Road King Tach Install
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 140
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From: Southern New Jersey
Road King Tach Install
I started looking at tach's for the King. Liked the drop in from H-D with the big sweeping needle but found that while wearing goggles or glasses it is impossible to see the gauge without looking down. Needless to say the 6,000,000 color speedo/tach combo with that super tiny tach needle was also a no go.
So I opted for a second hand 2 5/8" tach mounted on the handlebar clamp cover. Now for a quick story about the wiring to save anyone else the same problem.......
First, I wasn't sure if the tach actually worked. So after spending a little while researching where to get a signal wire from, and not feeling like running the power wires in case the gauge was broke, I powered it up in the bench with a external 12v power source. Then tried all the trigger points that I could find. Pink wire off the ECM, green/purple under the left side cover, 3 pin off the back of the speedo. All didn't even make the needle twitch. I was starting to think the tach was busted, but I shut down for the night and came back to it in the morning. Thought to myself, "I wonder if it needs the ground from the chassis as well?" Turns out it did. As reported by others the signal from the diagnostic plug provided erratic readings. I was able to rig up a connection to the 3 pin on the speedo plug. BIGNO, a nice clean tach signal. So a quick trip to the dealer for the terminal ends and I was in business. The bike is a 2011 RK. There is no wire coming off the #3 spot on the plug. You have to take the plug apart and add your own pin. Not difficult, just a pain if you have big sausage fingers.
In summary, I was a three wire Harley tach. Red, black, and yellow trigger. Make your own connection to the #3 hole on the speedo plug and you are set.
Riding today I was able to see the tach by only shifting my eyes down and not having to physically move my head down. I'm very happy.
So I opted for a second hand 2 5/8" tach mounted on the handlebar clamp cover. Now for a quick story about the wiring to save anyone else the same problem.......
First, I wasn't sure if the tach actually worked. So after spending a little while researching where to get a signal wire from, and not feeling like running the power wires in case the gauge was broke, I powered it up in the bench with a external 12v power source. Then tried all the trigger points that I could find. Pink wire off the ECM, green/purple under the left side cover, 3 pin off the back of the speedo. All didn't even make the needle twitch. I was starting to think the tach was busted, but I shut down for the night and came back to it in the morning. Thought to myself, "I wonder if it needs the ground from the chassis as well?" Turns out it did. As reported by others the signal from the diagnostic plug provided erratic readings. I was able to rig up a connection to the 3 pin on the speedo plug. BIGNO, a nice clean tach signal. So a quick trip to the dealer for the terminal ends and I was in business. The bike is a 2011 RK. There is no wire coming off the #3 spot on the plug. You have to take the plug apart and add your own pin. Not difficult, just a pain if you have big sausage fingers.
In summary, I was a three wire Harley tach. Red, black, and yellow trigger. Make your own connection to the #3 hole on the speedo plug and you are set.
Riding today I was able to see the tach by only shifting my eyes down and not having to physically move my head down. I'm very happy.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 559
Likes: 51
From: maine
I have the same set up on my '09 FLHRC.... it puts the tach in your line of vision so you can actually use it..... you can have my speedometer but don't take my tach!
Still hard to believe these $20K bikes come without one??????
By hoofmender
Still hard to believe these $20K bikes come without one??????
By hoofmender
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pilot1996
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