Date: 29-03-24  Time: 09:14 am

Author Topic: Digital Gear Indicator  (Read 2108 times)

adeejaysdelight

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 974
  • I love riding my bike!
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • - Tuono RSV, YZF 1000, CBF 125
    • View Profile
    • www.roadrashjeans.com
Digital Gear Indicator
« on: 08 February 2013, 10:07:16 am »
I went out for a run on the bike a couple of days ago. You know how it is, not been out properly for a couple of months. So, 100 miles in and I think I'm VR  :rolleyes ! I know this road well, and coming up to one of my favorite corners (straight, down and hard left, up, crest, hard right) I shift down to "second" gear - only to find I was in second gear. After a bit of fishtail action on the cold roads, I though I would investigate a  gear indicator. I fould this little item on ebay for cheap and thought I would give it a go. Has anyone tried one?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Universal-Digital-Gear-Indicator-for-Motorcycle-Motorbike-/110936069290?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item19d44e14aa
 
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...

Dead Eye

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,753
  • What doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #1 on: 08 February 2013, 12:22:56 pm »
From what I've heard people have had mixed results with them. You essentially need to teach it what gear the bike is in and occasionally it will get it wrong... However, having not owned one I can't comment from experience.

Motorbreath

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 440
    • Main bike:
      Other
    • - YZF1000R ThunderAce
    • View Profile
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #2 on: 08 February 2013, 12:50:40 pm »
I have one of these in my 600. It works but the magnet it was too thin and it wasn't close enough to the sensors and it was inaccurate. I had tu buy two thick magnets and put them together. Still it is difficult to have the sensors and the magnet set, a couple millimeters of difference in placement makes it inaccurate. But it can be done after many tests, but it is a pain. The neutral is not a problem as it has a reset wire that goes to the neutral sensor (you have to make it longer though, if you feed it from the dash the bike's diode makes it inaccurate).

I power it from the dash lights wire, so it reminds me that the headlights are off too (lights are mandatory where I live). I sticked the sensors with glue to the frame and the magnet sticks to the lever by itself.

I am happy with it. But it was a pain to make it work properly.

To those who think a gear indicator is unnecesary, I have to say I find it more useful than the rev clock most of times. The rev's can be guessed by the sound of the engine, but the gear can't. The speedo is definitely useless now except for radars. My bike has also a -1t front sprocket so the gears are closer and the indicator helps.

Motorbreath

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 440
    • Main bike:
      Other
    • - YZF1000R ThunderAce
    • View Profile
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #3 on: 08 February 2013, 12:53:09 pm »
From what I've heard people have had mixed results with them. You essentially need to teach it what gear the bike is in and occasionally it will get it wrong... However, having not owned one I can't comment from experience.

Those ones are a different kind, they work calculating revs and speed.

Dead Eye

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,753
  • What doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger.
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • - FZS600 00-01
    • View Profile
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #4 on: 08 February 2013, 02:01:55 pm »
From what I've heard people have had mixed results with them. You essentially need to teach it what gear the bike is in and occasionally it will get it wrong... However, having not owned one I can't comment from experience.

Those ones are a different kind, they work calculating revs and speed.

Ah, fair enough. Probably should have done research before posting :P

Fazbaz

  • GP Hero
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,433
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 98-99
    • - YZFR1 YZFR6 SV650S
    • View Profile
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #5 on: 08 February 2013, 10:53:29 pm »
That type just look like a magnet tells the display that you've gone up or down a gear. From the spec nothing appears to go to the engine's electrics.

It will probably be okay as long as you don't ever miss a gear otherwise it'll think you're in forth ( for example ) when you've only double clicked into third gear ?

Baz  :)

adeejaysdelight

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 974
  • I love riding my bike!
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • - Tuono RSV, YZF 1000, CBF 125
    • View Profile
    • www.roadrashjeans.com
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #6 on: 09 February 2013, 10:58:26 am »
For me, if it workes 80% of the time I will be quite happy. To be honest, a warning light that lets me know when I'm in second would be fine.  :lol
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...

GrahamB

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 320
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
    • FZ750 proboards forum
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #7 on: 09 February 2013, 02:03:03 pm »
I tried & tried to get one of these things to work properly on my thou'. Tried with magnet & bracket in a few different places. Result? Wasted 2 weekends & vowed never to piss about with cheap & nasty stuff like this ever again. Solution? Sold bike for spares & bought another with proper plug in gear selector already fitted!  :rollin

adeejaysdelight

  • WSB Pack Hound
  • *****
  • Posts: 974
  • I love riding my bike!
    • Main bike:
      FZS600 00-01
    • - Tuono RSV, YZF 1000, CBF 125
    • View Profile
    • www.roadrashjeans.com
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #8 on: 09 February 2013, 08:30:56 pm »
I went for it anyway. It arrived today. I will/should get a chance to fit it on Monday. It seems easy enough, but then I am only an Engineer!  ;)
Not quite sure what to do with my early mid-life crisis. Ideas on a post card to P.O.BOX 150...

GrahamB

  • Club Racer
  • ****
  • Posts: 320
    • Main bike:
      FZS 1000 Gen1
    • View Profile
    • FZ750 proboards forum
Re: Digital Gear Indicator
« Reply #9 on: 10 February 2013, 10:58:43 am »
Good luck. They are very fussy things.