Has any one had any luck with a digital speedos they make for bikes on a T I am going on a short trip (400 mi) with the speedster this weekend would like to try one. I like the fact they can be installed with little or no modifications to a T. but can they read speeds over 60 (yes I know we should never drive that fast) or will the battery last more than a few hours? What are your recommendations?
This has been discussed here before. They work but if your running the original coils you may have some interference. Shielded wiring should help.
Using the search function may bring up some previous long discussions of this, but I'll go right to the bottom line: Cat Eye Velo 5 (or the current equivalent). I bought mine at the local bike shop for about $20 three years ago. All I had to do was splice in a couple of feet of speaker wire for a longer reach. I didn't try to shield it, and coil interference has never been a problem. The battery lasts forever. When you find the earlier threads, mount your sensor the way Dan Treace did his. It's simpler and easier than the way I did it.
Hi Mike,
Believe this is the thread you need.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/285228.html
Dons right, did a did a keyword search and yup this subject has been beat to death.....soooo I was also thinking of installing a water pump as long as it does not interfere with my E timer
whattaya think?!!
just kidding.
I'll throw my 2cents in .. yep .. they work. Mine looks like a Rube job, but works well. Was about $25. I got the wired version, so cable was too short. No ignition interference that I can see. Apparently, at first glance, many don't support large wheel sizes. Mine had a way to put in an actual circumference measurement, so should be pretty accurate. Once I get the feel for different speeds, (or come across the $$ to rebuild mine, and get the missing bits outside the actual unit ...), I'll likely take it off anyway. If it turns out I like it, I'll try some of the more clandestine installs, so it doesn't look so dorky. Right now, it's rivaling the idiot behind the wheel.
Dennis
I use one on my '24. I run coils and magneto. There isn't any problem with RFI from the coils. I routed the wires from the left front wheel and up the steering column. The battery seems to last about a year.
If you have a smart phone and a way to charge it in your vehicle, down load a free app called speedview. It is free and gives MPH, odometer, and a heading campus. A strip of velcro on the back of the phone and the matching part where you would be able to see the phone, you might be able to use it at least temp. There is a full version of the app but there is a charge for it. The difference--no ads on the full version. There is a choice of either digital readout or analog meter.
Some bike speedos do have problems with the T electrical system (for instance at least one Cat Eye model), but it has been found from my experience, and that of others, that those made by Sigma work well with magneto/coils ignition.
I've had one since 2004 and only changed the battery once or twice.
If you have a Garmin, that will indicate speed also.
FWIW here's my installation. I tried to hide the readout by putting it down near where the steering column enters the firewall. Still easy to read. I like it because it gives me the total mileage since my T woke up as well as the mileage for each trip I take - all automatic without having to set anything. Handy for determining service intervals. It can also be calibrated to give extremely accurate readings.
The sending unit is easy to mount although the cable has to be extended. The mounting brackets are simple pieces of bent aluminum and the magnet and sensor are secured to the small brackets with JB weld. No problems with coil/sparkplug interference
Trouble free so far
Cheers
schuh
Here are a couple of photos of mine. I've had it in the car since 2010 and, thus far, it's done great. It is the CatEye brand. I run on magneto 100% of the time and have had absolutely no interference. You can see the bracket mounted to the front axle. I used JB Weld to mount the sensor to it. The magnetic pick-up is on the opposite side of the wheel. The pick-up was already threaded, so I tapped a hole into the metal. The speed registers slightly slower than I'm going because the largest wheel diameter the speedometer will go up to is 27.5 inches.
That's exactly what I was going to put on my car until I got my Garmin GPS. Neat thing other than the more accurate speedometer, odometer, ave speed,and max speed is that it will tell you where you are and how to get back home if needed.
I simply got a second mounting cord and plug it into a small gelcell battery that's under the seat. When I'm parked I detach it and nobody sees.