the little rubber gasket at top of warning lights to align correctly.

 

 

Here's how all the wires and brackets aligned to fit the cup. I didn't put the inverter or the fuse inside the cups; still need to do some cable management.

 

 

Here's the stock cup all fastened up. I cut a section out of a black pvc pipe elbow and glued it to the inside of the bucket with black RTV. I was a little messier than intended, so I just smeared the whole thing. Can't see it anyway.

 

 

And here's the rider's-eye view of all four gauges.

 

 

Still pending a road test, but I sure hope it holds up - and that the oil pressure and tach work.

 

FYI - I think the "open sky" advice about the GPS receiver is not that important. My GPS receiver was tilted at least 45 degrees, and it quickly locked on a signal while in the garage (under a two-story house). I don't think a fairing is going to interfere with it.

[chamberlin]

Fantastic install!!! Love the extra oil and voltage gauges too. You're going to love these. Good to hear on the GPS orientation, maybe I'll tuck mine behind the cluster the next time I have the fairing off. My only question (sorry if you've already addressed it), is that with all of the darkening you did on the bike, how come the chrome and white clocks? I'm dumbfounded!

[Scud]

Thanks Chamberlin, these gauges are on the red LeMans (fairing still off). It came with grey-ring, black-faced ITI gauges, while the Scura came with chrome-ring, white-faced Veglias. 

 

Reasons for my color choices:

1. I find black letters on white background easier to read with a quick glance.  
2. I like the Scura dash - and how the gauges sort of pop off it visually -  so I copied the colors to the LeMans.
3. The LeMans might get a big, white stripe on it one day...

As for the extra oil and volt gauges, there's a lot of extra room behind a LeMans fairing - and nearly none behind a sport fairing.

[chamberlin]

Thanks Chamberlin, these gauges are on the red LeMans (fairing still off). It came with grey-ring, black-faced ITI gauges, while the Scura came with chrome-ring, white-faced Veglias. 

 

Reasons for my color choices:

1. I find black letters on white background easier to read with a quick glance.  
2. I like the Scura dash - and how the gauges sort of pop off it visually -  so I copied the colors to the LeMans.
3. The LeMans might get a big, white stripe on it one day...

As for the extra oil and volt gauges, there's a lot of extra room behind a LeMans fairing - and nearly none behind a sport fairing.

 

 

Copy that mate! I thought for some reason you were doing this conversion on the Scura... yes, my original gauges (2003) were also the black ITI gauges (garbage!).  But if you *were* to do gauges on the Scura, would you go dark, or keep the white Veglia look???

[Scud]

 

 

But if you *were* to do gauges on the Scura, would you go dark, or keep the white Veglia look???

 

 

When I looked at the two bikes side-by-side I thought "they'd both look better if I swapped dashes." But if (when) they fail, I think the Scura will go darker - at least the trim rings should be black, the grey face with black type might be good - or just copy your color choices.  Anyway, I hope the Veglias will last a long time and that I won't need to replace them anytime soon. This might be a good time to lube the speedo cable...

 

BTW - the first part of this project was time-constrained, because I couldn't easily get the LeMans registered in California with less than 7,500 miles showing (government rules for out-of-state vehicles, previous title was in Florida). I got a 30 day extension on the inspection, and Speedhut takes 3 weeks from order to deliver finished gauges - I got the two big clocks installed and inspected on the next to last day (nothing but a power cable so I could show the Odometer reading - and hauled the stripped bike over in the truck). Adding some miles to the broken ITI's actual reading when ordering the Speedhut made it easy to pass inspection - and kept my new California title clean and free of the "not actual mileage" warning/statement. There's a sweet irony in the creation of evidence to support what I believe is true and clear bureaucratic processes.

 

So... pretty convenient to be able to get any starting mileage reading you want. I started at "approximate-actual-with-rules-in-mind." I noticed you started at 000000 after your restoration, which also makes sense. Docc should get one set at 100000 (one digit more than the stock gauge can handle).

[docc]

 

 ( . . . Docc should get one set at 100000 (one digit more than the stock gauge can handle).

