Biker's Choice tach...
I paid around 50-60 bucks shipped on eBay...
And you'll need a bracket for it...
Lotsa choices out there...
I used a 1" bracket intended for a turn signal and mounted it between the handlebar clamps...
Wiring was simple...
The Hot tied together with the illumination wire from the tach soldered to a switched wire in the headlight bucket...
So it'll turn on and off with the key...
Ground is in the bucket also...
Most all Kawi's ground wires are black w/yellow stripe...
Trigger wire to the right side coil BACK terminal...
You'll need to unmount the coil...
There are two, 10mm capnuts...
Make a harness adapter for the trigger wire with some wire and male and female spade lugs ...
That'll make it all plug together so you don't have to cut your factory harness...
New to this but this sure helped me and hope you too.
Biker's Choice tach...
I paid around 50-60 bucks shipped on eBay...
And you'll need a bracket for it...
Lotsa choices out there...
I used a 1" bracket intended for a turn signal and mounted it between the handlebar clamps...
Wiring was simple...
The Hot tied together with the illumination wire from the tach soldered to a switched wire in the headlight bucket...
So it'll turn on and off with the key...
Ground is in the bucket also...
Most all Kawi's ground wires are black w/yellow stripe...
Trigger wire to the right side coil BACK terminal...
You'll need to unmount the coil...
There are two, 10mm capnuts...
Make a harness adapter for the trigger wire with some wire and male and female spade lugs ...
That'll make it all plug together so you don't have to cut your factory harness...
Got tach. Today, got 5 wires, green, black, yellow/ w/blk strip, these 3 have male couplers on them.. then there are 2 longer wires 1 is red, and 1 is black. Do the long red & black ones go to coil in back? Red to pos. And BLK to neg.?
Guess I shoulda made a video or took some pics of this install...
What tach did you get ???
Is it a Biker's Choice ???
Do you have a wiring diagram???
Are there labels on each wire ???
A list of colors of the wires has no meaning without knowing what each is for...
Not sure why you have 5 wires, but hope this helps...
First, Reread my post ...
Then physically mount the tach...
The easiest coil to get to is on the RIGHT side just below your tank...
You can route the "trigger" wire down along the steering neck with all the other factory wiring...
Per my last post, un-mount the RIGHT side coil, 2-10mm cap nuts, remember???
The wire on the rear of the coil is the one you need for the trigger...not sure of the color, but unplug it...
Make a y-adapter with 1-male to 2-female crimp-on spade lugs and 2 short pieces of wire...
Some of the red power wire can be used for this...
Crimp-on a male spade lug on the end of the trigger wire...
Plug them all together using the male spade of the y-adapter into the factory harness, one of the female spades onto the coil and the other female lug to the tach trigger wire...
Tie up the wiring delicately under the tank and re-mount the coil...
Now remove the headlight ...
I would find a factory switched wire in the headlight bucket by using a test light to isolate it...
If somehow, later on down the road, you blow a fuse, it won't be the one feeding power to your coil and have you dead on the side of the road...
Besides, the ground wire is in there anyway...remember black w/yellow stripe ???
The "illumination" wire, whatever color it is on the tach wiring is to be tied together with the red power wire...
That way the tach lights up...Illuminating, eh????
Before you replace the headlight, test it and make sure it's working...
Should the tach have a direct short, the wiring is so thin that it would probably vaporize before blowing the fuse.
I would rather take that chance than hacking into the factory harness, but the poster is free to do as he pleases.
Good lookin tach !!!:grin2:
Not like mine however, so without a wiring diagram there ain't no way for me to help.
Call the place you got it or the manufacturer and get a diagram.
Gotta know what's what.
Wouldn't want to speculate !!!
The word "hacking" ain't in my repertoire nor in any of my posts !!!
:bulgy-eyes:
As for the connections "adapter" to the coil...
Can't explain it any better than I already have.
Getcha a short piece of wire and a package of insulated male and female crimp-on connectors...
Follow my instructions precisely and it will make sense to ya...
The ONLY workaround we have not discussed is the "switched" lead wire in the headlight bucket...
Since there is no switched "factory" accessory wire on the Vulcan 1600 in the headlight bucket...
Here's what I did...
I used a test lamp to locate a "switched" wire...
Disconnected the wires at the connector...
Pulled the plastic boot back...
Threaded the "hot/red" wire up under the boot and soldered it to the lower portion of the factory connector...
Slid the boot back up and snapped the connectors back together...
There are many ways to accomplish what we have discussed...
This is/was simply my take on how it might be done.
Post back when you get hold of a wiring diagram...
I work 2nd shift and usually have access to the forum in the evening...
Ok i have figured out how to install the tach.i bought on ebay with 5 wires.ok the 5 wires the little red and black are for lights,other 3 are#1 green is ground. #2 yellow/black is signal wire. #3 black the positive/power/ign. Wire . And I just ran light wires inside headlight bucket..And I shorted a relay last week playing inside headlight bucket lost front running and turn signals,the relay cost $80! So be carefull ..also I wrote here about fuse location,it is behind right side panel and behind overflow bottle,atleast that one fuse is back there..thank you all for putting up with me posting several places, and be a ass,I didn't get it,still don't but learning and get my baby up and running with a nice new tach.ahhh
I got tach.working and I love it, now I ordered a wtr.temp and oil presure gauge and hope they mount and look as good as tach..will let you know.
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