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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: gregvhen on October 19, 2009, 10:22:34 AM

Title: Tach Legality?
Post by: gregvhen on October 19, 2009, 10:22:34 AM
Is it steet legal to NOT have a Tach on your bike?  I live in Missouri but even if you dont know about MO say if it is legal or not in your state/country
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: Roadstergal on October 19, 2009, 10:26:06 AM
They sell bikes new from the factory without a tach, so that would be a tough one to enforce.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: erbilabuc on October 19, 2009, 10:40:27 AM
tach is not necessary anywhere. Speedometer is unless Special Construction and even then it depends on state.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: bassmechanicsz on October 19, 2009, 11:07:30 AM
Yeah tach is not required as alot of cruiser style bikes come without tachs.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: annguyen1981 on October 19, 2009, 01:02:38 PM
I don't know why, but I HATE driving/riding anything that doesn't have a tach.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: glynnd89 on October 19, 2009, 02:38:02 PM
I only use my tach when I'm squeezing everything out of the gear.  Tachs arent necessary on anything.  Or required.  Make sure you have your helmet though as MO has a helmet law.  I make a lot of trips to joplin.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: tt_four on October 19, 2009, 04:19:21 PM
Yeah, technically, you could get away with nothing but a bicycle computer ziptied onto your handlebar.

How many miles have you gotten on your GS with the tach? If I was used to a bike and what it sounded like at the redline I wouldn't feel bad about taking it off. If it was a new bike I'd be worried about not having it and reving past the redline too often. My first bike was an 83 dual sport and the tach didn't work at all. The needle just vibrated at 0rpm. I was always worried about reving too high.

If you just cruise around I wouldn't ever worry about it, just if you wear tearing around back roads.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: Roadstergal on October 19, 2009, 05:28:04 PM
Rev it until the valves float, and then you'll know where redline is.   :icon_lol:
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: werase643 on October 19, 2009, 06:09:55 PM
yeah, we all know that noize....at about 11,700

shift dammit
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: DoD#i on October 19, 2009, 06:25:49 PM
All the functional details you could replace with 3-4 lights - or one color-changing light.

Out - no revs.

red- idle to 3000-3500? - idleing or shift down (rider needs to know which.)

Green - 3500-9500 - okey-dokey.

amber 9500-1050  Shift up.

red 10500+  Shift up NOW, dumbass.

Anyone who can't tell the difference between reds = too dumb to ride a bike?

I hardly ever see 9000, myself.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: gregvhen on October 20, 2009, 05:46:45 PM
Ive never heard of a  color changing light that knows RPM  :dunno_white:

Sounds sweet, but also sounds expensive.  Where do you get them, or are you talkin make one?
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: gregvhen on October 20, 2009, 05:47:24 PM
Quote from: glynnd89 on October 19, 2009, 02:38:02 PM
I only use my tach when I'm squeezing everything out of the gear.  Tachs arent necessary on anything.  Or required.  Make sure you have your helmet though as MO has a helmet law.  I make a lot of trips to joplin.

If your over 25 you dont need a helmet I think. unless they changed that.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: glynnd89 on October 20, 2009, 07:40:15 PM
I've always understood it as a general helmet law.  I see all riders wearing them.
Title: Re: Tach Legality?
Post by: DoD#i on October 21, 2009, 07:10:42 AM
Quote from: gregvhen on October 20, 2009, 05:46:45 PM
Ive never heard of a  color changing light that knows RPM  :dunno_white:

Sounds sweet, but also sounds expensive.  Where do you get them, or are you talkin make one?

Make one - cheap little microprocessor and a red-green bicolor LED (makes yellow if both on). To clarify, discussing concept, not planning to find the time in my over-busy life to make any such thing any time soon, if ever. But not a particularly difficult thing to make, that way. Could possibly be done without the microprocessor, but might be much more temperature sensitive, etc if it was - and I haven't really thought how such a circuit would work. uP is easy - count the ignition pulses, change the light depending how fast they come.