Le Mans II - wanting to swap out the gigantic instrument panel

[caridimondo]

Hi all, I've had my Le Mans for almost 2 years now and I've been putting this off for a while mainly for financial reasons.. I desperately want to get rid of the gigantic instrument panel, square headlight, and fairing. After doing lots of research and seeing so many clean bikes with single instrument setups (Kaffeemachine wins: http://www.kaffee-maschine.net/html/en/html/accessory_parts7.php), I think that's the direction I want to go in.

Ideally I'd like to buy the instrument panel Kaffeemachine sells, but it's made specifically for the Motogadget gauge which I cannot afford at the moment. So I found this panel http://shop.officine08.it/p9766_piastra-cafe-racer-oval.html which will allow me to use the stock speedo, ignition lock, and install some LED indicator lights.

I've never done any work to my bike's dash before, so are there any precautions I should be aware of? I'm assuming I can hook up the stock indicator lights wiring to the LEDs without much trouble, but then again I haven't done this so I thought it would be best to ask the experts on the forum.

Thanks in advance!
Tom

[kevdog3019]

Here's something from MGCycle that worked great for me. Cheap. They have all the bits (LED's)



If you have the small tacho they have one to fit. Check it out.

[crc]

id go for a 850t/v7 sport dash if it were me

[blackcat]

Hi all, I've had my Le Mans for almost 2 years now and I've been putting this off for a while mainly for financial reasons.. I desperately want to get rid of the gigantic instrument panel, square headlight, and fairing. After doing lots of research and seeing so many clean bikes with single instrument setups (Kaffeemachine wins: http://www.kaffee-maschine.net/html/en/html/accessory_parts7.php), I think that's the direction I want to go in.

Ideally I'd like to buy the instrument panel Kaffeemachine sells, but it's made specifically for the Motogadget gauge which I cannot afford at the moment. So I found this panel http://shop.officine08.it/p9766_piastra-cafe-racer-oval.html which will allow me to use the stock speedo, ignition lock, and install some LED indicator lights.

I've never done any work to my bike's dash before, so are there any precautions I should be aware of? I'm assuming I can hook up the stock indicator lights wiring to the LEDs without much trouble, but then again I haven't done this so I thought it would be best to ask the experts on the forum.

Thanks in advance!
Tom

There is a spaghetti's nest of wires in that bike and you are in for a bit of work, so I would suggest getting a wiring diagram and taking your time. I re-wired mine when doing the conversion and added better switches because the stock ones were junk. Personally, I like a tach and went in this direction because I didn't want anyone thinking this was a Lemans I:

[crc]

op, do you have a round headlite? I have a couple if you need one

[caridimondo]

Here's something from MGCycle that worked great for me. Cheap. They have all the bits (LED's)



If you have the small tacho they have one to fit. Check it out.

Wow that looks great! I was originally planning on keeping both gauges, but I think I want to keep it really minimal and just have the speedo. I'll definitely keep this in mind though if I change my mind again. Thanks!

[caridimondo]

There is a spaghetti's nest of wires in that bike and you are in for a bit of work, so I would suggest getting a wiring diagram and taking your time. I re-wired mine when doing the conversion and added better switches because the stock ones were junk. Personally, I like a tach and went in this direction because I didn't want anyone thinking this was a Lemans I:

Yours is super clean too, nice work ;-T  I have the wiring diagram and it's definitely pretty daunting. But if I'm utilizing the stock speedo, and connecting 4 of the stock indicator light wires to LEDs, it should be more or less plug and play right? Or am I naively oversimplifying Guzzi electrics?

[caridimondo]

op, do you have a round headlite? I have a couple if you need one

I'm still searching. I think I'd like an all black British style bucket. Let me know what you have, thanks!

[kevdog3019]

Guzzi ain't too much trickery when wiring. Just swap light for light, but make sure you get the right lead on the right side. If it doesn't light, just switch the leads. Led's are sensitive but won't blow up. it's simply trial and error. If I can do it anyone can.

[double.d]

I went down this road with my LeMans 1000 and I can tell you there is a lot of wiring to try and hide out of the way, far more than will fit in the headlight casing. I fabricated a few enclosed dash panels like Kev's and the ones on Officine08 but in the end it all became messy as once you start mucking around with brittle 30 year old wire it tends to fail.

