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Stand-Alone Tachometer on CAN-Bus Bikes?

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Old May 23, 2020 | 09:04 PM
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Default Stand-Alone Tachometer on CAN-Bus Bikes?

Hello All,

I want to add a bar-mounted tach to my 2016 Road King, something like the Baron 3" tach, but I can't find definitive information about whether it is possible to simply connect a regular analog tach to the negative side of the ignition coil without causing problems with the computer/CAN-Bus system. It seems to me the coil terminal just supplies a dumb voltage signal, with no feedback to the computer, but most shops are afraid of it. Has anybody out there actually done this?

I'm also looking at the Speed Hut CAN-BUS tachs, but I'm not sure they are compatible with the Harley CAN-BUS system.. Anybody have experience with them?

Thanks

 
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Old Jun 29, 2020 | 08:22 AM
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Hi, I am having the same issue with a 2012 Softail.
Can make a tach work but needle is jumpy.
Have you solved your problem?
Thanks, Sal 401-741-5879 mobil
 
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Old Jun 29, 2020 | 10:41 AM
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Hello SCDLCA,

I bought a conventional tach from Speed Hut, but just received it and haven't tried it yet. I'm going to try connecting to one of the coil negative terminals, with the tach set at .5 Pulse Per Rev. Common sense says this should work, but I guess I'll find out. What kind of tach are you using?

Karlesto
 
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Old Jun 30, 2020 | 03:21 PM
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sure you can add the tachometer. to solve the jumping, might try filtering with a capacitor.
 
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Old Jun 30, 2020 | 05:01 PM
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Hi Karlesto, I am using a drag specialties tach with a baron splitter. Have tried capacitors, resistors, voodoo and rain dances. It either works jumpy or does not work at all.
Please send me a text at 401-741-5879 if the tach works out for you. It does make sense that connected to one side of tach and setting to .5 should work.
I just do not want to keep buying tachs to try out.
Thanks,
Sal
 
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Old Jun 30, 2020 | 05:02 PM
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Hi Bustert, I am using a drag specialties tach with a baron splitter. Have tried capacitors, resistors, voodoo and rain dances. It either works jumpy or does not work at all.
Please send me a text at 401-741-5879 if the tach works out for you. It does make sense that connected to one side of tach and setting to .5 should work.
I just do not want to keep buying tachs to try out.
Thanks,
Sal
 
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Old Jun 30, 2020 | 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by SCDLCA
Hi Karlesto, I am using a drag specialties tach with a baron splitter. Have tried capacitors, resistors, voodoo and rain dances. It either works jumpy or does not work at all.
Please send me a text at 401-741-5879 if the tach works out for you. It does make sense that connected to one side of tach and setting to .5 should work.
I just do not want to keep buying tachs to try out.
Thanks,
Sal
The cheap Drag tachs bounce all over the place... I've been through a few.. Still got one on my bobber. Need to go to an autometer if you want stable.. Used to be able to get a nice FXR tach from Custom Chrome but the version they had is not longer available.
 
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Old Jul 1, 2020 | 01:08 AM
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If I had a tach that couldn't be set to .5 PPR (= 1 pulse per 2 revs), I'd be tempted to try this gadget.
https://splitsec.com/product/ta2-100-tach-adapter
 
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Old Jul 10, 2020 | 06:07 PM
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Hello SCDLCA....... It works! I connected the tach trigger wire to the #1 cylinder negative coil terminal in the coil connector, set the tach to .5 PPR, and Voila!
It took me 3 hours to make a connection to the coil wire. I made a crimp connector and attached the new pigtail to the top of the existing terminal crimp.


New pigtail wire crimped on.

Finished Connector, ready to plug back in.

 
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Old Jul 10, 2020 | 06:08 PM
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SCDLA...... I'll send you a video of my test run.

 
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