 

One more cog in my growing list for the 100,000 mile refresh!

[Scud]

I put the LeMans back together enough to start it and ride around the block. Mostly spurred by a concern about the oil pressure sender.

 

Oil Gauge:

When I connected the oil pressure gauge signal wire to the signal terminal and turned the key on, the gauge registered 25psi. So I thought - "Wow, That's Fantastic (aka WTF?), I've got oil pressure and the bike's not even running." I contacted Speedhut, and apparently this sender sometimes doesn't get set correctly at the factory. They offered to send me a new one if it didn't test out. The good news is that the pressure increased a lot with the bike running, but it did not settle back to 0; it still went to 25psi, and this is not because of the stepper motor, it always goes to 25. Therefore, new sender unit is needed. I also learned that Speedhut can (for about $80 extra) convert the gauge to their next level up, which is somehow better, but looks the same, and also uses a smaller sender unit. I'll pass for now and see if I can get their entry-level gauge working correctly.

 

Voltmeter:

Seems to be working well. Registers a bit under 12 with key on, and increases as expected with the engine running, and a bit more at higher revs.

 

Speedo:

Works fine with the GPS sensor underneath the fairing and at a pretty steep angle (between oil and volt gauges, stuck to inner dash panel with foam adhesive tape).

 

Tach:

Also works - but needs to be calibrated for a 2-cylinder engine pulse. I think it's reading half-speed as though it's measuring a 4-cylinder engine.

 

 

 

FYI - Speedhut can put new faces in their gauges for $30 each if you send them in. So if you want a different color, logo, etc., it's easy to do.

[chamberlin]

Very nice Scud! I can't remember what tach pulse setting I changed mine too, but I remember it was only one tick off from where it needed to be.

 

Regarding the logos etc., it's just a matter of emailing them your logos and their artist/proofer will get back to you with proofs before they commit to the design. They are very meticulous, and we moved my Guzzi eagle about 3 times (just mm's) before I was happy. Here is what the online configurator looks like. P.s. I'm willing to email anybody here my digital logos that I made for these gauges.

 

[Kiwi_Roy]

"That's what I'm talking about"

 

Run your eye down the "Current Gauge Attributes"

 

Does any other company offer that flexibility, I don't think so!

 

Chamberlin has done all the hard work on the logo for you.

 

Scud, don't get me wrong, I like yours too, mine are somewhere in between with a cheaper pulse input speedo.

 

 

The only thing I would do differently is  have the reset buttons rear plug in type, the tacho one is only required for initial setup.

[Scud]

Yeah - so much customization that you can get about whatever you want - and everyone can satisfy their personal preferences. The thing I learned yesterday is that they don't even stop there... they can rebuild the gauges inexpensively and let you change options at that time.

 

With all the extra lights on Chamberlin's you could almost eliminate the warning lights - especially if you had somewhere to put oil and volt gauges.

 

I, too, thought "I wish I had got the remote buttons." The black buttons stand out too much against the white faces. So, if you're inclined to pay $20 per gauge for a rebuild, you can change all your options at that time. New face was another $10 per gauge. I didn't inquire about the cost of remote buttons (which would require new glass). I expect I will use the mileage reset button frequently, to reset the trip meter after refueling, and I'm sure that could be located somewhere accessible, but out of sight. But as you noted, you only have to use the speedo button once - you could probably locate that very remotely (in a box) after using it once. 

[Scud]

 

Regarding the logos etc., it's just a matter of emailing them your logos and their artist/proofer will get back to you with proofs before they commit to the design. They are very meticulous, and we moved my Guzzi eagle about 3 times (just mm's) before I was happy. Here is what the online configurator looks like. P.s. I'm willing to email anybody here my digital logos that I made for these gauges.

 

 

I'd like the logo for possible future use and sent you a PM. Isn't it also possible to post them right in this thread as an attachment that people can download?

[chamberlin]

Here you go guys! I believe the one I used for my black gauges was the small white on black logo. The two smaller logos are already to go in .png format. The big black logo is just a .jpg -