BikeMP3 voltmeter installed!
Fellow F6B enthusiasts:
A couple of emails with Pete at BikeMP3 convinced me that this is the voltmeter to install. It truly is "plug and play." The instrument has a pigtail that plugs into a receptacle under the storage box on the left side of the motorcycle. Running the wire was easy. The installation took about an hour. However, do use caution when removing your plastic fairing pieces. A clip nut fell off into the black hole of the motorcycle, and I had to raise the fuel tank to retrieve it, thus making a one-hour job much more difficult. In fact, it took most of the afternoon to retrieve that clip nut. The offending clip nut is clipped onto the fuel port support, and it simply fell off after I removed the bolt. There was no way to anticipate this event. There are four identical fasteners, and when this one was removed, I heard a "thunk," and knew it was gone. Use caution. It is possible to run the wire without removing all this stuff, but I didn't know this at the time. Live and learn...
Thank you!
Lucas in Phoenix... 100-plus degrees in my shop...
Voltmeter... What it does, and why it might be important.
Fellow F6B enthusiasts-
A voltmeter displays the voltage within the electrical system. A new battery will measure approximately 12 volts. The machine will likely start with a well-depleted battery. When the motorcycle is running, and the charging system is working properly, the voltmeter will display something in the neighborhood 14.4 volts. This is more information than is provided by the low-voltage light. If one has good voltage, say 14.4 volts and steady, then one can count on the motorcycle starting after it has been shut down. This might influence one's decision-making regarding where and when to stop. (Can you get a jump start?) The voltmeter from BikeMP3 is very inexpensive. It is of very high quality. If one doesn't drop anything into the innards of the motorcycle, it is easy to install.
Thanks!
Lucas in Phoenix