Gear Indicator Design

[Anonymous]

My GS1100 doesn't have any indicator at all (from what I see in the manual anyway) so I would like to design a digital one. I've read a bunch of talk about the digital and bulb indicators but I need to know if there are any GS bikes that have external gear sensors. As long as I can get a sensor set up properly I'll post my findings.

Cheers, Steve

[focus frenzy]

the gear sensor is mounted under the left side transmission cover on my 1000g on the side of the engine case. considering that other versions of the 1100e had the gear indicator, yours may have the spot where the switch goes, it may have a plug in the hole, so it may not be very hard to add it.

[Anonymous]

That's good to hear. Below is a page from the manual showing what I have now. Does the electrical gadget shown look like the 5 gear + Neutral indicator? The 5 gear set up should have 6 wires instead of 1 like mine shows. If it is the same attachment set up I will put together the electronics design after my last exam.



Steve

[Anonymous]

looks like that is for Neutral only, i have my sensor off right now, where would i find a new 1?

[Anonymous]

Rick:
Yeah, that is for an 81 GS1100EX. I'm not sure where you could get a new one as I'll be buying a used one from the sellers section. Would you happen to know if the two different indicators mount in the same place and whether they mesh with the same peg on the shaft? If they do you could replace the Neutral indicator with a 5 speed indicator and continue to use your regular guages. But more importantly, you could go my route and make a guage.

Cheers, Steve

[focus frenzy]

that looks just like it, just ad some more wires.

[Anonymous]

srivett

i have the gear switch light on the cluster but only 1 and 4 light up, 2nd and 3rd shows 1 and 5th goes back to 1 :x , doesnt look like and can take it apart either

[Anonymous]

Alright, I'll have the preliminary design done tonight...if I don't go to the bar for celebrations

Rick: My GS400 has 6 push in bulbs for the indicators. All I have to do to change them is pull the rubber plugs out of the dash and replace the bulbs. I know Ron Martin has had trouble with them and sprayed them with WD40 to turn them back into rubber (they harden into plastic apparently)

Have a Merry Christmas, Steve

[Anonymous]

i just have 1 light that shows 1 thru 5

[mcycle-nut]

My bike has the digital readout for the gear indicator. Unfortunately, it usually reads 4, 7, 9, or some non-numeric variation. I've changed it with no better results. Was the one I tried faulty as well, or could it have something to do with the sensor? Has anybody else ever had this problem or have any ideas? :?

[Anonymous]

The sensor works by grounding 1 wire at a time. The wire that is grounded is the one for the gear you are in. I am not sure if there is a wire for Neutral or not...I think it may just assume that you are in Neutral if no wire is grounded.

To test your sensor put the bike in each gear and check to see if only one wire is grounded at a time (unplug the sensor and test the wires connected to the SENSOR). You would do this by Setting an Ohmeter to X1 or X10 and place one lead on the frame and another on each wire. If everything is working okay only 1 wire will be grounded (this would give you a reading of 0 or very close to 0) for each gear...and possibly none when in neutral.

To test your display you would unplug the sensor and ground each wire on the DISPLAY side, one at a time. This would entail taking a bit of wire connected to the frame and poking it into the Display plug. If each digit lights up properly things should be okay on the display side. If something is wrong with it you could probably bring your bike to a TV repair shop as long as you take the guages apart ahead of time. Oh yeah, check the wiring between the guages and the sensor before you bring it in.

Please keep in mind that I've never seen either of these devices before...I just read the circuit diagram. I can't think of what would give you a 7 though. If you had 4 and 5 grounded at the same time you would get a 9.

Cheers, Steve

[mcycle-nut]

The sensor works by grounding 1 wire at a time. The wire that is grounded is the one for the gear you are in. I am not sure if there is a wire for Neutral or not...I think it may just assume that you are in Neutral if no wire is grounded.

To test your sensor put the bike in each gear and check to see if only one wire is grounded at a time (unplug the sensor and test the wires connected to the SENSOR). You would do this by Setting an Ohmeter to X1 or X10 and place one lead on the frame and another on each wire. If everything is working okay only 1 wire will be grounded (this would give you a reading of 0 or very close to 0) for each gear...and possibly none when in neutral.

To test your display you would unplug the sensor and ground each wire on the DISPLAY side, one at a time. This would entail taking a bit of wire connected to the frame and poking it into the Display plug. If each digit lights up properly things should be okay on the display side. If something is wrong with it you could probably bring your bike to a TV repair shop as long as you take the guages apart ahead of time. Oh yeah, check the wiring between the guages and the sensor before you bring it in.

Please keep in mind that I've never seen either of these devices before...I just read the circuit diagram. I can't think of what would give you a 7 though. If you had 4 and 5 grounded at the same time you would get a 9.

Cheers, Steve

Thanks for your help. I tested out my sensor and it worked as you said it should. I went to a couple of wreckers and tried SEVEN displays before I found one that read 1,2,3,4,5. The other ones were all unique unto themselves. I did have to lenghten the wires though, as they were too short. These damn things come in many different lengths! :?

[Anonymous]

Jeeze, they are that unreliable? I bet you got the 15second/15 foot warranty. I'm glad I was able to help.

To everybody else, I've gotten lazy and haven't made the indicator as planned.