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Digital Gear Indicator

After all these years I don't even miss a tach. As stated, I don't even remember the exact year I still had a tach, or cake frosting for that matter.

In fact, if we are discussing the 'loops' I make around my home, which I have used for over two decades, I don't even look at the speedometer. I almost shift from memory, I know the individual cracks in the road (the bikes 'walk' around them as if they were steering) and the engine(s) make the same noise all the way home.

My concern here is to keep from making a stupid newb mistake.
 
The Tourist said:
Before we begin, we have to define some terms. I understand the idea of a 'tach range' and redline. I am murky about the idea of "shift by the tach."
.. . . .. ...
I have to shift by tach'ing up. I do not have a physical tachometer gauge.
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Well you could use it for redline (we did as kids at the drag strip) but what I meant was I don't like to ride below 2000 rpms very much at all because I feel it lugs the engine. So I watch the tach and downshift is necessary. Also if in slow moving traffic and I can't really just upshift the way I normally would, I will watch the tach and if it gets too high I will then upshift.

I also shift by ear, I don't watch the tach all the time, but my old cobra tach sat up high on the bars so it was easier for me to see than the console. Now that I've bought a Dakota console replacement I will have to glance lower to see the tach.

In any case I don't think it cost effective to spend the amount you quoted on JUST a gear display when for another 100 plus you cold get so much more than just that.
 
I figured we were on the same page, I just wanted to make sure I understood how you were defining it.

You're right, I don't lug an engine either. And it's been a few years since I floated a valve or even came close to the rev limiter.

In fact, this was the reason I used a 203 cam in Betty. If I can get the engine's main performance in the 40 MPH to 80 MPH range I've achieved my goal.

More to the point, I don't know what I'd do with a tach now. I'm not used to looking for one, so I don't know if it would effect my driving.
 
I agree if you need a gear indicator your not paying much attention to your riding as for the tach , i use it alot so i dont over rev cause its easy when your getting on it in 1-3 with 103 screaming eagle . Dont kid yourself i dont have a geezerglide - hehe !!
 
As most have said, the V-twins have so much torque, they are more "tractor-like" so that even if you miss a shift or are off by 1 gear...the bike will still pull if you give it more throttle. :s

In town, I find I rarely go to 1st gear when slowing for a stop light, so I don't have to *clunk* down to first...just because 2nd gear is pretty "forgiving" and plenty of power to snap the bike up, if not at a full stop.:D
 
Which brings up a good point. When I first leave the house in the morning after a warm up, the 48 "clunks" when I tap it into gear from neutral. It does so less when I'm leaving a stoplight, but still clunks.

However, when downshifting from second at speed, it sounds and feels like any other downshift. If you've miscounted and the bike is already in first and you tap it again, the lever feels 'immobile' and you know you've hit bottom. Down into first on the big bike doesn't feel so 'solid.'

The ratios don't feel the same going up. Even if I did not look at the speedometer, I could tell I was in third taching up to fourth--the gap is quite wide and duration is longer. I actually like this feeling, it's the time when I'm accelerating down an on-ramp. It gets up to speed very quickly.

Going back down, however, then each gear interval feels the same, there is no dramatic 'drag' on the engine as you would assume dropping from fourth back to third.
 
I have always had a tach on my rides. My '73 sporty had one stock. I hated not having one on my '03 RKC, so I put in a speedo/tach combo. I use the sound most of the time, but find myself taking a peek at the speedo and tach pretty regularly. With those, a gear indicator is not needed.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
I usually go for oil pressure gauges if I have to add something.

But to be fair, I'm looking more for ways to keep me from doing something stupid. And even though I was shifting up and down and stopping at intersections quite often on that jaunt, I should have at least known what gear I was in.

The rise in revs stemmed from engine braking not intensional over revving. In that case a tach would have just confirmed what I already knew.
 
How about the addition of a loud buzzer or bell attached to the oil pressure sending switch that would warn you of low or no oil pressure while riding. Most don't look at the oil pressure gauge while riding too often and rely on engine noise from no oil pressure to alert them to a potential problem. It would be easy enough to do too.
 
glider said:
How about the addition of a loud buzzer or bell attached to the oil pressure sending switch.
Click to expand...

Good idea--that is, if the warning actually sounded early enough for some evasive action.

My displeasure with 'idiot lights' is that they seem to me like the self-destruct sequence on 'Star Trek.' I can almost hear Majel Barrett's voice now, "Your Harley will self destruct in 15 seconds...have a nice day!"

Granted, I would rather have gauges and decent shocks than a fancy-schmancy paint job I cannot see when riding. And I do check tire pressure and gauges before I take my bikes onto the highway.

But anything to protect a bike is a good idea--if the application works in the real world.
 
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