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.

[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.

[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)