Who needs a tachometer?

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Many of the new bikes have left off the tachometer... MG Roamer & Bobber, BMW R9T Scrambler & Urban, Ducati Scrambler to name a few... probably because it saves the company a few $$$.
I ride a '08 1200 Sport and find I'm always checking the tach because of ...

The "very sweet" spot is between 4,000 - 5,000
The "good range" is  between 3,500 - 4,500I
I don't like to go full throttle below 3,500.

I can usually "feel" when I'm in the sweet range of 4 - 5,000.

I would certainly miss not having the tach to look at as I use the info it shows. I wouldn't buy a bike without one.

Do most of you find the tach useful or is it going the way of the kickstarter? 

[oldbike54]

 Heck , I don't even care if the speedometer works 

 Dusty

[inditx]

I thought I would miss it on the Roamer but I don’t.
Now if that darn shift gear notification would shut off.....

inditx

[Rich A]

When the tach on my Bassa fails, I'm just going to switch to a single instrument panel.

Rich

[dcardo021]

I miss having a tach on the bobber, love having it on the racer

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[Pop]

I don't use a tach. The one on the Guzzi had a snapped cable when I bought it in 98. I have always let the engine talk to me. Even when I was street racing a l o n g time ago. That 327 talked to me. I had a tach then because I didn't want to stand out at the Steer Inn. Long gone. My 03 Yamama ( no spelling error) has no tach. I would think after a while that sweet sound off the engine would imprint itself in your brain. Sort of like Zen. Be one with the rpm 's.Hmmmmmmm .
Pop
I may have taken a few too many advise today.

[oldbike54]

 Like Guzzi Steve says , "rev it 'till it starts shakin' , then shift it" 

 Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

My T-3 has the police dash which means no tach. The engine is pretty easy to read by feel so I don't feel I really have needed a tach but still it would be nice.
Now if my Norge 8V didn't have a tach and a rev limiter I probably would have blown the engine. It revs so effortlessly and smoothly it hits the limiter just as it is getting really fun.
GliderJohn

[n3303j]

Don't they all have Rev limiters before red line?

[twowheeladdict]

Doesn't the Ducati Scrambler let you show the tachometer where the odometer display is?  Been a while since I demo'd one, but I thought it did.  Many Harleys show the gear and tachometer at the same time on the odometer display.

I am wrestling with that right now.  I like the "no chrome" on the V7 III Stone, but the tachometer and cool graphics on the Special for only a few dollars more is appealing. 

Or maybe just pick up one of the left over Stornellos that are still out there.

I like the tachometer because I like to maximize fuel economy when I am riding or driving and knowing that I am in the sweet spot for fuel economy would be nice.  Some bikes allow you to ride at lower revs, but require more fuel to maintain speed.

[davevv]

I've never used them.  The bikes I own now have tachs and I never look at them.  I grew up riding bikes that didn't have them and got used to shifting by the feel and sound of the engine.  It's worked for 56 years so far.  I will admit though that I've never been a serious racer.  If I'd been trying to wring the last ounce of performance out of any of those bikes over the years, I might have a different opinion.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Sounds like, from the responses, they are listening to the riders and making the right decision for the rider and business to go ahead and eliminate the tachometer! I would not have thought that would be the case.

[ITSec]

I much prefer to have a tach on any vehicle - but I can see why they're being left off some machines. As has been said, it does reduce costs for the manufacturer. The rationale for having a tach in the old days was to warn you of approaching redline, and to help you identify the power band. Now, with fuel or ignition cut-offs in the ECU, and much less peak in the power curves, a tach isn't the essential it once was.

I wouldn't dismiss a bike just because it didn't have a tach, but I still would opt for a trim level that included one if I had a choice.

[Demar]

Like Guzzi Steve says , "rev it 'till it starts shakin' , then shift it" 

 Dusty

Who needs a tach when you can bump the rev limiter. Isn't that there to tell you when to shift?

[keener]

another odd man out here , but i use the tach every ride..i would miss it ...

[pete roper]

Who needs a tach when you can bump the rev limiter. Isn't that there to tell you when to shift?

No, it's there to stop a rod escaping. They are set conservatively usually.

I think the reason why they don't bother with a tach is due to most owners of the sorts of bikes who don't have them will ever explore the upper end of the rev range. They ride where they feel *comfortable* and that is rarely where the engine is doing much work.

