M1100 digital display

[emullick]

The digital display on my M1100 is fine in the dark, or on cloudy days, or if the sun is shining directly on it, but on sunny days (most days are sunny where I live) when the panel is shaded, its all black or gray.  The solution is available from Trail Tech, they make a unit which displays speed, mileage, average, max, and other stuff.  Intended for off road bikes that have no instruments, the most basic unt works great for a street bike. trailtech.net; less than $100 for the kit.

[DarkMonster620]

Could you post a pic of the dash in the sunlight?

[oldndumb]

I think you will not find much difference in screen brightness between TrailTech unit and the stock display. Their screens are the same technology.

But, if you opted for the TrailTech, most likely you would want it to display more than the basic functions so you would have to opt for the add on unit which will increase the price. That would then lead to deciding which functions you would want; low fuel, turn signal, neutral, high beam  oil pressure, or alternator. The add on only provides four lights. Enabling one of the lights to function as a low fuel light would also require some extra electrical work. You can forget about enabling any sort of DTC light. However, the add on does have two small lights which can be programed for shift point and red line.

None of this is insurmountable so long as you do not expect a plug and play project. Then, if you go ahead with it, you will have a zero mile odometer. That can be a matter of interest when selling the bike in some states. But, even that can be worked out if you have the secret code.

A better solution would be to figure how to fake out the stock unit to turn on the backlight when in daylight. Maybe someone can tell us how to do that. And I'm not talking about the screen brightness adjustments.

[StephenC]

It's pretty sunny here and I can't say I have ever had issues reading my dash.  You don't have a polarising lens on sunglasses or visor do you?  That can completely screw any LCD.  I do have the bikini fairing on my bike, so maybe that shades the display for me.  Just thoughts.

[emullick]

to oldndumb, the TrailTech unit is much brighter than the stock; hell, I can read my Polar digital watch all the time, and it probably uses the same technology too.  I can always read the TrailTech, and my watch, when the stock display is gray or black, and I have changed the brightness on the stock unit.  No longer cruising down the freeway thinking I'm doing about 70, when its really 90.   Having a record of max speed is nice, and average, and three trip meters.

[StephenC]

Now that I can agree with.  I got so sick of having an inaccurate speed reading I added a Speedhealer.  How does having true GPS speed compare?  I used a GPS speedo (on my phone) to calibrate the Speedhealer and it only seemed to be helpful, if you were travelling in a fairly straight line, at a fairly constant pace.

[oldndumb]

to oldndumb, the TrailTech unit is much brighter than the stock; ..........

Maybe you are right. I don't have them available for a side by side comparison. But I seriously doubt "much brighter" is dead nuts accurate. All of my comments were based on FHE. Anyway, I did say "I think" relative to my screen brightness opinion. Pretty sure all of my other comments were accurate. As far as speedo accuracy goes, my 1100evo reads 4 mph optimistic according to GPS. Some might fret over that, I don't.

The TrailTech is a good unit, but no way would I swap one out for a M1100 speedo, but others may do as they please.

[emullick]

It seems some have no trouble with the Ducati dash, but some do.  Cycle World, August 2014 tested the 1200s and noted dash hard to read in bright sun, others have noted same in other sites.  I did not mess the the dash/wiring at all, the TrailTech unit is totally independent.  And it can be calibrated to the mm for wheel circumference, just like on a bicycle computer. 

[kopfjäger]

Motogadget

[oldndumb]

It seems some have no trouble with the Ducati dash, but some do.  Cycle World, August 2014 tested the 1200s and noted dash hard to read in bright sun, others have noted same in other sites.  I did not mess the the dash/wiring at all, the TrailTech unit is totally independent.  And it can be calibrated to the mm for wheel circumference, just like on a bicycle computer.  

If you did not integrate with the bike wiring, how did you configure for turn signal indicator, high beam indicator, neutral light, etc.?

I have installed them, both ways, bike power or only on the internal battery. The one with the internal battery was on a bike strictly for the speedo functions. Engine temp and tach was also available. On that installation, it was noted that changing the battery would cause the stored odo readings to zero out.

And kopfjäger hit the nail on the head!  

BTW, my experience with the TrailTech speedo mount is that their plastic mount is flimsy. Replicating it in aluminum is the way I remedied that.

[emullick]

to oldndumb; you sure went to a lot of trouble - nice work on the Al bracket, but, all I wanted was a nice bright speed display.  I thought about adapting a bicycle computer, I've riding bicycles for years, but Trail Tech has done it for me.  I don't need any of the "warning" lite functions, they are very visible all the time, just the digital speed (and tach) But I don't care about the tach, just speed.  The plastic bracket is plenty sturdy, I run power from my battery tender plug, stick the sender to the brake bracket, zip tie the sender wire to the brake lines, and a little magnet goes on the disc brake carrier, with epoxy for good measure. I would NOT mess with the stock dash setup in any way; way to complicated and potentially lots of $$$$.  I spent less than $100. 

[oldndumb]

to oldndumb; you sure went to a lot of trouble -  .............
 

Well, trouble is such a relative term.
Besides, I don't do much but it takes me a long time.