So tonight...
 

...I decided to try out riding at night for the first time...damn time change. :tt:

I rode to the gym at 4:00...still light out all is good. :dthumb:

Get to the gym I remember...DAMMIT...I have my smoke visor on my helmet. Not going to be fun for the ride home :panic:

Leave the gym at 5:30...only going about 2 miles so I wanted to see how it felt...get going...about half way home...glance down...:skep: My gauges do not have ANY lights on them. :tt:

So now...not only is my speedo needle snapped at the base, and my turn indicator light does not work (not that I look at in anyway), but now I find out my gauge light is out. Anyone have an R6 gauge laying around they do not have any use for? :whistle:

go on ebay
my roommate got one from there pretty fast

other than that-how'd it feel, since it was your first time?

you sure it's the guage cluster that's bad? is sounds like you may have a other problems with all those electrical issues.

with a snapped needle, kinda need a new gauge anyway, even if its just the lights that are out right?

Yeah...I was not going to put the $$$ into it yet...but now it is another thing! :panic:
It felt good...just sucked having my options be 1) visor up and eyes watering or 2) visor down and feeling pretty blacked out. :td: Not sure I will do it regularly but I did feel comfortable. :dthumb:
I will have to check...just got home and it is dark where my bike is right now.
The turn signal light I am pretty sure is just the bulb because the high beam, oil, and neutral indicator lights work fine. :idk:

Give it character...:panic:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47...ics/Speedo.jpg

pop the glass, make a custom needle.... if you were trock id say draw a dong, put it on a paper clip and theres your needle, paint the face to look like a man-ass.....cant think of what you like.


oh thats right, you like to drink-paint a tiki hut on the face, make the needle a mai tai!

somethin like this idea...click

Once you get your technical issues worked out, you might find riding at night even more fun and relaxing than daytime riding. That's really how I got much of my seattime in the beginning -- later at night, when it was cooler and traffic was lighter. You'll get to where you really enjoy an evening ride for the fun of it, I promise.

So I got the bike inside and checked it again...there is the slightest hint of a light that comes on one third of one of the gauges. But it is orange so it lights up nothing. :lol:

I think you need to just KNOW by the sound how fast you are. I mean, after my speedo cable was snapped in the housing I just rode without a speedo for a while. It's alright with cars around, it's just when you are going through a residential zone without another around to figure it out that sucks.

Ebay is your friend.

Hmmmmm....more places to put stars! :rockwoot:

I would rather just switch the speedo to a digital one. Although I have been trained by that thing and don't look at it much anyway. :whistle:

I am not much of a night driver as it is so I don't know if I would want to make it a regular habit...plus this was at 5:30 when everyone is going home. :lol:

When I first got the bike I tried to read the thing...but realized quickly that that could turn into a dangerous situation FAST. I do for the most part know how fast I am going...the only thing that makes me nervous is not knowing exactly how fast I am going in the area I have gotten a speeding ticket at in the past (in my car.) :panic:

Riding at night is fun. Just have to watch carefully for the natives. You know, the four legged fuzzy ones.

thats true, you can also go by what gear you're in and the tach, if your bike is really quiet, or always obnoxiously loud.


i just looked at the pic again-wheres the rest of the needle?

Riding at night kinda sux. Too many critters out, too little time for reaction so you have to slow down. (you can outrun your headlights you Know)

I always have a smoke shield on so a pair of clear safety glasses reside under the seat for dark thirty commuting.

As for the guages look into some cycle salvage and get yourself the whole cluster and replace it all at once. Saves alot of headache. Good luck...

I had my speed sensor on my Buell Blast go out for probably 1000 miles at the end of last summer. I really didn't mind it, especially riding twisties or in traffic. Also, the Buell had a much smaller speed range so I was less likely to get caught going 100 on accident.

First time i went out at night i discovered that the hurricane's starter switch was worn and would kill my headlight at random. Easy fix though. Just wish it didnt pop up on a farm road @ 60 lol

tape a maglight to your tank.

When I roll at night I only roll with a smoked visor. I'm too lazy to change it.

I'm betting that the pucker factor was high that night :lol: