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[CVOATL]

I have a '09 CVO Road Glide.  I want to add an oil/head temp gauge. I know most people suggest replacing the air temp gauge in the fairing. I will be in the minority but I actually find that my air temp gauge is pretty accurate. I am wondering if I can replace the fuel gauge with the new gauge?  I really never use it since I have the miles to empty on the speedo. I just don't know if it has been done successfully and wondering if anyone has done or heard of this. I've researched it and can't find any info on the topic. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

[grc]

IMHO, the least useful gauges in order of uselessness:

1.  Air Temp Gauge    You are sitting on the outside of the bike, not inside a car where it might make sense.

2.  Voltage Gauge      Not terribly accurate in most cases, and most riders don't really know how to use it anyway.

3.  Oil Pressure Gauge    When the pressure drops to less than 3 psi, the red idiot light comes on.  The gauge causes confusion for many riders, more often than not, and a lot of unnecessary angst.

4.  Tachometer   Many of us old geezers got along for decades without a tach, since most bikes didn't have one back in the day.  Now that Harley's have an effective rev limiter that will keep you from overcooking the engine, it's pretty much superfluous, just like they are in most cars.

5.  Fuel Gauge     A properly calibrated gauge beats the heck out of the old trip meter method.  Unfortunately many Harley fuel gauges are not properly calibrated, but they can be fixed.  As for the miles to empty thing, often they are not any more accurate than the gauge, since both are based on the same signal from the same sending unit.

6.  Speedometer   Who cares how fast they're going?  Not that many based on my observations out on the highways around here, where anything less than 80 will get you passed constantly, even though the speed limit is 55.

Just my opinion of course, but of the four small gauges on a Harley Touring model, the only ones I would keep are the fuel gauge and the oil pressure gauge, and that's just to keep from having to fill all four holes with something else to cover up the holes.  You can always add a couple tweeters to two of the holes, not sure what I'd use to fill the other two..

Jerry

[CVOATL]

Thank you for your reply and I don't disagree with your assessment. I my case I simply don't use the fuel gauge. Miles to empty is quite sufficient. Once it gets below about 50 miles, I know it's time to gas up. I am just wondering if the gauge is disconnected will the miles to empty still work? It may be experimentation time!! Maybe I will just replace the voltmeter since I don't pay much attention to it either.

[Tractor Bubba]

Old habits are hard to break, Mr. Jerry!
I still reset my trip meter every time I fill up - not that it matters much any more. 
But, I've done it for 40 years or so - so why change now?!?
This SERK is my first with EFI...so it's forced my to get used to riding without a fuel petcock, too.
No more run till she sputters, switch to reserve, and find a station!
Bubba

[grc]

Old habits are hard to break, Mr. Jerry!
I still reset my trip meter every time I fill up - not that it matters much any more. 
But, I've done it for 40 years or so - so why change now?!?
This SERK is my first with EFI...so it's forced my to get used to riding without a fuel petcock, too.
No more run till she sputters, switch to reserve, and find a station!
Bubba

   I know exactly what you're saying Bubba.  I also still reset my trip meter every time I fill up, bike or car.  And those old petcocks with a gallon reserve were definite lifesavers back in the day.

When I started riding the only instrument was a speedometer, and it was so inaccurate it was pretty much useless and thus ignored most of the time.  The petcock was strictly a manual affair, not like the later vacuum operated automatic versions, and it was wise to always turn the petcock off when you shut the bike down to avoid flooding the carb and the engine when the float valve didn't seal properly.  Also had to remember to turn it back on when starting the next time, and had to play with a choke to get it running and keep it running until it warmed up.  No radio or other entertainment, but I didn't need any since the actual riding was all the entertainment and enjoyment I needed.  No fairing or windshield, if you weren't tough enough to ride without that stuff you shouldn't be riding a bike in the first place.  Etc.

Now motorcycles are just a two wheeled version of our cars, albeit a convertible, and I find myself thinking it was a lot more fun forty years ago.

Jerry

[mark]

Most useless gauge - air temp.  Rather than the gauge, I use the fail proof system...if I'm sweating, it's hot.  If I'm wearing a jacket, it's cold.

[Tractor Bubba]

I'm not so sure the stupid LED lights (fuel gauge) on the left-hand tank "cap" aren't as useless as teats on a boar-hog. I rarely ride after dark - and I absolutely CAN'T see/read it in ANY level of daylight. Buy, you can set the center-console instrument panel to show a (useable) fuel level readout (as well as gear indicator - nice for us older jockeys)...rendering the LH "fuel cap gauge" not only useless, but ineffectually-redundant as well. But hey, it sure LOOKS trick and adds some more COST for my CVO ego!
Bubba