GPS Speedometer?

[trikebldr]

Have any of you used one of the GPS speedometers on your bike?
My 1300 Voyager has the digital instrument panel with a digital number representing the speed, but a digital bar graph for everything else. The volts/temp scale is a dual-use bar graph that requires a push of a button to see the volts on the same graph that the temp uses. Of course, this wouldn't bother most of you, but as a sidecar pilot I need both hands on the bars for control all the time, so reaching to change anything is a problem.
I am adding new 2-1/16", 270 degree sweep gauges for fuel level (new auxiliary tank), volts, temp and oil pressure. I much prefer gauges that tell me real unit values rather than just a few arbitrary bars. They will be mounted in a custom housing right above my stock instrument panel so they are a quick look for any info I want.
My real problem is that have a hard time getting used to flipping my thinking back and forth from numbers to a bar graph. Never have liked the digital stuff, except for the newer LCD panels that show digital representations of round, analog gauges. Also, on my new '82 KZ1100D street bike I have learned that the speed sensor on the front wheel is prone to sending erratic signals causing the speedo to give completely wrong readings.
I use a Garmin 305 unit to monitor 9 functions, including real-time speed, when I am riding my recumbent trikes and I really like their accuracy. I just found out that they have taken this technology and applied it to circuitry that drives an old school dial-type analog gauge without having to tie into anything on the bike.
You 1700 Voyager owners have the best instrumentation! I love the old school looks of all those 2-1/16" smaller gauges with the large speedo. I have even considered removing my whole digital panel and making up a whole new instrument cluster in it's place. But, the 1700's overall styling adds to the round gauge appeal, too, and the 1300's styling around the instruments doesn't!
I'm just trying to decide if I need to make up a five gauge mount, to include one of the small 2-1/16" GPS speedos, or a four gauge mount. I would like to hear any comments about the GPS speedos. I'm not interested in hearing the age old GPS debate about if it's accurate or not. Been there, done that and personally I like it's accuracy. I'm wondering if they blank out like going under an overpass, or if there are any issues like a delay in response.

[cushman eagle]

We have installed digital GPS speedometers in our truck fleet as the OEM speedos are not very reliable, or accurate.They plug into the lighter socket and can vecro to the instrument panel.They do occasionally lose reception,but quickly regain it after exiting a tunnel etc.They do not record milage,which a log book requires,but mapquest can deliver that.

[trikebldr]

Loren, some of the ones on eBay that I saw do have a trip meter and an odometer. Most also hard-wire into the bike's 12 volts and mount permanently. Are yours portable? I also saw a few devices that work with factory electronic speedos to use GPS to determine speed instead of the original sensor on the trans.
Good to hear about the drop-out under overpasses. They say that most have a refresh rate of 50/sec. That should be quick enough! I dunno! After my morning coffee that could seem like a long time between cycles! LOL!
There are a lot of really cheap (<$20) HUD GPS units, too. You can set it on the dash, plug it into a 12 volt outlet and view it directly, or lay it down and use it as a HUD projector. I might try one just to be able to report back about how well, or poorly, it works. Sounds too good to be true, though.

[hank43]

QUOTE: "You 1700 Voyager owners have the best instrumentation! I love the old school looks of all those 2-1/16" smaller gauges with the large speedo. I have even considered removing my whole digital panel and making up a whole new instrument cluster in it's place. But, the 1700's overall styling adds to the round gauge appeal, too, and the 1300's styling around the instruments doesn't!"
[/quote]


Yeah, but keep in mind, NONE of those gauges are real directly connected analog gauges! i.e., the speedo and tach run off the ECU. The temp gauge and even the gas gauge run from the ECU (CANBUS). For some really nice digital and or analog gauges, you might want to see http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I added temperature and battery gauges on the trike, the temp gauge uses a sender that is installed in line on the upper radiator hose, I know it's real. The battery gauge is wired directly to the battery, I know it's real.
I own a dodge pickup and a caliber car, all apparently analog gauges, then when you turn the key on, you suddenly realize they all run off the ECU.

Like you, If I could figure out how to do it, I would install all analog glow shift gauges, and remove all the factory units. Maybe remove the entire instrument cluster, cover hole with sheet plastic, then punch plastic for the gauges

hank

[trikebldr]

None of my new ones are true direct analog gauges, either. The fuel gauge and volt gauges are as close as I can get. The oil pressure has a rather large sender and the temp has a nice little radiator insert sender. Both are relatively easy to check for accuracy, though. All of them have actual needle movements rather than digital representations of needles.
Regardless if your 1700 gauges are driven by the ECU, they still look a whole lot better than these silly bar graphs on my 1300's. All of mine are also driven by the ECU!
I LIKE those GlowShift gauges! Most are 270 sweep dials!

[hank43]

None of my new ones are true direct analog gauges, either. The fuel gauge and volt gauges are as close as I can get. The oil pressure has a rather large sender and the temp has a nice little radiator insert sender. Both are relatively easy to check for accuracy, though. All of them have actual needle movements rather than digital representations of needles.
Regardless if your 1700 gauges are driven by the ECU, they still look a whole lot better than these silly bar graphs on my 1300's. All of mine are also driven by the ECU!
I LIKE those GlowShift gauges! Most are 270 sweep dials!

Been buying these for some time, lots cheaper than the Dakota gauges, and work just as well. Some of the analog gauges have multi-color backgrounds, that you can easily change.

hank