Preventative care of a 1200 Sport instrument cluster

[willowstreetguzziguy]

I was thinking with all the past failures of the 1200 instrument clusters, what preventative maintenance can I do over he winter to keep this from happening to me in the future?

[Idontwantapickle]

Many have BTDT, there are some threads ie:

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=97470.0

[Moto]

I was thinking with all the past failures of the 1200 instrument clusters, what preventative maintenance can I do over he winter to keep this from happening to me in the future?

If you do decide to coat your PCB (as per the threads already referenced above), please do take pictures and post them. Though I did that for the Griso dash, I don't think it's been done for its cousin, the Breva/1200 Sport. One thing I think I found out about the latter is that the tricky de-soldering step needed to get to the back of the ECU on the Griso is not necessary. So I expect it's an easier job.

Moto

[bad Chad]

No, just ride it.   I still think if it hasn’t gone tits up yet, I mean it’s been 10 plus years, it’s gonna be good for a long while.

[Moto]

No, just ride it.   I still think if it hasn’t gone tits up yet, I mean it’s been 10 plus years, it’s gonna be good for a long while.

Could be. You never know.

[Tennmoto]

The new units are pricey but are updated to remain sealed better, I had one installed by Cadre cycle in Cincinnati.

[ohiorider]

My 1200 Sport dash blew up at 63,000 miles.  Not the entire dash, but the all important LCD panel.  The LCD panel had dropped out several thousand miles ago, but came back on until the final failure. Jas67 sold me a dash from a Breva that has worked out ok.

I gave up dealing directly with Guzzi on issues like this after trying to negotiate a fuel tank replacement, so I sent a registered letter to DigiTek's US location (more than once.)  They're the company who make these dashes.  Not in the USA, but somewhere in this wonderful world!  They must have taken some lessons from Guzzi USA ... no response.  All I was asking about was a source for the LCD panel, since the repair company in Holland has no source for them either.  They couldn't repair my Sport dash since they had no LCD source. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This letter was sent three times ,,,, the last time registered.

July 11, 2016

MTA USA Corp.
710-B East State Parkway.
Schaumburg IL 60173 – USA
  Attn: Customer Service
  Topic:  Digitek dashboards

The preferred brand of Italian motorcycles for many of us worldwide is Moto Guzzi.  These are generally rugged, dependable machines that are noted for their ease of repair, and unusually long life.  However, modern electronics have thrown many of us a curve ball.  And in many cases, it involves the dashboard you supply to Moto Guzzi for their 2005 thru 2016 CARC models, namely the Breva 1100, 1200 Sport, Griso, and Norge models.  Moto Guzzi is owned by Piaggio.

As owners and riders, we depend on the dash to provide several functions via analog gauges (on my Moto Guzzi 1200 Sport those would be the speedometer, tachometer, and fuel level.)  The dashboard also provides other services, such as switched 12vdc to heated grips. Other logic in the dashboard controls the right and left turn signals.  If turn signals fail, it presents a safety issue.

All of the above are important, but one of the most critical is the information provided on the small LCD panel, including TRIP1 and TRIP2 mileage and overall odometer mileage, and an interface permitting us to access diagnostics, and in an emergency situation, permitting us to enter a security code that allows the engine to be started.

A company by the name of Carmo, located in the Netherlands, can repair many dashboard failures which may have been caused by a break in a printed circuit board, or corrosion due to moisture ingress.  What they cannot repair is a defective LCD, which would have to be replaced with a new LCD.  Unfortunately, they are not able to source the LCD used in your dashboards.  Therefore, the dashboards are unrepairable, and our typical recourse is to purchase a new dash through a Moto Guzzi dealer at a rather steep price.

Most all members of the various Moto Guzzi forums are aware of this issue, and many avoid purchasing these bikes on the used market because of the issues involving the dashboard your company manufactures. 

Moto Guzzi must be aware of this problem, but, to my knowledge, they’ve not published a plan to replace defective units once out of warranty.  This pretty much leaves us on our own, attempting to find working dashboards from motorcycle wrecking yards, or paying the full replacement price.  It is not a good situation, and definitely affects resale of these bikes in the used marketplace.

I would like to hear from you regarding any information you might have about a source for the LCD
display.  Better yet would be a solution that would provide Moto Guzzi owners with a replacement dashboard when we incur a failure.

I realize this should probably be addressed thru Moto Guzzi, or perhaps their parent, Piaggio.  However, since they have published no program or volunteered any solution to this ongoing problem, I felt that DigiTek, as the manufacturer of the dashboard, might be able to offer some assistance.

Regards,


Bob Gilligan
2017 Wren Haven Drive
Hudson, Ohio  44236
bcgilligan@yahoo.com
330-650-1947

[Moto]

That's quite a letter, Bob. Thanks for sharing.

Digitek was aquired by MTA in Italy, so it seems inaccurate to call MTA Digitek's U.S. location. MTA USA probably has zero responsibility for, knowledge of, or interest in EYE-talian motorcycles.

Still, it was a good try.

Moto

[tris]

No, just ride it.   I still think if it hasn’t gone tits up yet, I mean it’s been 10 plus years, it’s gonna be good for a long while.

I think that Moto has written the definitive response on curing poorly dashes, however, because I wasn't brave enough to disassemble my functioning but on occasion misty dash I took another path

I concluded that I couldn't see a reasonable path for water ingress so the likely cause was from condensation.

While exploring this possibility I found that the bottom left (as you look at the back of the clocks) vent was blocked.

Since opening that up, I have never had the clocks mist up

Also, I have purchased a second hand set of clocks "just in case" and they have the same blocked vent

Therefore I think that Chads thought has mileage and maybe yours has all the vents open.

Easy enough to check, pull the clocks and suck on each vent in turn. If one doesn't pass air you have a blocked vent

It also leaves you free to follow Moto's recommendation if you wish