Gear indicator

RichKat

RichKat

Joined
Mar 23, 2022
Messages
575
Age
65
Location
Rhome Texas
Bike
2011 ST_1300 PA
STOC #
9102
Thinking of adding a gear indicator to my '11 ST
What brands are people using, and how are they installed
 
With a 2008 and later ST1300 the installation is very simple. You plug into the diagnostic port along the right side of the frame under the passenger seat.

I installed this one and it was as simple as inserting the terminals into the correct position within the supplied connector and calibrating it.

GFYSHIP for Honda GL1800 Goldwing F6B 2013-2017, ST1300 Pan European 08-15, Motorcycle LCD 1-6Level Gear Indicator Digital Meter (Blue)

That is of course after you remove sufficient bodywork to install to your liking. I think the minimum might involve lifting the tank to route the wire and mounting the display where you like. I placed mine on the speedometer face inside the instrument cluster.

Here's my write up.

YAI/GIT (Yet another instrument/gear indicator thread) | ST1300 Related

So as the arctic extended it's chilly tendrils across North America in mid-February I decided to finally pull my instruments and send them to BLUEGAUGES.COM for an LED upgrade. I weighed the pros and cons of doing it myself. If my workplace were unrestricted I'd have both ready access to the...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
 
STRider said:
With a 2008 and later ST1300 the installation is very simple. You plug into the diagnostic port along the right side of the frame under the passenger seat.

I installed this one and it was as simple as inserting the terminals into the correct position within the supplied connector and calibrating it.

GFYSHIP for Honda GL1800 Goldwing F6B 2013-2017, ST1300 Pan European 08-15, Motorcycle LCD 1-6Level Gear Indicator Digital Meter (Blue)

That is of course after you remove sufficient bodywork to install to your liking. I think the minimum might involve lifting the tank to route the wire and mounting the display where you like. I placed mine on the speedometer face inside the instrument cluster.

Here's my write up.

YAI/GIT (Yet another instrument/gear indicator thread) | ST1300 Related

So as the arctic extended it's chilly tendrils across North America in mid-February I decided to finally pull my instruments and send them to BLUEGAUGES.COM for an LED upgrade. I weighed the pros and cons of doing it myself. If my workplace were unrestricted I'd have both ready access to the...
www.st-owners.com www.st-owners.com
Click to expand...
Thank you
 
KCST1300 said:
HealTech is great and it learns on its own so no need to program it.
Click to expand...
Not sure what you mean. When I installed mine, it did need to be programmed - bike on center stand, engine running, engage 1st gear, then shift up through the gears waiting at each gear. The 'programming' was not difficult, but it was still a separate step in the installation.

Its been a few years...did they change the newer models?

I ran the wire below the tank along the big wiring harness. I made a small stainless steel tab about 2 1/2" long and as wide as the GIPro, drilled two holes and mounted it with spacers using the hand brake assembly screws. The top 3/4" was bent slightly forward and the GIPro mounted with velcro.
 
SMSW said:
Not sure what you mean. When I installed mine, it did need to be programmed - bike on center stand, engine running, engage 1st gear, then shift up through the gears waiting at each gear. The 'programming' was not difficult, but it was still a separate step in the installation.

Its been a few years...did they change the newer models?
Click to expand...
Learning mode instead of programming mode. Still the same. It can be be programmed while stationary on the centre-stand, or you can put it in learning mode and it will learn the gear positions while you are riding normally. Not much difference, either way it needs to be taught the gear positions.
 
SMSW said:
Not sure what you mean. When I installed mine, it did need to be programmed - bike on center stand, engine running, engage 1st gear, then shift up through the gears waiting at each gear. The 'programming' was not difficult, but it was still a separate step in the installation.

Its been a few years...did they change the newer models?

I ran the wire below the tank along the big wiring harness. I made a small stainless steel tab about 2 1/2" long and as wide as the GIPro, drilled two holes and mounted it with spacers using the hand brake assembly screws. The top 3/4" was bent slightly forward and the GIPro mounted with velcro.
Click to expand...

All I did with mine was plug it in and take it for a ride. It figured out which gear I was in on it's own.
 
I'm not downplaying a gear indicator, but I've never ever understood the advantage of one. I've had both manual shift cars and bikes and never thought, "what gear am I in?".

Been riding 50+ years and always knew/know what gear I'm in ... except to me, it really doesn't matter. I know by the sound and feel if I need to shift (the tach is also useful, if in doubt).

(Maybe cause I started out with motocross? That's where I learned by sound and feel.
 
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A gear indicator saves boot leather by helping you avoid trying to change up to a non-existent top gear on the ST1300 which always sounds busy. Not sure of such value to the ST1100 though.
 
RichKat said:
I've always felt that the ST could use 1 more gear, on more than one occasion I've tried to shift one more time on the highway. Gear indicator is just a farkle, don't need, but want
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Amen brother! I and a few other members have said similar about shifting into 6th. My V65 Sabre had a sixth gear — an OD. Loved it. And besides it's an excuse to install a neat farkle.
 
core-aggie said:
I'm not downplaying a gear indicator, but I've never ever understood the advantage of one. I've had both manual shift cars and bikes and never thought, "what gear am I in?".

Been riding 50+ years and always knew/know what gear I'm in ... except to me, it really doesn't matter. I know by the sound and feel if I need to shift (the tach is also useful, if in doubt).

(Maybe cause I started out with motocross? That's where I learned by sound and feel.
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The 1100 and 1300 motors have very, very different character as they move through the gears and road speeds. And unlike the 1100 the 1300's speedo and tach needles do not follow each other in a way that makes the gear obvious by their relative orientations.

The GPI sure gives me peace of mind as I attack that rolling roadblock and can't afford to hit the rev limiter as I pass.
 
STRider said:
With a 2008 and later ST1300 the installation is very simple. You plug into the diagnostic port along the right side of the frame under the passenger seat.
Click to expand...
I don't know about that, I just looked at my 2007 and it has that same red coupling taped to the main harness along the right side of the frame under the passenger seat. All I would need to do is remove the electrical tape to have access??
 
aniwack said:
I’ve never understood the need for a indicator display.
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Many of the new model bikes now have them.Very simple and cheap for the manufacturer to incorporate it in the instrument panel.
I would like to have one for city riding but have somehow managed for 15 years without one.....:rofl1:
 
It seems to me that "Do I need to downshift (or upshift)?" matters more than "What gear am I in now?"

Perhaps fourth vs fifth is one exception, but even that isn't hard to learn how to judge it, or try shifting.
 
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