Distilled down to its most basic form, motorcycle mod culture is all about limiting the visual invasiveness of extraneous equipment. We ditch extra brackets, swap lights to slim LEDs and remove excess plastic to bring our bikes back to truer form. That’s what riding is all about right, being one with the engine, two wheels and the road?
Some wrongs are more difficult to right, and a big one is your stock instruments. Analog gauges can be cool on vintage iron, but odds are they’ve been blasted by the sun and it takes savvy parts sourcing to keep the bulbs and drive cable in good working order.
After all that, there’s no getting around the physical size of the thing, and an instrument 5” in diameter cramps the style of a bare-bones build. Newer models suffer a different but similar fate, as chintzy plastic gauges and aged displays stick out like a sore thumb as well.
Thankfully the latest tech offers us several alternatives to stock clocks, ranging from simple clamp-on options to full aftermarket instruments, and one of these options is sure to meet your needs.
Use Your Phone If you’re ever scratching your head about something, it pays to remember that you’re carrying a whole computer in your pocket. Your phone will do everything you could ask in terms of navigation and keeps you connected in other ways as well, so why overthink it?
We’ve sampled a good variety of the latest mounts from Quad Lock, Peak Design, Freakmount and more (check out Wes’s take on the latest from Quad Lock), and they’re all pretty darn good. Simply pick a mount that meets your criteria in terms of protection, ease of use and versatility, and get out there.
Of course, there are a few realities to be aware of if you rely on your cell. It’s nerve-racking to strap your expensive smartphone to your bike, as it’s exposed to all the elements and (in theory) could be lost or damaged. The majority of mounts aren’t all that visually appealing either. They’re acceptable in a functional sense, but you wouldn’t leave it attached for a show or photoshoot.
Nitpicky gripes aside, your smartphone is the cheapest way to obtain a speedometer readout, but be aware that it’s actually illegal in most places, so use this approach sparingly.
Beeline Moto II A standalone GPS unit seems a bit redundant (especially one that requires a Bluetooth connection to your cell) but there are plenty of reasons why a device like the Beeline Moto II might be the right fit for you. Strapping to your handlebars in mere seconds, the Beeline Moto provides fool-proof navigation and speedometer readouts without the needless complexity of a permanent TFT display.
The Beeline Moto II is a super compact unit measuring 53 mm in diameter and 20.5 mm in thickness. It offers turn-by-turn navigation with ETA and speed info, ride tracking and sharing capabilities, a compass mode and glove-friendly controls. The scratch-resistant, anti-glare TFT screen measures 10 cm in area and displays at 412 x 412 pixels—a sizable improvement over the Beeline Moto I. The Lithium battery charges with a standard USB-C charger and returns 14 hours of ride time on a charge.
The Moto II’s standard mount is a simple twist-lock affair, with the base attaching to your bike using a pair of O-rings. That means you don’t have to completely dismount the unit at the end of your ride for charging. If the O-rings make you nervous, Beeline has a whole host of conventional mounts available, and powered options as well.
Sometimes less is more, and the value of the Beeline Moto II is in its wire-free installation and modern GPS capability. It does most of the things your cell GPS does, except for text notifications—which we view as a benefit. Strap it on any bike in your collection and go, without the trepidation and legal concerns of hanging a $1,000 smartphone out in the breeze. [Beeline]
motogadget motoscope chronoclassic 2 Leave it to motogadget to come up with the slickest solutions to your electronics needs, and the motoscope chronoclassic 2 is one of the finest instruments we’ve ever seen. Incorporating all the appeal of a classic analog gauge with the versatility of an LED display, the chronoclassic 2 is the perfect replacement for your worn-out original clocks.
motogadget stepped it up a notch with the chronoclassic 2, measuring 80 mm in diameter and just 22 mm in depth, making it 12 mm thinner than the first chronoclassic. It’s available in tachometer and speedometer configurations and can be had with four different analog scales. All modern BUS systems are supported, and if you’re installing it on something older, motogadget has plug-and-ride setups and mo.unit control systems available.
In addition to the analog needle, the chronoclassic 2 has a hidden LED display at the base of the gauge, which can be configured to read speed, temperature, voltage and loads of other parameters. It’s switchable, so when the LED is off, you’d never know it’s there. There are also 11 light-up indicators on the gauge for reporting standard functions like turn signals, low fuel level and a neutral indicator.
Modern, minimalist and of the highest German-made quality, we’d fit the motoscope chronoclassic 2 on every bike that warranted the investment. [motogadget]
Heads-Up Displays Things happen fast on two wheels and the Eyelights and Tilsberk heads-up-display manufacturers have devised innovative approaches to keeping your eyes on the road. Both companies manufacture helmet-mounted HUD units that report speed and navigation information right in your field of vision. Sounds pretty techy, but they make compelling cases.
The Tilsberk and EyeRide units are pretty similar, each consisting of a fold-out screen to display speed, navigation and selected Bluetooth alerts from your smartphone. The biggest functional difference is that EyeRide utilizes its own communications system, where you’ll have to connect a third-party coms system with the Tilsberk.
If you want to nitpick, the EyeRide is a bit less intrusive in your field of vision, as a good bit of its function is carried out by the exterior coms components, whereas the Tilsberk is a single piece.
Taking broad strokes, both the Tilsberk and EyeRide units look to be quality pieces, shipping from the UK and France respectively, and both feature all the iPhone and Android compatibility you’d expect. They’re not cheap, as each will set you back around $500 U.S., but I guess there’s a price to pay for having the latest tech. [Eyelights, Tilsberk]
Koso TNT-04 Multifunction Meter The world of affordable electronic gauges is far and wide, but considering most of these units will require some degree of wiring on your bike, we prefer to stick with names we know. Koso has been involved in the motorcycle scene since the 1980s, and they offer a huge variety of power sports displays from simple hour meters to all-encompassing instruments like the TNT-04.
While its primary function is an analog tachometer, the TNT-04 has an LCD screen that reports everything from speed and trip functions, to fuel level and a gear position indicator. You also get all your standard status lights and a configurable shift light, and the LCD interface can be changed between eight different display colors.
Since you’re dealing with an aftermarket unit and all its inputs need to be wired, a gauge like the TNT is a more permanent installation, and wiring it will be a more involved process. Koso ships most things you’ll need to set up the display, including a mounting bracket, speed and temperature sensors and multiple tach wires, and that’s a big bonus for a gauge that costs less than $400 U.S. [Koso]