'99 M750 Tachometer Solution?

[pslinux]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUCATI-MONSTER-600-750-COMPLETE-DASH-GAUGES-TACH-SPEEDO-NEW-BOX-40620122b-/140663618750?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item20c0347cbe
This link is for a 2001 monster instrument cluster. I was wondering how well this would adapt to my 1999 M750 as I'm looking to add a Tach somehow.  Anybody ever don't this swap before or have any other cheaper solutions? 

[Duck-Stew]

If that is off an M600/750, then it will work but the gauge plugs are completely different so you'd have to source a pigtail off an '01 M600/750 and adapt it to your harness. 
Good w/wiring?!?  (somewhere in my electrical bits, I *may* have that very pigtail...)

A word of caution: the gauges off the 2001 M900 look identical BUT have a different # of impulses per revolution of the crankshaft (1 versus 2) so your tachometer would read at 1/2 speed.  Do a little research before dropping $450 on this.

Also, if it is an M600/750 cluster from 2001, it's EXTREMELY rare. So be careful with it...

[pslinux]

Thanks for the input, don't think I'm going to drop that much unless is was more "plug-n-play".  Trying to find a dash off of a earlier M900, they came with Tachs but I haven't been lucky to find one yet.  Still going to have to pay a penny or two for one if I do find one.

[ducatiz]

If that is off an M600/750, then it will work but the gauge plugs are completely different so you'd have to source a pigtail off an '01 M600/750 and adapt it to your harness. 
Good w/wiring?!?  (somewhere in my electrical bits, I *may* have that very pigtail...)

A word of caution: the gauges off the 2001 M900 look identical BUT have a different # of impulses per revolution of the crankshaft (1 versus 2) so your tachometer would read at 1/2 speed.  Do a little research before dropping $450 on this.

Also, if it is an M600/750 cluster from 2001, it's EXTREMELY rare. So be careful with it...

mechanical or electronic speedo?

[Howie]

Mechanical.

[ducatiz]

auction says it "RETAILS FOR $917.10" but my current price list shows $555.   

[pslinux]

auction says it "RETAILS FOR $917.10" but my current price list shows $555.   

A little too expensive for just adding a Tach, gotta keep looking for a cheaper alternative.

[bond0087]

I've done this swap on mine, it is basically plug and play.

Here's what you need to know:
The speedo:
     You will probably want to use your existing speedo, rather than using the one included here.  Not only will the odometer be off, but the M900 has a different front tire size, so the gear ratio in the speedometer is wrong.  Fortunately, the stock M750 speedo drops right in. Unfortunately, it doesn't come out of the stock housing without a fight.  I think I ended up just cutting the front face of the housing with some tin snips so that I could get the speedo out. I think new speedos go for good money, though, so you could probably lower your net cost if you re-listed the M900 one that comes with the tach and new housing.

The tach:
     I'm not sure about how the tach signal differs between an M900 and a M750. I do know, however, that there is a trim potentiometer that can be accessed on the back of the tachometer with a thin screwdriver to adjust the relationship between the needle movement and the frequency of the incoming pulses, and it has quite a large range of adjustment. I am fortunate in that I work in a research lab, so I have access to everything needed to easily calibrate it (Basically just a DC power supply giving it +12V and a signal generator to send the pulses).  I imagine that with some ingenuity, a 12V battery, and a computer to output sine waves, you could figure something out, but  it could potentially take some doing.
       With that said, I bet that it would be pretty close out of the box.  I seem to remember sending it two different signals, a signal that has 2 pulses spaced 90 degrees apart (in the engine rotation sense), and a signal that was just a plain sine wave at that frequency, and I don't remember the results being much different if at all.  This is a vague recollection, though, so don't put too much weight on that.

As far as getting a better price, though, maybe just try to be patient and wait for a used one to show up on eBay.  I'm giving myself a pat on the back right now for jumping on the used one that I found last year; it ended up being $105 shipped.

Btw, I took a video of the calibration results with the signal generator setup on mine (mostly just for my own future reference).  It is a somewhat boring video, but it is me checking the calibration after I adjusted the trimpot.  (Unfortunately I left out the part where I actually adjust the calibration on the back of the tach, though).  Just thought I'd add it for anyone that might stumble upon this thread trying to do this swap.  You might have to pause it to see clearly, but I show my sketch of the signal that I send to the tach as well as the frequency / RPM conversions that I use.

