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Aftermarket gear indicator? Any such animal?

ohiorider

ohiorider

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
174
Location
Hudson, OH
Many of my older BMW K bikes and one of the Oilheads came with a gear indicator. On a lot of bikes, the gear you're in is intuitive, but I find the Guzzi v twin, with good torque across the powerband sometimes difficult to determine whether I'm in 4th or 5th, 5th or 6th.

Is there an inexpensive aftermarket device anyone here has used? I'm thinking perhaps something that (a) could pick up spark plug pulses inductively (thru the plug wire is what I'm trying to say), and (b) pick up wheel speed (front or rear) to measure mph with a Hall sensor. And of course, a single 7 pack display. Seems like comparing rpm with road speed would make for a simple calculation.

Not a necessity, but a feature I grew to like on several of my BMWs.

(Shame there's no way to tie into the ECU and gather this info real time thru the "VDSTS" plug.)
 
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I remember this exact topic some time back on 1200sport.com, before it went into premature retirement (due to hackers). The consensus then was that there were no devices that could perform this task adequately. Some people had put them on (of the generic aftermarket type) but the working was inconsistent and reliable.

I have always mentally counted the gear I am in and now intuitively "know" what to do should some event occur that involves gear changes and the best way to do something (overtake, brake, down through the gears). But, I am getting CRAFT disease and often these counts just go out the window when I need them most. When this happens I have a "new discovery adventure" moment!

Either way, I don't think there is something out there that will work and I have tried to think up some way that I could get this to work, to no avail.

Good luck in your hunt.
 
GiPro makes a really cool one, they show guzzi on a couple different sites, but wonder if it's just plug and play like their other models. I have not used this on a Guzzi but worth looking into.

http://pashnit.com/product/gipro_x_type.html
Installation?...Simple...

HealTech makes bike specific looms to make the installation quick and simple. This kit is "semi-universal" meaning that it requires one wire to be spliced (rpm signal) but the speedo sensor wire is plug-and-play!

Follow these steps: 1) Locate the speed sensor. Plug the GIPRO-X speed pickup wire inline. If you have a SpeedoHealer installed, you have to connect the plugs in-line in the following order: Speed sensor male plug >> GIpro >> SH >> bike female plug.

2) Locate the ECU (Engine Control Unit) box. Usually under the seat or a side fairing. Find the tach signal wire (different by model...see bike-specific installation instructions for wire color directions)

3) Just go through the gears (see user guide for instructions) and you are done. Note that HealTech suggests doing this with a WARMED UP engine. THAT'S IT!

4) Need DS Model? Need GIpro w/ ATRE? Click.
 
The most inexpensive way is to just pull the clutch and attempt an 'up' change.
The solid immovable feel of the gear lever will let you know your in top.

Takes about the same time as looking at a digit on the dash, and if I don't wear me glasses ...
 
I installed one on my wife's 07 Griso...
Not simple since the Italians can't make a wiring diagram readable with the shit.
You will have to splice in your harness big time, I don't care which brand you're going for.
I went for the Datatool and paid about $70 for it.
 
I'm not into splicing bike wiring (guaranteed to be a disaster when I do it.) That's why I asked if anyone had seen one that could determine rpm via a spark plug wire. I did find another one that depends on knowing when bike passes thru neutral. It then counts the number of times the shift pedal passes a top or bottom mounted magnet. Sounds a bit klugy. I think one still has to cut into the neutral switch wiring.
 
I know it is not what you want to hear but I don't see the advantage of a gear indicator. You are either in the right gear, a gear or more too high, or a gear or more too low. If you watch the tach it will tell you when to shift and which direction to shift in. For knowing when you are in top gear, just look at the speed and the rpms. It is not hard to get a feel for what rpms you would be turning at a given cruising speed and being able to tell if you are there or if the rpms are too high indicating you need to shift. But if in doubt, try to shift. It will either shift or not. If it can't shift up any more then you are there. But it is all about keeping the rpms where they need to be for the job at hand. If they are too low or too high you should shift.
My Guzzi is already more complicated then I would like it to be. I can't see adding another widget to fail and let me down.
 
I'm looking for a similar thing for my 2006 Breva 1100.

