Wondering about a gauge package.

[Herb In Texas]

I stopped at the Herley dealer in Lawton this weekend. Wanted to check on a hand pump for my shock. But never did. they kept trying to sell me a new ultra. Got me to wondering about gauges tho. Has anyone or does any one know of a gauge package that works good with our ventures. I was thinking about removing the useless tape deck and trying to fit up some mini analog gauges in there. Temp, oil p, oil temp, and volt meter. Fishing for thoughts. Oh by the way it was 80 here on Saturday. Today we got freezin rain. Had to drive the pickup:cry:

[N3FOL]

I've never heard one yet from the gurus. If it is available, I may start saving my $'s for a nice mod.

 

I rode to work today for a nice 25 mile commute one way. Tomorrow will be just what you are getting right now - freezing rain.

[Herb In Texas]

Hope it don't get too bad. I just got a call on the motorola gotta go sand bridges. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.

[pegscraper]

Search for gauges on here. There are piles of threads on installing gauges. Here is just one.

[V7Goose]

I have added full gauges to two different RSVs; it's not too hard, but you do need to get creative on where/how to mount them. There is a very detailed write-up from me on gauges in the tech library.

 

Here are a couple of pictures:

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b289/V7Goose/Gaugesfront3.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b289/V7Goose/2007RSVForSale9.jpg

Goose

[Midrsv]

Goose,

 

Since you have the guage package and most of us don't, can you give us an idea of what the operating temperature range and oil pressure range is for these bikes? Just curious.

 

Dennis

[V7Goose]

Normal operating temp stays around 210 degrees (f), and even in the hottest conditions, the fan keeps it from ever getting over 235. In the summer time the engine temps begin to rise above 210 almost instantly when you stop at a light, but they fall just as fast as soon as you start moving again. If you idle long enough for the fan to come on, it keeps the temp between 220 and 230.

 

Oil pressure, with the engine at full operating temp, generally stays around 25 lbs at normal highway RPMs, but drops to around 5 - 7 lbs at idle. Idle oil pressure is the biggest reason to make sure your idle speed it set correctly. I would prefer to set idle closer to 650 RPM - the engine just sounds better there. But I suspect the oil pressure is insufficient at that low a speed, so I keep it at 950 - 1000 as the book calls for.

 

The manual specifies 50 lbs pressure at 5,000 RPM, and my bikes have always met that when hot.

Goose

[Midrsv]

Thanks for the info. Do you ever ride in cold weather, below 30 degrees? At low temps it feels like my bike never really warms to full operating temperature. Have you noticed that?

 

Dennis

[V7Goose]

I ride year-around, often in cold temps. Before I retired I rode the bike to work every single day, no matter what the weather. We don't have all that many days below 30 here in Texas, but enough. The RSV actually runs a bit warmer with it is really cold than it does when it is hot - I attribute this to the thermostat staying closed more.

Goose

[Mikealiasmike]

Now if you could fabricate some sort of mount for these... http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/Category_ID=236/home_id=60/mode=cat/cat236.htm This would be sweet.

[Herb In Texas]

Thanks guys, very helpful. The write up in the tech lib. is great. Thanks Goose but your pics did not come through on my comp. Probably the filter on my end. Rode to work today. was great to be back in the saddle.

[Herb In Texas]

Now if you could fabricate some sort of mount for these... http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=results/Category_ID=236/home_id=60/mode=cat/cat236.htm This would be sweet.

They would be sweet, but out of my price range. I will most likely be at the O rileies or Wally World forr there versions.

[gibvel]

Redneck fashioned his own, here's a photo:

 

 

May want to contact him if you have some questions.

[Aimhigh]

to make some $. It certainly appears there might be a market for someone who could figure out how to market these gauges in discussion. It appears the biggest obstacle is mounting them in a fashionable manner in a limited space. I wish I were more mechanically inclined...I would jump on it.

 

With over 6,000 members, I gotta believe that someone is capable of doing this...I know I would place an order.

Edited January 6, 2009 by Aimhigh
added second para

[N3FOL]

That is my biggest problem, when installing gauges on the Venture. It just does not look nice having all those gauges in places that does not look like a built-in installation.

[Carbon_One]

One of the biggest problems is getting gauges some enough at a resonable price. As some of you have noted.

I mounted a volt meter on the left handle bar and a tach on the right handle bar using a Arlen Ness bullet cup and a Kuryakyn "P" clamp. Had a oil gauge on the right side once but took it off as the tach to me is more useful.

Larry

[Herb In Texas]

That looks petty good. Might have to give that a try. Been eyballin' that casset deck real close tho.

[Herb In Texas]

Bump

[V7Goose]

to make some $. It certainly appears there might be a market for someone who could figure out how to market these gauges in discussion. It appears the biggest obstacle is mounting them in a fashionable manner in a limited space. I wish I were more mechanically inclined...I would jump on it.

 

With over 6,000 members, I gotta believe that someone is capable of doing this...I know I would place an order.

I have not thought about doing this before, nor have I actually checked prices, but I make an offer here, pending verification of my costs before I lock in with anyone:

 

I could make up a set of oil pressure and water temp gauges to mount up on the handlebars under the fairing as shown on my 07 here:

[ATTACH]25188[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25189[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25190[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25191[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25192[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]25193[/ATTACH]

I would fabricate the mounting cans, brackets, sending units - everything needed to just bolt them on. I suspect the cost would be about $125. I could add the matching white volt meter in a separate can for probably another $25 (but I prefer a digital volt meter). The tach on the other side would be about $150. An ammeter is a little more trouble, so that might be $50 just by itself, depending on the specific gauge you want. I can get the small gauges in either black or white faces EXCEPT an ammeter - I can only find one of those smaller than 2" in black.

 

I could also do them like I did on my 05 (but I think the under-dash look is a bit nicer):

[ATTACH]25194[/ATTACH]

 

Let me know if anyone is interested and we can talk about the options so I can check exact prices.

Goose

[Herb In Texas]

Looks good Goose. I would like a closer look, by chance will you be at either of the two PGR missions this week, one this PM and one Fri AM here in N Texas? The one this afternoon is at DFW Cem. Tomorrow starts in Hurst to DFW and back to Hurst. As of now I plan to attend both. But as allways got to staySEmper Gumby.

[V7Goose]

I will probably be at those missions, but can't say for sure yet. I am dealing with some tight deadlines on moving some investments around and my need to be here for faxes. I'll just have to play it by ear.

Goose

[Herb In Texas]

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