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Crazy thinking about my 1983 GS850GL

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    Crazy thinking about my 1983 GS850GL

    It runs great after many hours and lots of dollars invested -
    I like everything about it - riding is fun -
    I would love to change the Speedo and Tach to something NOT dependent on cables -

    Like an electrical GPS Speedo (no hall effect stuff) and an electric TACH driven off the coils I think ?

    I would like to eliminate the drive cables and their incessant whine (and coming loose [tach])

    Anyone have any specific experience doing this ?

    If you can point me to the solutions with examples of reasonably priced parts I would be very grateful

    It's kinda a pipe dream now -- but this is how these things happen --

    Might be just not worthwhile as well...but practicality and motorcycling rarely survive in the same place.
    Currently in the Stable :
    2002 Honda Goldwing GL1800 Sunburst Pearl Orange
    1983 Suzuki GS850 GL Blue & Black

    " I am never lost until I run out of fuel...until that moment I am EXPLORING."
    - Carl R. Munkwitz

    Munk's Maxim: "There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle"

    #2
    Originally posted by Wingsconsin View Post
    I would like to eliminate the drive cables and their incessant whine (and coming loose [tach]).
    Except for the digital tach on my Sportster, all of the main gauges on the four bikes I've owned have been cable-driven, and I've never experienced any loosening or noise. Is this a characteristic of your model?
    1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

    2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

    Comment


      #3
      Man, I'd love to get rid of the cable driven gauges. No more bouncy needles or leaking seals. I'll be following your pipe dream to see if it comes true. 👍
      Roger

      Current rides
      1983 GS 850G
      2003 FJR 1300A
      Gone but not forgotten 1985 Rebel 250, 1991 XT225, 2004 KLR650, 1981 GS850G, 1982 GS1100GL, 2002 DL1000, 2005 KLR650, 2003 KLX400

      Comment


        #4
        I bought a KUS tacho last year and will be following it up with a GPS speedo of the same size. The pair of them will fit the existing instrument bezel quite nicely and look reasonably period. In the meantime I'm persevering with the cable drive crap until I get them sorted out and fitted into a spare cluster so it will be a straight swap.
        ---- Dave
        79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
        80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
        79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
        92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

        Comment


          #5
          Bouncy needles? ALL cables need periodic lubrication.
          Current Rides: 82 GS1100E, 00 Triumph 955 Speed Triple, 03 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 01 Honda GL1800, '15 Kawasaki 1000 Versys
          Past Rides: 72 Honda SL-125, Kawasaki KE-175, 77 GS750 with total yosh stage 1 kit, 79 GS1000s, 80 GS1000S, 82 GS750e,82 GS1000S, 84 VF500f, 86 FZR600, 95 Triumph Sprint 900,96 Triumph Sprint, 97 Triumph Sprint, 01 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 07 Triumph Tiger 1050, 01 Yam YFZ250F
          Work in progress: 78 GS1000, unknown year GS1100ES

          Comment


            #6
            For me - I have two problems --

            Speedo is always bouncy even in spite of my efforts (new cable, lubrication, cleaning the wheel head and lubricating, and more)

            Tach - the cable is coming loose from the place where it goes into the engine - Again - new cable, cleaned, rebuilt with new o-ring, etc.

            SO -- A FUN PROJECT and a little upside would be GPS Speedo and E-Tach to eliminate this .

            I know I will be throwing money down a rat hole -- but I am so upside down on this bike -- who cares ?? -

            it's my hobby;
            and my destiny to continually improve "Kaizen"

            Research is currently ongoing
            Currently in the Stable :
            2002 Honda Goldwing GL1800 Sunburst Pearl Orange
            1983 Suzuki GS850 GL Blue & Black

            " I am never lost until I run out of fuel...until that moment I am EXPLORING."
            - Carl R. Munkwitz

            Munk's Maxim: "There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle"

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Grimly View Post
              I bought a KUS tacho last year and will be following it up with a GPS speedo of the same size. The pair of them will fit the existing instrument bezel quite nicely and look reasonably period. In the meantime I'm persevering with the cable drive crap until I get them sorted out and fitted into a spare cluster so it will be a straight swap.
              Can you link the the KUS Tach you bought? I can only find an 8k rpm version.
              - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
              - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

              Comment


                #8
                I'm surprised, I've rarely had problems with cable driven instruments. Had to replace the speedo on my CB1100F after 57,000 mi. Other a couple of cables & oil seals, within the past 42 yrs. all has been well. Problems, from what I see here, are a lot more common than I would have thought.
                1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

                Comment


                  #9
                  From what I have seen thus far ---

                  SPEEDO's are all available with up to 80 MPH and Some up to 120MPH -

                  Finding one with an easily re-set able TRIP ODO is a challenge

                  Tachs - SO far this seems easier but the 8K limit seems to be a challenge as well - I have seen a few to 12K -

                  But $$ is also a bit of a consideration --

                  SpeedHut has some but spendy --- I have to decide on how much of a problem this really is...

                  $150 problem ?.... $300 problem ?.... More ...?
                  Currently in the Stable :
                  2002 Honda Goldwing GL1800 Sunburst Pearl Orange
                  1983 Suzuki GS850 GL Blue & Black

                  " I am never lost until I run out of fuel...until that moment I am EXPLORING."
                  - Carl R. Munkwitz

                  Munk's Maxim: "There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle"

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by 93Bandit View Post
                    Can you link the the KUS Tach you bought? I can only find an 8k rpm version.
                    That's the one. I reasoned that 8K was enough for me and a 40 year old engine.
                    ---- Dave
                    79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                    80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                    79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                    92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                    Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Wingsconsin View Post
                      Finding one with an easily re-set able TRIP ODO is a challenge
                      I found one, but lost it again.
                      ---- Dave
                      79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
                      80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
                      79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
                      92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

                      Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Grimly View Post
                        That's the one. I reasoned that 8K was enough for me and a 40 year old engine.
                        hmm... Bummer. I try to redline the 850 at least once every time I ride it. Not having a tach go to 10k would be a bit nerve wrecking for me. Oh well.
                        - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                        - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by 93Bandit View Post
                          I try to redline the 850 at least once every time I ride it.
                          Yes! Yes! I try to tell people, but they just don't understand. Same thing with the buck.
                          1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                          2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Grimly View Post
                            I found one, but lost it again.
                            Keep Looking !
                            Currently in the Stable :
                            2002 Honda Goldwing GL1800 Sunburst Pearl Orange
                            1983 Suzuki GS850 GL Blue & Black

                            " I am never lost until I run out of fuel...until that moment I am EXPLORING."
                            - Carl R. Munkwitz

                            Munk's Maxim: "There is no such thing as a cheap motorcycle"

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
                              Yes! Yes! I try to tell people, but they just don't understand. Same thing with the buck.
                              A redline a day keeps the carbon away! I live by that. Everything I've ever owned with an engine has seen redline on multiple occasions. Some more than others.
                              - 1983 GS850L ~ 30,000 miles and going up - Finally ready for a proper road trip!
                              - 1977 GS750B - Sold but not forgotten

                              Comment

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