Monday I did a 170 mile ride and by the end of it was still not sure of my gear. I'm not worried about finding top gear as that is an easy 'feel' with the toe and there is plenty of time. It is more about getting in the right gear for a fast roundabout etc.

Where I live in the south of England we have sections of road with a lot of roundabouts. I could be approaching quickly in 5th or 6th but want to grab 2nd or 3rd for a given island. Knowing where I am would let me downshift the right number of gears at the right time.

Flying into a roundabout in 4th when I want 3rd makes for pretty crappy lines and a poor exit.

I also wear ear-plugs on anything more than a 15 minute ride so am a little detached from all the ambient sounds.

It would have been nice to find a gear channel on the ECU but I suspect it will be one of the RPM/Speedo ones that need teaching.

Given all the other information on the display, including a programmable gear change LED a gear indicator would have been a piece of cake to include. :roll: I'd rather know my gear than whether it is 23 degrees or 22 degrees outside. A simple 'below 4 degrees' indicator would have sufficed.
 
I guess frustration is an emotion, Ray.

My last bike was a TransAlp and it wasn't so much an issue (though I kept trying to create a 6th gear on the damned thing :) ). I could generally tell what gear I was in when changing down but I just don't get the same feedback from the Breva for some reason.

Steve.
 
I'm with you Cimbian.
I'll change anything on my bike that I don't like.
So far, air filter, exhaust, seat, screen, panniers, hugger, feda extenda, handlebar grips, horn, clutch & brake levers, home made gps mount, aux fuel tank and of course a gear indicator.
If you like your bike as it came out of the box you'll hear no criticism from me either.
 
I just swapped a Triumph Tiger 800 for a Stelvio.
Tiger had a gear indicator, Stelvio doesn't.
I was always trying to find 7th on the Tiger riding by feel rather than looking at the clocks.
Keep getting surprised that Stelvio has another gear (or two!) when I'm rolling along comfortably.
Glance at clocks if I'm doing 70 (ish) and revs are 4K (ish) I'm in top (ish).. no worries..
 
Hi there,

Was wondering if anyone have tried to install one of those healtech units on a bellagio since its not listed on the website whether or not its supported.

And sorry if placing one offends you :p but as a beginning rider not having a rpm nor a gear counter is tough start ;)
 
D.Stoof said:
Hi there,

Was wondering if anyone have tried to install one of those healtech units on a bellagio since its not listed on the website whether or not its supported.

And sorry if placing one offends you :p but as a beginning rider not having a rpm nor a gear counter is tough start ;)
Click to expand...


Hey D!
Welcome & aren't you lucky to have a Bellagio, we are not allowed to have them in the USofA.
Sorry I can't answer your question & don't worry about offending anyone if a tach & a shift indicator makes it good for you then that's all that matters.
First Guzzi?
 
Not allowed how come?

And yes! first guzzi, its even my first bike so that why i struggle a bit with the lack of meters although no tach is actually not really a problem. But when doing longer rides you tend to lose count on the shifting and since those healtechs are really small it seems like a nice addition.

Think i'll just try to install one next month and see if it works.
i'll leave an update here on it when i'm done but that might take some time since i am rather low on cash :p
 
D.Stoof said:
Not allowed how come?

And yes! first guzzi, its even my first bike so that why i struggle a bit with the lack of meters although no tach is actually not really a problem. But when doing longer rides you tend to lose count on the shifting and since those healtechs are really small it seems like a nice addition.

Think i'll just try to install one next month and see if it works.
i'll leave an update here on it when i'm done but that might take some time since i am rather low on cash :p
Click to expand...

The Bellagio was never imported here, not sure why.
That's a helluva bike for a first bike, you be careful on that.
After awhile you may get "in sync" with the engine sound & overall vibe of the bike & will not worry about which gear you are in, you will just instinctively choose the correct gear needed.
In the mean time do what you need to do to get comfortable.
Saddle time = experience. Ride, ride, ride.
 
Shame it's not it is a lot of fun to ride so much actually that i made nearly 2000 KM already in 2 weeks
And maybe the urge will indeed go away with due time i'll think about it ;) thanks for the comments.
 
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