Instrument panel options?

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Quello Serio
Posts: 20
Joined: 30 Jan 2017 10:17
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Instrument panel options?

Post by Quello Serio »

My bike has so many mismatched parts that I'm convinced that it is the recipient of all the ugly left over bits from a restoration project on other bikes.

Its not quite running yet, but if it turns out that the speedo and tacho work (which I doubt), then at best I'll be left with grubby, scratched displays and lights (especially indicator lights) that I won't have a hope of seeing in daylight through aged plastic lens. I'm particularly interested in the indicator lights, as I have a habit of leaving them on, and when on the Morini will be extra-distracted by trying to remember to change gears with my right foot.

So, I'm wondering about the possibility of fitting new instruments; something like the beautiful (but tiny?) https://motogadget.com/shop/en/motoscope-pro.html, or http://www.acewell-meter.co.uk/Acewell% ... /index.htm

Does anyone have any experience, opinions or advice?

Thanks!
mgelder
Posts: 136
Joined: 18 Jan 2011 14:36
Location: Cambridge

Re: Instrument panel options?

Post by mgelder »

I've got an Acewell 3100 fitted to my 350K Sport:

Image

The speedo is great (driven from an adapter that screws in place of the old speedo cable, so no magnets to glue on) but the tacho over-reads by 50% or so. Nice to have a clock and a tripmeter though.

The Kanguro X3 I've recently bought has a Vapor speedo / tacho fitted, and while it should be better (more expensive, more sophisticated) the speedo isn't as good because it updates more frequently and by smaller increments; it's constantly flicking between numbers. The tachometer is better, but there's too much information on show at once so overall it's not as good as the Acewell.

Image

The Vapor uses a stuck on magnet to count wheel revolutions, so overall I'd go for the Acewell for simplicity, neatness of mounting and useability. The over reading tacho is probably fixable, too...

Edit to add a better picture of the Kanguro's Vapor, since I've made a new bracket for it:

Image
Morini stuff on RealClassic.co.uk: http://www.realclassic.co.uk/profiles.html#morini
julianharty
Posts: 478
Joined: 15 May 2016 16:34
Location: High Wycombe
Location: High Wycombe Area (Bucks)

Re: Instrument panel options?

Post by julianharty »

I recognise that Kanguro :) and I really like the improved mount you made. The ugly plain L bracket wasn't much cop was it. Since I had the bike before you I'll also mention that the Vapor rev counter was prone to double or half reading (depending on one's perspective) and has a facility to set a threshold where it switches how it measures from 0.5 counts to 1.0 count per RPM. That worked quite well but not perfectly and sometimes I'd end up with it reading 2x the actual RPM or under-reading (depending on it's mood and how I'd configured it).

Oh and I did like having the inbuilt clock facility in the Vapor.
mgelder
Posts: 136
Joined: 18 Jan 2011 14:36
Location: Cambridge

Re: Instrument panel options?

Post by mgelder »

Yes, a clock is one of the most useful but underrated 'touring' accessories you can have on a bike.

The old bracket was three bits of aluminium, a piece of thin steel and abut a dozen M6 nuts and bolts, all of which positioned the speedo in the way of the handlebar clamp bolts. I've replaced it with one bit of aluminium sheet cut to hold the wiring and throttle cables in place and position the speedo lower down behind the headlight fairing.

The Vapor speedo has occasionally not cut in for a mile or so; I think it's just too clever for its own good.
Morini stuff on RealClassic.co.uk: http://www.realclassic.co.uk/profiles.html#morini
Quello Serio
Posts: 20
Joined: 30 Jan 2017 10:17
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: Instrument panel options?

Post by Quello Serio »

Thanks for that - I think I'll get an Acewell. I'm surprised the tacho would over-read by 50% - isn't that just simply measuring pulses directly from the ignition module? I'd have though that would be foolproof.

Is the mounting barcket on your Sport a bracket supplied with the Acewell, or did you have to make one?
mgelder
Posts: 136
Joined: 18 Jan 2011 14:36
Location: Cambridge

Re: Instrument panel options?

Post by mgelder »

Quello Serio wrote:Thanks for that - I think I'll get an Acewell. I'm surprised the tacho would over-read by 50% - isn't that just simply measuring pulses directly from the ignition module? I'd have though that would be foolproof.
I think it's picking up 'interference' from somewhere; I've tried using shielded cable for the pickup lead but that didn't make any difference. Having a proper go at fixing it is on the List Of Things To Do, but...
Quello Serio wrote:Is the mounting barcket on your Sport a bracket supplied with the Acewell, or did you have to make one?
It's supplied by Acewell, as an accessory.

I bought this kind of speedo sensor: http://www.acewell-meter.co.uk/Acewell% ... full&id=15

This mounting bracket: http://www.acewell-meter.co.uk/Acewell% ... full&id=63

And a black cover: http://www.acewell-meter.co.uk/Acewell% ... full&id=46
Morini stuff on RealClassic.co.uk: http://www.realclassic.co.uk/profiles.html#morini
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