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Post by medic09 on Aug 14, 2006 16:01:38 GMT -5
The tach on my '78 SR 500 doesn't light up. The speedo is lit. The 'neutral' light lights up (sometimes, seems to depend on the exact position of the shift lever, but that's so on other bikes too), the 'high beams' and 'turn signal' lights do not light up.
This isn't exactly critical, but I'd like to fix it if it's not to difficult.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
mordechai
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Post by johnnyjs1 on Aug 15, 2006 7:20:53 GMT -5
Hey there Mordy,
I just recently dismantled my tach. I'm guessing that the bulbs are either burned out or have fallen out of their respective "tunnels" in the tach assembly. a word of caution though, it is kind of a pain in the butt to put it back together once apart. For some reason the wires seemed to retract into the headlight and I had a heck of a time plugging the bulbs back into their spots. If this happens to you, just gently pull the wires so you have enough slack to get the bulbs where they are supposed to go. Good luck, and lemme know how it goes.
Johnny
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Post by StewRoss on Aug 16, 2006 5:00:14 GMT -5
Hi, Yes I agree, it sounds as though the bulbs are blown....fairly simple fix... SR  |
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Post by StewRoss on Aug 16, 2006 5:04:37 GMT -5
Ah...guess I should have said a bit more... You'll need to undo the tach cable...the two nuts that secure the rubber mounted tach into the cover...as Johnny said you may need to jiggle the wiring around enough to let the tach come out of the housing...the lights puch into the tacho inside their rubber holders....from memory there are a couple of different globes depending on the model...you'll find out once you've taken them out. SR  |
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Post by medic09 on Aug 16, 2006 22:15:04 GMT -5
Thanks all. Took my first night ride tonight (all of 10 minutes returning from SAR training), after replacing the bulbs in the tach. Everything lit up nicely. Quite pretty after doing it myself. The only real problem (aside from little room to fiddle, and one sheared bolt from the previous owner...how did he do *that*  ) was that the rubber rings/seals around the circumfrence of the tach are all dessicated. I tried to salvage them as best I could, but I'll need new ones from someplace to get the tach seated right. For now, though, everything seems to work well; so I'm pleased. Did anybody have any thoughts about updating the headlight, appropo my other post? |
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Post by johnnyjs1 on Aug 17, 2006 7:33:36 GMT -5
Glad to hear your tach works!!! Hope you find the ring for it. Keep your eyes peeled on ebay, tons of tachs go up for bid, you might be able to find a cheapy with a good ring.
Johnny
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Post by StewRoss on Aug 18, 2006 3:09:34 GMT -5
Hi,
It's always good to learn how to do these things for yourself...if for nothing else than learning how things go together.
Headlights...you don't like the SR headlight? You can probably source a more powerful light globe for the SR headight if that's what you're after...problems that you can find is that the globe may not the correct focal length for the headlight, or the mounting is different. Take the original with you and see what's around. You may get 100w high beams fairly easily...
There are many other headlights around for sure...check around other bikes for a start. There are aftermarket ones from places such as Daytona etc...in Aus...we can go to Deus etc. I put one on one of mine with the speedo in it as well...like my little Ducati. It seems that it would be nice and bright at night as well. Money fixes all...
SR
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Post by miker on Aug 18, 2006 9:07:41 GMT -5
You can get halogen headlight updates from MikesXS.com... the XS650 stuff should fit the SR fine.
miker
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Post by medic09 on Aug 20, 2006 8:10:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the answers so far!
I've only done one night ride so far, so I don't know for sure what I think about the headlight. The question may be premature. I started on the assumption that 'brighter is better' and that the 70's stuff wouldn't be so bright. It actually wasn't bad for the short ride (~25 mi) the other night.
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Post by wotavidone on Aug 20, 2006 19:06:43 GMT -5
I'm very interested to see that some of you think the main bulb can be upgraded. I have no beef with the general illumination from my bike, but I want to make it brighter - lots brighter - for a rather nasty reason.
Up here there are plenty of bitumen road cowboys with Landcruisers and Patrols who think it amusing to try to fry you with the spotlights. Flashing the single highbeam does not make them dip their lights. I swear they are complete idiots.
As if it wasn't bad enough being run off the road by the road trains.
The other night I ended up parked on the side of the road, because I literally could not see where I was going. Repeated flashing of my puny headlight did not convince this idiot to turn off his spotlights, let alone dip the headlights. So I'm exploring ways to give them some of their own back.
I'd really like a set of small but focussed spotlights about the size of my indicators, slightly aimed up and toward the center of the road. That'd show 'em.
Otherwise, has anyone put a large wattage headlight globe in, and can the old wiring run it without melting?
Mick
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Post by miker on Aug 21, 2006 8:57:30 GMT -5
How about a parabolic mirror focused at the appropriate distance, on an aimable stand on your bars? Give 'em their own light back.
miker
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Post by tradrockrat on Aug 21, 2006 16:23:13 GMT -5
how about a ball peen hammer to their mirror as they pass?  |
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) was that the rubber rings/seals around the circumfrence of the tach are all dessicated. I tried to salvage them as best I could, but I'll need new ones from someplace to get the tach seated right. For now, though, everything seems to work well; so I'm pleased.