Aftermarket instruments for immobilizer deleted bikes?

[adgergewh]

Hi, I've searched around on multiple message boards and Google and have not found anything conclusive.

Is it possible to install an aftermarket gauge cluster using the factory wiring? Has anyone done this that can provide some useful information? Will all of the indicator lights work without putting in new sensors everywhere? It is pretty simple to do using the wiring diagrams in the service manual?

Thanks. 

[kopfjäger]

There are several. This is the Motogadget. Stew can chime in on the amount of work. All functions work, temp, signals, high beam etc.

[Duck-Stew]

Possible?  Yes.

Direct plug-n-play?  No.

Some of the warning lamps feed power out to the sensors and others are provided a ground to complete the circuit.  Not difficult to work around, but you've got to know a bit about electricity to know how to make that work.

Also, the turn signal flasher circuitry is located on the gauge cluster so you'll have to wire in a stand-alone unit to work with the switches as well as provide a signal to the turnsignal warning lamp as well.  (again, not difficult, but not plug-n-play).

Once the immobilizer's gone, the gauge cluster doesn't *have* to remain.  Just takes a bit of work to make the stock harness work with the a/m gauge.  BTW, I've done it 3 times now.

[adgergewh]

Any chance you would do a write-up for the more complicated parts? I have a little bit of electrical experience so I could tackle it if I had some guidelines I think.

Also - is that a "yes" to being able to use factory speedometer/temp/other sensors?

[Drunken Monkey]

I've only done this twice (both times on the same bike) but if you can read a wiring diagram you can do this yourself.

Factory sensors will sort of work, although I simply installed the motogadget supplied ones

- Oil pressure sender hidden under the seat and attached via an oil line from the stock sensor location
- Oil temp sender off the case where the oil filter screen goes.
- Air temp sensor under the tank (if it was a liquid cooled bike, I would have used their sensor for that)
- Turn signals, high beams, etc all hooked through the wiring harness normally
- No light for 'low fuel' (yet) as the stock warning light seems to not work quite right with the optional 'additional warning light input'

You can also wire the 'additional warning light input' into the stock low oil warning light if you want to skip using the pressure unit. But then you'll need an external light to handle low fuel duties.

Factory speedo will work, and they even tell you how to wire it up (i.e. what color wires)

[Drunken Monkey]

To be clear: none of the "analog" sensors on your bike (oil pressure & temp, water temp) will work with your stock sensors but all of the binary ones (speedo sensor, low oil switch) will.

[Duck-Stew]

To be clear: none of the "analog" sensors on your bike (oil pressure & temp, water temp) will work with your stock sensors but all of the binary ones (speedo sensor, low oil switch) will.

FAIL.  That sentence is definitely NOT clear.

[Duck-Stew]

Any chance you would do a write-up for the more complicated parts? I have a little bit of electrical experience so I could tackle it if I had some guidelines I think.

Also - is that a "yes" to being able to use factory speedometer/temp/other sensors?

More tonight...

[Drunken Monkey]

FAIL.  That sentence is definitely NOT clear.

how about: You cannot expect to hook up the MotoGadget to your stock oil temp or water temp sensors and give an accurate reading. However, your stock speedo sensor will work and you can wire up your oil pressure switch to the warning light on the MG. Also all the other lights (neutral light, high beam and turn signals) can also be wired up as well.

Better?

[Duck-Stew]

how about: You cannot expect to hook up the MotoGadget to your stock oil temp or water temp sensors and give an accurate reading. However, your stock speedo sensor will work and you can wire up your oil pressure switch to the warning light on the MG. Also all the other lights (neutral light, high beam and turn signals) can also be wired up as well.

Better?

Yes.  Please come to the front of the classroom for your gold-star. 

He's right.  Any of the analog signals (variable with temp/pressure) read in the wrong range to work with the MotoGadget brand of aftermarket gauges.  If you're not going to use a MotoGadget...  Well, it shouldn't be that difficult, but I've honestly only worked with Ducati and MotoGadget gauges.  All others just seem so...cheap.

Good news though, MotoGadget does offer sensors on their site that will work with the gauges that they sell and they're not too expensive either.

The lack of a turn-signal flasher unit can be a troubling re-wire.  Let me see if I can dig up my old-ish notes on that.

The fuel level sender needs to have power to the gauge and then hook up to the stock signal wire so that it can ground when the fuel is low and complete the circuit. 

Same scenario with the Neutral indicator lamp. 

The high-beam lamp takes the power from the hi-beam just as the stock gauges do.

The low oil pressure sender is also the same as the fuel level and neutral.

You'll need to find a ignition=on 12V+ circuit or build your own w/a fused relay in order to power the gauge itself.  Last bike I did (the Dirt-Track special) I cleared out a spot on the stock fuse block and used that for one of the two fuses for the gauge.  (1 for ignition=on 12V+ and the 2nd for 12V+ all the time).

((scurries off to find notes on wiring signal flasher...))

[Duck-Stew]

Can't find my notes, but here it is off of memory (should be good, just did this in March this year):

Find a key switched 12V+ wire and run that through a fuse.  Out of the fuse run that lead into the one side of a 2-lead turn signal flasher.  Off of the other lead on the flasher, run the wire to the center pole of the turnsignal switch.  From there, L&R wires out need to be connected to the signals which then find ground.

I don't have a diagram handy on how to hook up the MotoGadget turnsignal lamp from there, but it's included w/hardware when you purchase a gauge...

[battlecry]

And to add to Duck-Stew's comment, now is the time to use an LED type flasher relay for the turn signals.  You will find some that will work with both LEDs and bulbs.

I added a Vapor to my old Yamaha enduro bike and it works great for that bike, but like Stew says, it doesn't look as classy or solid as the Motogadget on headhunter's bike.

[adgergewh]

Excellent info guys thanks. I will probably NOT be using a MG gauge though due to ridiculously high price (I'm sure the quality/dollar ratio is fine I just can't bring myself to spend that much on a gauge setup).

I had another question you more knowledgeable guys might have the answer to...which gauge clusters from Ducati will work? It's a 2002 620, could I use a cluster from another monster, another model Ducati, etc?

[Ducatl]

I think trail tech makes a nice product,

http://trailtech.net/vapor.html

I didn't put many miles on mine before I started another rebuild but I liked it, also the customer service is excellent.

[battlecry]

Trail tech also sells a surround for the Vapor for the idiot lights (neutral, hi-beam, oil pressure, flashers).  In many States you will need the lights for the vehicle inspections:

http://www.amazon.com/TRAIL-LIGHT-INDICATOR-DASHBOARD-022-PDA/dp/B001KOKNF2/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IDCW1TL43057P&colid=2B4MOV06BSQO8

The LEDs are very bright and useful in daytime.  The dash also stays lit for about 20 minutes after you turn the bike off.  

Gosh, I just checked the price of the MG instruments.  I understand completely.