Voltmeters Show Your Faces

i am going with a vfrness and a voltmeter this winter and would like to see all your mounting ideas to get ideas of my own. thanks

 

This is a cheap voltmeter, I found a plastic irrigation hose fitting that is snug in the steering head, and cut two slots in that to accept the spade terminals. The female spade terminals pressed on from below hold it all together well. The wires are fed through some old fuel tube to stop any chafing where they drop out through the bottom of the triple clamp. I have a switched relay near the battery that turns power on/off to the voltmeter, and I also use this direct to battery connection for my heated grips. Has been like this for nearly 3 years.

This was a very non-invasive approach, but stops me using a head stand to lift the bike, and the LED is not easy to read in direct sunlight unless you shade it with your hand.

 

I bought a really cheap digital voltmeter from eBay & mounted it into the lower left of the instrument cluster panel. It's wired up to the headlights so only works when the ignition is on & it isn't in the way of anything. It's also low enough in the panel so that you have to deliberately look at it. I bought three in different colours - red, blue and yellow, but found the blue is the least offensive at night.
I looked at mounting the same way as Terry but as I use that position for a RAM mount for my TomTom Rider decided a more subtle placement was in order. Will get a pic tomorrow.

 

I got a reverse LCD gauge, in sun you can read white on black, at night it's rear lit by an led that can be changed for colour.
I find red the least obtrusive.
Mounted it on the steering lock screws and it's powered by a relay directly from battery. Relay is activated by rear tail lights.

 

VFR800 Dash by Pete Smith, on Flickr

Looks like its going on charge tonite - using the other bikes at present so this hasnt moved for a month..

VFR800 Dash2 by Pete Smith, on Flickr

This pic you can see the RAM ball mount. Puts it central & out of the way

 

didn't realize those meters were that small. how did you cut the rectangular hole?

 

Firstly I took the panel off (remove screen first) then realised that they was a fair amount of space in that corner. Then using a stanley knife blade - its fairly thin plastic - I cut the slot. I'd do a better job next time but the position & location I'm happy with. It also meant that picking up a switched power feed (headlights) is really easy. I really didn't want to cut the fairing or place it where it just annoyed me.. lol

 

You may also notice my incredible fuel economy !! lol
71 miles with 3 bars left - I reckon it will be my usual 120ish per tank... but I enjoy every mile