Overdrive Light - Not Too Bright (not that I should throw stones)

[terryboyle]

Looking for suggestions on what I can do to make it easier to see the overdrive light in direct sunlight.

I'm tired of trying to shift up only to find I am already in fifth gear. The neutral is bright enough and so are the high beam indicator and the turn signals indicator.

Is there a brighter bulb, some way to shade the area or run an led light somewhere else on the dash area?

I could get one of the gear position gizmos but hope there is a simpler less expensive solution.

Thanks

[willtill]

Shoot, I have a GIPro installed and I STILL try to shift pass 5th at times... It's just the nature of the beast.


https://www.bikehps.com/gipro/

[terryboyle]

Shoot, I have a GIPro installed and I STILL try to shift pass 5th at times... It's just the nature of the beast.


https://www.bikehps.com/gipro/

Please let me know:
Which model GIPro did you install?
which color did you go with?
where did you install it?

I bought a 2014 new in 2016 and this has annoyed me for 5 years. Time for me to find a solution or get over it.

[dksmith]

I just got used to observing the angles of the tach and speedo: Speedo angle steeper than tach means 5th; about same is 4th. Still occasionally reached for a higher gear.

[rdbonds]

Interesting.

I've always wondered why the OD light was there (other than my BMW, I've never owned a bike that had any indication of what gear you were in...you just kind of knew). It also seemed odd that a "normal" situation like being in 5th gear would be amber...since typically normal conditions are green, caution lamps (MIL) are amber and warning (oil light) are red.

:shrug:

[tenxxx]

The OD light isn't very bright for sure. I installed a red gear indicator light under the left speaker grill. Used some very sticky putty tape to mount it.
It has worked flawlessly, and you can see it in the sun. I installed a blue volt meter of the same size under the right speaker grill.
But I agree the B could use another gear, or, Spread them out more.
First gear is a creeper gear and I only use it when taking off on hills.
The motor has plenty of power for a better gear ratio set up. 3k rpm at 70 is a bit much for the power it has.
Id like to see it around 2600rpm where your getting into the low end of the power band.

[F6Dave]

As I remember my 1984 V65 Sabre had a numeric gear readout as well as the the OD light. It also had self cancelling turn signals that worked as poorly as those on my F6B.

[Dweisman429]

I have a gipro gear indicator on mine. It is red lights and I am mostly happy with it. I have it mounted behind the left speaker grill and I can see it pretty well. My only gripe is that if the clutch is pulled in the indicator goes blank. Nothing major...just annoying.

I would REALLY like to have a 6th gear on this bike as well. Its got plenty of power. It would definitely be nice to see the rpm a bit lower at interstate cruise speed

[F6Dave]

I have a gipro gear indicator on mine. It is red lights and I am mostly happy with it. I have it mounted behind the left speaker grill and I can see it pretty well. My only gripe is that if the clutch is pulled in the indicator goes blank. Nothing major...just annoying.

I would REALLY like to have a 6th gear on this bike as well. Its got plenty of power. It would definitely be nice to see the rpm a bit lower at interstate cruise speed

I have a Valkyrie rear tire (180/70 x 16) mounted on my spare rim, and will install it as soon as the current tire wears out. It will increase the diameter by about 3/4", which will drop the revs a bit. I'm interested to see how the increased ride height and lower RPM works out.

[BBB]

Have you heard of HENRY’s Final Drive?
It’s a remanufactured final assembly with taller gear ratio.
It actually puts the rpm right where you mentioned.
I installed it on my 2016 F6B last December and I cannot be happier!
Mine runs right around 3000rpm @80mph.

I highly recommend it!

[maxrider]

Just did an rpm check on mine to be sure, I thought what felt like a lower rpm, but got it substantiated on the highway.

3150 RPM at 80 MPH (gps) almost identical with speedo in 5th gear, did the "Darkside" 195/55/16 :) works great.

3000 RPM at 70 MPH.

[willtill]

Have you heard of HENRY’s Final Drive?
It’s a remanufactured final assembly with taller gear ratio.
It actually puts the rpm right where you mentioned.
I installed it on my 2016 F6B last December and I cannot be happier!
Mine runs right around 3000rpm @80mph.

I highly recommend it!

Don't you lose some low end grunt though, when gearing that low?

