Illuminated Gear Indicator on original GS1100EZ (1982)?

[Steve]

I got Race Tech straight rate .90s, probably should have got 1.0 (175lbs with boots and leather).

Suzuki said seven pounds in forks no matter what you weighed, Cycle World said ten. I'll try ten.

As for the air forks. Are the springs still original? New springs will do wonders, and you don't need air pressure.

You must have missed what Bob said, and what everyone else on the forum has been saying for years.
After installing new springs, you will not need any additional air in the system.

There is always "air" in the system. Suzuki (and others) found it to be a wonderful spring medium, but the inherent problem is that it tends to escape, leaving you with less-than-ideal support. Installing proper metal springs will handle the support function, the little bit of air that is trapped when you install the cap can not leak out, so your suspension will remain much more constant.

.

[Baatfam]

Given those choices, I would go with the 1.4W.

.

Thanks Steve. I may order some and see how it goes.

EDIT: The 1.4W ones were a T-1.75, so almost twice as large as a T-1. So I ended up ordering some T-1.25s at 1.12W.
It's a pack of 10, so if they work, I should have a few left over.

[Rob S.]

You must have missed what Bob said, and what everyone else on the forum has been saying for years.
After installing new springs, you will not need any additional air in the system.

It's not what I need; it's what I want. I may skip it on this first visit to the mechanic to save money.

I have a gear indicator installed on my bike, and it always tells me correctly what gear I'm in. It's just too dark at night to read at a quick glance.

I have several extra units. Non of them is "open": they're sealed units with wires coming out of them. I have no intention of opening them up myself nor am I going to ask my mechanic to open any of them up. I just want to know if I can have any expectations of any of them being brighter than any others. That's why I look forward to the results of your tests, Steve, should you find that '83 console.

I like the way pipes, pods and oil coolers look and function. Pretty much everything else, I want to look and work the way they did in '82 (or '83).

[Baatfam]

It's not what I need; it's what I want. I may skip it on this first visit to the mechanic to save money.

I have a gear indicator installed on my bike, and it always tells me correctly what gear I'm in. It's just too dark at night to read at a quick glance.

I have several extra units. Non of them is "open": they're sealed units with wires coming out of them. I have no intention of opening them up myself nor am I going to ask my mechanic to open any of them up. I just want to know if I can have any expectations of any of them being brighter than any others. That's why I look forward to the results of your tests, Steve, should you find that '83 console.

I like the way pipes, pods and oil coolers look and function. Pretty much everything else, I want to look and work the way they did in '82 (or '83).

Well technically, they are not sealed. Just screwed together.
Let's see how mine turns out.
I'll have extra bulbs, and we have no shortage of people here who can easily replace it, if you can't.
Otherwise, looks like you will have to drop a hundred or more IF you find a NOS unit.

Last thought.
Suzuki didn't always do everything right.
Over time, the collective here has learned how to do some things a little better than Suzuki did.
(Especially suspension )

[Rob S.]

I know certain things can be improved. Actually, considering all the decades that have passed, I guess everything can be improved. But then it wouldn't be the genuine article.

There's this guy on TV who takes cars like '68 Camaros and 'improves' their styling. "We'll change the height, the taillights, the front grill, the interior, etc." Even worse, it's a surprise to the owner. They sneak away his rusty, but stock '60's or '70's American muscle car and return a one-of-kind custom car, no charge because he's a vet or some other reason.

I HATE this guy. He thinks he knows better than Ford or General Motors. I won't mention any names, but his initials are Chip Foose.

Just venting. Thanks for listening.

[Baatfam]

I know certain things can be improved. Actually, considering all the decades that have passed, I guess everything can be improved. But then it wouldn't be the genuine article.

There's this guy on TV who takes cars like '68 Camaros and 'improves' their styling. "We'll change the height, the taillights, the front grill, the interior, etc." Even worse, it's a surprise to the owner. They sneak away his rusty, but stock '60's or '70's American muscle car and return a one-of-kind custom car, no charge because he's a vet or some other reason.

I HATE this guy. He thinks he knows better than Ford or General Motors. I won't mention any names, but his initials are Chip Foose.

Just venting. Thanks for listening.

Does that mean you want me to save you a indicator couple bulbs? Or not?

I really don't mind that you're weird about your vehicles, we all are, just in different ways....I am just here about your cluster problem.
(I also have no idea who you are talking about on TV)

[Rob S.]

So there is a bulb that lights up the gear indicator? I have two bulbs wrapped up from a few years ago in a bag labeled "MC dash bulbs".

They say "Toshiba," and right below that "158". To the right of that, it says "P 1" and below that, "7 5". I'm guessing they're the tach and speedo back lights.

It took a few minutes with eyeglasses, a magnifying glass and the bright white of the fridge as background to decipher them. I'm not sad I passed a few on to the next guy a few years back, thinking I'd never open those clocks again. I may end up being sad I put the one I dropped on the floor back in the same bag as the other one.

So what do you think? Are the bulbs you have specific to the gear indicator? Sound like the same bulb(s) I have?

I would definitely appreciate you saving me a couple.

[Baatfam]

So there is a bulb that lights up the gear indicator? I have two bulbs wrapped up from a few years ago in a bag labeled "MC dash bulbs".

They say "Toshiba," and right below that "158". To the right of that, it says "P 1" and below that, "7 5". I'm guessing they're the tach and speedo back lights.

It took a few minutes with eyeglasses, a magnifying glass and the bright white of the fridge as background to decipher them. I'm not sad I passed a few on to the next guy a few years back, thinking I'd never open those clocks again. I may end up being sad I put the one I dropped on the floor back in the same bag as the other one.

So what do you think? Are the bulbs you have specific to the gear indicator? Sound like the same bulb(s) I have?

I would definitely appreciate you saving me a couple.

Rob.....let's slow down and go back to post #7, where I put up a picture of the inside of the indicator with the bulb.

The gear indicator on my '82 cluster didn't light up, and neither does the '83 I just put on, but there appears to be a bulb.
In the picture below, (the display is face down on the bench), you can see a small bulb solder to the board.
Put together it appears to act as a side light to the clear bezel that is over the LCD.
This one appears burnt out when you look close, but I haven't put a meter to it to make sure.
But if you can get a new one, it could be replaced with a soldering iron.
Personally, I am not worried about it, and it is a real pain to get to.

A wire leaded T-1 sized, 12 volt bulb