Digital display add-on speedometer

On my commute lately I haven't been able to read the speedometer because of the angle of the sun this time of year. All I can see is glare. I am thinking that a possible solution is to mount a second digital display speedometer somewhere else on the dash which has lighted digital numbers like you might see on an alarm clock. I realize that the add-on speedometer will need to be configurable in order to adjust for whatever rate the speedometer input uses.

Has anybody done this? Is there some way to patch into the speedometer input on the back of the instrument panel and use it to drive this second speedometer? Thanks guys!

A simple and cheap way to do this is to look for a bicycle speedometer.
They attach a magnet to the wheel.
The reciever registers the time between rotations to determine speed.
You can put the display whereever you'd like.

Dan

Check out my postings (Page three, same username). I could have cut'n'pasted them but life is too short!

http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=49117

If you do use the same computer I suggest you use a value of 1675 to calibrate it. Works for me on both Burgman and Silverwing (same tyre size).

If anyone has any questions or wants more information please PM me rather than filling up this thread.

Cheers,

Hi Tarmac,
I looked at your post in the Burgman forum and see that you are using the Sigma BC509. My only question is what size are the speed numbers on the display. I don't wear my glasses when riding (I'm farsighted), so the numbers will have to be big enough for me to see without them. Thanks for the information!

Hello Craigory,

The speedo readout digits are about ½" high. Very easy to see.

Check this link out for a picture of the actual unit.

http://www.athenscyclepath.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=b_25-Sigma_BC_509

Athens, Ohio so just down the road from you!

Cheers,

Thanks Tarmac! Maybe my wife will agree that it's important enough for a cross-country ride.

craigory wrote:

. I don't wear my glasses when riding (I'm farsighted),!

Hi Craigory, I had that problem and found safety specs on the internet which have bifocals built in. The're great, keep the wind and insects out of your eyes, and you can read your instruments again. The attached link is an example of a UK site
http://www.straightlines.com/safetyspecs/index.php

However, I'm still thinking of doing it with a bike speedo. However, on the Siverwing, I notice there is a very convenient bracket to mount a new sensor by the back wheel, near the existing speedo sensor, which also means that no adjustment is necessary when taking the wheel in and out. A magnet would still have to be attached to the wheel

Hi Roger,
It hadn't occurred to me to do the bifocal safety glasses. I will need to give that some thought.

As to bike speedos, I've spent way too much time on the internet and managed to narrow down my choices to the following (all prices from Amazon search):
>> Sigma Sport BC509 incl/wiring kit ($16)
>> Topeak Panoram V12 Wide Screen w/wiring kit ($36 + $15 = $51)
>> Topeak Panoram V10X w/wiring kit ($30 + $23 = $53)
>> Trail Tech Endurance incl/wiring kit ($73)

The Trail Tech Endurance is basically a version of the Panoram V12 which is specifically for Enduro motorcyles. It is basically the V12 with a cooler layout and a heavy duty waterproof case. I found lots of endorsements of the Endurance by Enduro riders.

I also found information on the Enduro forums which said not to go wireless because the distance between the motorcycle dashboard and the tire is sometimes too far, and the ignition will interfere with the wireless signal. Something to think about.

Can anyone who has already installed an add-on digital speedometer tell me whether they placed the sensor on the front wheel or the rear wheel? Also, where did you route the wires from the sensor to the speedo? Thanks!

This was a reply I sent to an email from Rasherman. (With a couple of minor edits).

As I have put in one of my posts I use Sigma BC509 units. Very simple to mount. It'll take about an hour from start to finish.

The computer needs to be set to the correct circumference. If you have a standard front tyre then using 1675 mm will be very close. This is the setting on both mine is. Checked using GPS.


Fixing the magnet is simplicity itself. I didn't use the one supplied but used a flat earth magnet, approximately 12mm x 1mm. I glued it to the rim using contact adhesive. Having a low profile there is very little chance of the wind catching it and ripping it off. The magnet can be glued anywhere but I glued mine on the near to the valve so I can see if it falls off. When you are riding you will know if it falls off as the speedo reads 0.

The next thing was getting the sensor mounted. I used a thin piece of pliable metal strip with a hole for bolting the strip to one of the bolts of the front mudguard. Two smaller holes were used to mount the sensor to the other end of the metal strip. The holes are just a midges further apart than the width of the sensor. The sensor was attached using a tie wrap. The sensor has lugs on it as it is designed to attach to the bicycle's fork using an 'O' ring. These lugs prevent it from slipping out of the tie wrap. Once mounted I then had to bend the strip so that it was about 2mm away from the magnet. This distance doesn't have to be precise, close enough to get a reading, far enough away so that the magnet doesn't hit it.

The mounting of the computer itself was the next job. I sussed out that there is a gap between the instruments 'glass' and the cover it front of it. Enough of a gap to get an 'O' ring threaded through. You will see that the computer is detachable from it's housing. The housing is the bit that actually attaches to the scooter. The computer itself just twists on or off. At the back of the housing you will see four tiny screws in the corners. The wire sticks out of the side, I wanted it to stick out of the bottom. Undo the four screws (use a magnetic screwdriver and do the work on a bench or desk). Turn the housing 90º and replace the screws. Do not mount the housing on the scooter just yet.

The wire between the sensor and the housing isn't long enough so this has to be extended. there are only two wires (very thin) and I used thin telephone wire for the extensions. The joints were soldered and heat shrink sleeving was used over the length of the extension. BEFORE MAKING THE EXTENSION you need to cut the wire (I cut mine about 300mm from the sensor). Cutting the wire allows you to feed the wiring down from the instrument cluster, through the vent on the right hand side in front of the handlebars after removing the right hand glovebox (small screw at the front facing backwards, use a flat bladed screwdriver and gently prize the sides of the glovebox container in. The container will come out easily. (You have to remove this to fill the radiator reserve). Once the glovebox is removed you can then see all the way down to the floor. Having fed the wire through the vent it has to be fed down towards the front wheel. I used a stiff piece of wire tied to the sensor wire which allowed me to pull the sensor wire down at out near the front. Now the wires can be soldered together. Obviously the wire has to be long enough to allow the suspension to go to it's maximum travel. Tie wrap the wire near the sensor to the fork, and use another tie wrap higher up the fork (above the mudguard) so it can't get entangled with the wheel. The wire can be loosely tie wrapped to the Tupperware near to where it comes down from above the glovebox. Fit the housing (mine is to the left of the speedo). Any excess wire can be tie wrapped (if I remember correctly mine is loosely fixed to the hose from the radiator reservoir). Replace the glovebox. Fit the computer. If you just push the scooter a couple of wheel revolutions the computer should turn itself on. If it does then you are ready to roll.

Sometime when I get chance I'll take some pictures but in the meantime if anyone has any questions I'd be happy to try and answer them. Either PM or Skype me - tarmacburner2. If you are in UK and ant my phone number then PM me and I'll send it to you - or include your phone number in the PM and I'll ring you (loads of free minutes on my phone).

tarmacburner, you are my hero! I feel like I just took the "Mounting a Speedo 101" course. Using your detailed instructions I should be able to do this easily. Thank you very much!