[maxrider]

Confused about the RPM I get vs the initial chart listed on page 1 with OEM specs.

I have lower RPM with the indicated speeds, I initially thought this to be due to the change in tire size(195/55/16) but comparing the tire calculator, there is not sufficient data to support that :
180/60-16 195/55-16 Difference
Diameter inches (mm) 24.5 (622.4) 24.44 (620.9) -0.06 (-1.5) -0.2%
Width inches (mm) 7.09 (180) 7.68 (195) 0.59 (15) 8.3%
Circum. inches (mm) 76.98 (1955.33) 76.8 (1950.61) -0.19 (-4.71) -0.2%
Sidewall Height inches (mm) 4.25 (108) 4.22 (107.25) -0.03 (-0.75) -0.7%
Revolutions per mile (km) 823.06 (511.42) 825.04 (512.66) 1.99 (1.24) 0.2%

Somebody set me straight :).

Did I already have a lower RPM running engine before?

Or is the cart off in the numbers:
OEM Gear Drive
MPH - RPM's

70 - 3100 (so here i dropped 100 rpm)
80 - 3600 (here i dropped 450 rpm) this is a very noticeable drop.
90 - 4000

New Gear Drive
MPH - RPM's

60 - 2200 (Saw it on a later ride)
70 - 2600 (500 less RPM)
80 - 3000 (600 less RPM)
90 - 3400 (600 less RPM)

[BBB]

Don't you lose some low end grunt though, when gearing that low?

If anything, the first gear became a lot more useful. Our engine has so much torque to spare off idle, I can still creep out without giving any throttle if I had to.
But again, my bike is a lighter F6B, not a full dresser. I’ve read people with full riding two up on full dressers also love the newer taller gearing of the Henry’s final drive.

[BIGLRY]

Have you heard of HENRY’s Final Drive?
It’s a remanufactured final assembly with taller gear ratio.
It actually puts the rpm right where you mentioned.
I installed it on my 2016 F6B last December and I cannot be happier!
Mine runs right around 3000rpm @80mph.

I highly recommend it!Here it is for the guys who feel they want their engine to run less RPM at 70 mph, Ya just change the rear differential.'gw-smiley'
https://henrysfinaldrive.com/

[98valk]

Confused about the RPM I get vs the initial chart listed on page 1 with OEM specs.

I have lower RPM with the indicated speeds, I initially thought this to be due to the change in tire size(195/55/16) but comparing the tire calculator, there is not sufficient data to support that :
180/60-16 195/55-16 Difference
Diameter inches (mm) 24.5 (622.4) 24.44 (620.9) -0.06 (-1.5) -0.2%
Width inches (mm) 7.09 (180) 7.68 (195) 0.59 (15) 8.3%
Circum. inches (mm) 76.98 (1955.33) 76.8 (1950.61) -0.19 (-4.71) -0.2%
Sidewall Height inches (mm) 4.25 (108) 4.22 (107.25) -0.03 (-0.75) -0.7%
Revolutions per mile (km) 823.06 (511.42) 825.04 (512.66) 1.99 (1.24) 0.2%

Somebody set me straight :).

Did I already have a lower RPM running engine before?

Or is the cart off in the numbers:
OEM Gear Drive
MPH - RPM's

70 - 3100 (so here i dropped 100 rpm)
80 - 3600 (here i dropped 450 rpm) this is a very noticeable drop.
90 - 4000

New Gear Drive
MPH - RPM's

60 - 2200 (Saw it on a later ride)
70 - 2600 (500 less RPM)
80 - 3000 (600 less RPM)
90 - 3400 (600 less RPM)

Your before and after numbers look about right to me.

[maxrider]

Hello 98valk, did you have the same drop in rpm with going with the 195/55 vs the 180/60?

[98valk]

No, I don't actually use a 195/55 tire. I am using a 180/65 tire.

I wrestled over the math on tire sizes and they never worked out quite right. Someone mentioned measuring rolling circumference. When I did that, the numbers checked out. My rolling circumference was about 1" less than the math. It's going to depend on the actual size of the tire regardless of the numbers, and the air pressure and bikes weight.

Nonetheless, your numbers look right.

[maxrider]

Okay settled :), I rode it side by side with another f6b yesterday, and my numbers are the same, so no change from stock, all good, happy with it.