Reply With QuoteI'd definitely consider that if I could find just the right one. I'll start the search. Any idea, or link to one?Originally Posted by 34nineteen
I thought I was untill you asked me.Are you sure?
My voltage meter is in sight while riding and it saved me walking home.
I'd definitely consider that if I could find just the right one. I'll start the search. Any idea, or link to one?
Bob: can i suggest one that you might like? it's cube shaped...very accurate...about 1-1/4" X 1"....choice of red or blue LED's. i've installed probably 15 of these thru the years on assorted XB's and they work quite well, for what they are. prior to installation i put a tiny bead of sealant around the assembly seam, and a small bead where the wiring loom exits. keeps it relatively waterproof. i also use a dremel and remove the little mounting ear on each side. cleans up the appearance.
then mount it with a dab of adhesive or double-sided 3M tape on top of the left handlebar switchgear control. unobtrusive and legible at a quick glance. run the little wiring loom down the handlebar and into the headlight housing assembly. link the red wire to the orange headlight wire and the black wire to either black headlight wire or any ground source. very simple to do and works like a charm. there are thousands on evilbay...but here's the one i like.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-Digita...AAAOSwzIBfgS7F
Thanks John, I just may do this. If I could press a button on it and have it display temp. in F., I'd be ordering it right now. Regarding the voltage meter preventing us from "walking home", I guess if you start to see the voltage dwindle, you turn around and quickly head home, or to your nearest friend's house right? How low can it go before your walking?
They'll go quite a ways actually. Had an issue with Stella and got at least 40 miles before I even knew it and another 40 home after re-starting. That was about 2.5 hours of riding!
It doesn't take much to keep an engine running. I believe the fuel pump is the biggest draw? If it's daylight and you have a long way to go, I'd pull the headlight fuse and use steady throttle, I guarantee it will get you at least to where it dies.
Ill look for a pic but I have a small dual USB charger that fits perfectly in the cig lighter and displays battery voltage (even amp draw for whats charging!) It's tiny, but no temp display that you want.
yes sir Bob, my pleasure. like mentioned above, with a fully charged Deka house-brand battery and the headlight fuse removed...i made it home safely which was a tick over 40 miles from the initial charging system failure. the fuel pump, ECM and coil seem to draw the most amps.
mentioned this many times on here: run a top quality "stator compatible" oil in the trans/primary....keep both ends of both battery cables clean and tight....occasionally check your connectors behind the front plastic pulley cover on 03-07 inclusive models....run a top quality AGM battery such as Deka or Yuasa....check for a parasitic draw....don't overload the charging system with add-on electrical bull****...and these systems are robust and time-tested.
PLACE 1 relay and a small assortment of blade fuses in a plastic sandwich bag, seal it, and tape it anywhere under your seat. never ceases to amaze me how many buell riders had to be towed in due to a popped fuse and no onboard replacement. the stock fuse-box has several blank sockets for spare blade fuses. put a tweezers of small plastic fuse-puller in the bag as well.
I'm curious about all this occasional "engine temp/oil temp" jibberish on here, and monitoring same. what would you even do about it if you saw a temp you weren't fond of? if you run a quality, clean oil and filter combo...leave the stock cooler and shroud in place...and use common sense regarding what's damaging to an air-cooled motor....you should have no temperature angst.
Barrett makes a great point about temp, even though I'm the one who put the gauge in. It's more for curiosity for me, I'm actually using it for ambient temp so I know how blue my fingers are inside my gloves, LOL.
An important note is how air-cooled engines are NOT the same as water cooled ones. They are built to take a much wider temperature swing and a much higher running temp. The stock settings have no ignition/timing/or fueling intervention until above 280*! Try that with your commuter car and you'll be meeting Hank the tow truck driver.
On your Buell (and Harleys) you'll know when it's too hot when the ECM intervenes with a CEL, RPM limits, ignition retard, and even a skip-spark "parade mode" that kills one cylinder. None of these damage the engine and you won't blow your radiator cap
I appreciate all the insight you two just shared there. It is definitely helping me get more comfortable venturing out further than it would be practical for a friend to come rescue me and my new to me,old Uly(42k miles). I will be heeding all the wisdom given from you Veteran Buellers, thanks! My first long trip this summer will be to the Mt.Diablo area in Brentwood(185 miles). I think I'm gonna get one of those gel seat pillows for my old(64) achy behind, haha. Would love to get a custom Corbin, just not in the budget right now.
Theres some good threads on what to take for a trip, but 185 miles is close enough to AAA range not to worry
The aforementioned fuses/relay are a good start. Some minor tools like pliers, knife/ Leatherman, T27 torx bit, 3/4" axle tool, and zip ties are all light and will fit under the seat. A small plug kit and air pump are a good addition if you like desolate areas. A 12V Slime brand air pump fits under the seat if you take it out of the plastic box. I wired mine to the Battery Tender plug to make life easy and have saved many other riders just having it with me at all times
I still take wheel bearings even though I've changed my maintenance schedule on them and haven't had an issue since. IMO large things like a belt are too cumbersome and rare enough failure point that Amazon can deliver one to me at a hotel if catastrophe joins me on a trip. I also won't pack anything I can easily buy at a Napa or Pep boys, why bother?
Mt Diablo! I knew that sounded familiar. I stayed on Bethel Island for a year for the Best Summer Ever and visited the park then. It's beautiful there
Cornfest!
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