Pete

[ejs]

 
The rev limiter is more important to me than the tacho. But I also look at the instrument. Run best between 4000-7000 rpm.
Cuts at ca. 8200 rpm.

[Guzzistajohn]

My LMIII doesn't have a tach anymore. Don't miss it one bit. I know when she's happy.

[Gliderjohn]

From n3303j:

Don't they all have Rev limiters before red line?

Not the older models. Not sure when they become common.
GliderJohn

[Chuck in Indiana]

Wouldn't be without one on the AeroLario. It would be *way* too easy to make the dogga dogga noise. 
Come to think of it, the Monza, too. It's redlined at 9000, and would probably go right on past.

[Peter949]

I certainly need and use the tach on my 84 Cali II. It really helps me avoid lugging the engine when accelerating quickly - well as quickly as my old tractor can. 

[Kev m]

I like the tach, mostly just because I enjoy knowing exactly what the bike is doing at any moment.

Yes many Harleys didn't have tachs over the years, and I would normally add one if I bought one that didn't, just like I added one to my Jackal.

I think the recent trend we see with the elimination on some models does have to do with $$$, but it is also because most of them have the ability to display it in the ODO screen anyway, so it's like including one without including one.

I'm REALLY glad the Police RK came with one, because it occupied the housing on the tank that otherwise would have been a speedo and they placed a separate speedo on the bar clamp in a much better position than it would be on the civilian model!

So yeah, no tach is not a deal braker, but I still prefer one. I'm not sure if the odo display would suffice as I tend to like other things there like time/temp/mileage etc.

[guzzisteve]

Like Guzzi Steve says , "rev it 'till it starts shakin' , then shift it" 

 Dusty

You can tell w/valve float happens.

[stonelover]

I ride a Stone II and like the tach..  Also like the Stone III, BUT I want the tach..  Like the new V9 series, but like greater fuel capacity.  I'll be stickin' with my Stone II 'cause it has what I like.

[Ncdan]

They come in good if you make a note of what speed at what rpm is, in the event your speed odometer crashes as they do on guzzis quite frequently as mine just did on my 07 Calvin at 7k. Other than that pretty much worthless. However looks good beside the speedo

[Testarossa]

I like the tach -- I want to know that I'm cruising at 4k, for instance, and where the lugging point is on my various bikes at the low end. If the smooth-idle speed changes, I want to know, and fix. And it's critical to have a tach for timing with a strobe and balancing carbs.

[Rhodan]

Now if that darn shift gear notification would shut off.....

inditx

I read somewhere that the rpm range for the shift indicator can be modified by the rider.  Not sure how but worth checking out.

[TimmyTheHog]

Need? Properly not...

But I personally like tach for the reason of:

• Knowing what the bike is doing @ given RPM...sometimes it can give out warning signal if the bike sounds different @ the RPM normally runs at...like...4~5K?
• Easier to diagnose items such as charging system @ certain RPM (I am talking about all bikes in general)
• Idle speed!!! this is my biggest pet peeve as my previous bike which had old school idle screw but without tach?!?! That took me FOREVER to set it right...
  
  I know with the new EFI bikes, you don't set set idle with screw rather with computer, but I still would feel better if I know what the idle actually is...and if not right, know when to correct it.
• Last but not least, it just looks damn sexy with the tach which makes it feels more old school

However, I do understand why manufacture would do without...it is just that much cheaper NOT to have it...and/or more profit for them as well...

well, this is just me...

[Zoom Zoom]

I read somewhere that the rpm range for the shift indicator can be modified by the rider.  Not sure how but worth checking out.

Assuming it is the same as the Norge I had, my Stelvio, and my 1400, you get into the menu and change the setting. It does not change the actual point where the limiter kicks in, it simply changes when the flashing light starts to let you know. They are set conservatively when delivered. Maybe for break in reasons, IDK. One of the first things I changes when I bought the above bikes. (At least I **think** I changed it on the 1400.)

John Henry

[bigbikerrick]

If my plain vanilla  99 Camry with auto transmission has one, surely all motorcycles should have one.  I like knowing at what rpm my engine is spinning at . I look at the tach more than the speedo I think. I am happiest with a big ol' white faced veglia right in my face ,front and center! 
Rick.