[MendoDave]

If that is off an M600/750, then it will work but the gauge plugs are completely different so you'd have to source a pigtail off an '01 M600/750 and adapt it to your harness.  
Good w/wiring?!?  (somewhere in my electrical bits, I *may* have that very pigtail...)

A word of caution: the gauges off the 2001 M900 look identical BUT have a different # of impulses per revolution of the crankshaft (1 versus 2) so your tachometer would read at 1/2 speed.  Do a little research before dropping $450 on this.

Also, if it is an M600/750 cluster from 2001, it's EXTREMELY rare. So be careful with it...

Why so rare? they don't make them anymore.  That means mine is going to break now and I won't be able to get another one.

[ducatiz]

The tach:
     I'm not sure about how the tach signal differs between an M900 and a M750. I do know, however, that there is a trim potentiometer that can be accessed on the back of the tachometer with a thin screwdriver to adjust the relationship between the needle movement and the frequency of the incoming pulses, and it has quite a large range of adjustment. I am fortunate in that I work in a research lab, so I have access to everything needed to easily calibrate it (Basically just a DC power supply giving it +12V and a signal generator to send the pulses).  I imagine that with some ingenuity, a 12V battery, and a computer to output sine waves, you could figure something out, but  it could potentially take some doing.
       With that said, I bet that it would be pretty close out of the box.  I seem to remember sending it two different signals, a signal that has 2 pulses spaced 90 degrees apart (in the engine rotation sense), and a signal that was just a plain sine wave at that frequency, and I don't remember the results being much different if at all.

[Duck-Stew]

Why so rare? they don't make them anymore.  That means mine is going to break now and I won't be able to get another one.

The '01 M600/750 instrument cluster was a one year only availability, hence: rare. 

I know where you could buy a spare for $450...

[Duck-Stew]

I'm not sure about how the tach signal differs between an M900 and a M750.

Injected motors (900i.e. Included) got 1 ignition (& injection) pulse from the timing layshaft drive gear which spins @ 1/2 crankshaft speed, so 1 pulse per 2 RPM.

Carburated motors (900, 750, 600 & Japanese spec 400's) got their ignition pulse from a single pick up (per cylinder) on the crankshaft so 1 pulse per 1 RPM.

[bond0087]

Injected motors (900i.e. Included) got 1 ignition (& injection) pulse from the timing layshaft drive gear which spins @ 1/2 crankshaft speed, so 1 pulse per 2 RPM.

Carburated motors (900, 750, 600 & Japanese spec 400's) got their ignition pulse from a single pick up (per cylinder) on the crankshaft so 1 pulse per 1 RPM.

In that case, then, the tach probably wouldn't be close to accurate out of the box (If it was coming from an M900i.e. and going to a carb'd M750).  However, as shown in the video, it can be adjusted so that it is accurate for a carb'd bike's type of ignition signal. 

Perhaps when it gets warm and I have some free time, I'll write up a tutorial that spells it out a little bit better.  I've also been meaning to take an accelerometer and a portable daq system out to the parking lot one day and verify the accuracy against the actual engine speed (measured by the engine vibration)... If/when I get around to writing up a tutorial, I'll add that in.  I would have done that when I did the swap, but I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested.

[J-Speed Inc.]

How about adding an aftermarket tachometer?  I know mounting would be the tricky part but it would certainly be MUCH cheaper than trying to use Ducati OEM parts which we already know are mucho $$$

[Doc]

...

Carburated motors (900, 750, 600 & Japanese spec 400's) got their ignition pulse from a single pick up (per cylinder) on the crankshaft so 1 pulse per 1 RPM.

Man you can find anything here.

I have a 1999 Carbed 2V M900.  No tach.  The Digital ones from Ducati don't seem to last and I have not found a replacement cluster that was a reasonible price.  I picked up an induction style tach on closeout from bike bandit for under $25.  I just needed to know how many pulses per revolution my bike puts out.  Now that I know it is 1, I can go install it.  

Thanks, Stew.  

The only downside to the TTO Tach that I can see is that it also has an hour meter built in.  While the bike is not running, it will display the pitifully low number of hours I ride my Monster.