Motogadget was my savior after 10 years of failures. Start saving  ;-T

[caridimondo]

I went down this road with my LeMans 1000 and I can tell you there is a lot of wiring to try and hide out of the way, far more than will fit in the headlight casing. I fabricated a few enclosed dash panels like Kev's and the ones on Officine08 but in the end it all became messy as once you start mucking around with brittle 30 year old wire it tends to fail.

Motogadget was my savior after 10 years of failures. Start saving  ;-T

I can imagine.. in order to clean up the wiring the m-unit is pretty much necessary, correct? So m-unit + gauge would cost around €740  :'(

Looks like I will have to start saving..

[charlie b]

How about this one (Koso also has other styles).

http://www.kosonorthamerica.com/koso/shop/multi-functions-motorcycle_gauges/tnt-01-multifunctions-bf-bc/

[harrytief]

Greg bender made me an excellent wiring loom for my cx100 special project that will absolutely clean up the under dash mess. I'm replacing the cx dash with one from a T3.
Harry

[blackcat]

"I have the wiring diagram and it's definitely pretty daunting. But if I'm utilizing the stock speedo, and connecting 4 of the stock indicator light wires to LEDs, it should be more or less plug and play right? Or am I naively oversimplifying Guzzi electrics?"

Take your time and give it a go. Without a tach you are eliminating three gauges and of course those wires, so that is easy. The rest is just a simple process of wires for the new headlight and the idiot lights. And when it is done, you can tag everything and reproduce a new one yourself or send it to Greg and let him make a new one from that pattern.

[dan_s]

Before you work with the panel, fit a 25a fuse on the battery+ to switch wire, put the fuse as close to the battery.
The LM mk2 has a switch to operate all indicators at once, a sort of emergency switch. Getting rid of that will clean some spaghetti. I could also make do without the low brake fluid and neutral indicator lights.
As for alternative panels you could find one you like at any of the big Guzzi retailers such as Agostini, Stein Dinse and the likes.

[blackcat]

Before you work with the panel, fit a 25a fuse on the battery+ to switch wire, put the fuse as close to the battery.
The LM mk2 has a switch to operate all indicators at once, a sort of emergency switch. Getting rid of that will clean some spaghetti. I could also make do without the low brake fluid and neutral indicator lights.
As for alternative panels you could find one you like at any of the big Guzzi retailers such as Agostini, Stein Dinse and the likes.

I forgot about the flasher switch and the low brake fluid light. About a dozen? years ago when I ditched my rubber panel, I just purchased an LMI harness and eliminated as much as possible, but I did keep some of the wiring behind the clocks and just pulled out all the unnecessary stuff, added a Euro 1000S/Lemans switch for the lights and an Aprilia? start/kill switch. It took some time to get it right and I probably should just buy the correct colored wires and make a new upper harness......one of these days.

[huub]

the charging light wont work if you simply use a LED...
and you will be surprised how much wiring you will find
funny, i just did the opposite, restored my le mans 2 back to original
after someone failed his attempt to make a cafe racer ;D



nice dashboard  ;D

[double.d]

I can imagine.. in order to clean up the wiring the m-unit is pretty much necessary, correct? So m-unit + gauge would cost around €740  :'(

Looks like I will have to start saving..

Yes, the M-Unit would be required. I paid $1500 at the time for the M-Unit and Gauge. It's a very simple exercise to rewire the whole bike and you end up with just 1 fuse, or 2 if you use the M-Switch keyless ignition.

[Vasco DG]

Please don't just bin the original bra merry and rubber surround. They're getting very hard to find, especially ones that say 'LeMans'. Someone would be very grateful for it I'm sure.

Pete

[caridimondo]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Lots to consider here. Part of me doesn't want to mess with the stock wiring at all, so maybe I should wait until I can rewire the whole bike with the m-unit. Hmmm...

As far as the stock dashboard goes, I'll be sure to hang onto it along with the fairing, headlight, etc. Will keep you all posted if/when they're for sale  ;)

[blackcat]

Very nice looking bike. If mine looked so nice when I purchased it, I probably wouldn't have changed anything but it was a pretty sad case.

[huub]

mine started like this...
 i used it as a daily transport for 5 years
when the tank GRP started leaking i decided the bike needed a bit refreshing , and i got carried away

[Stevex]

Renovated my own Mk II; I think the 'clocks' are part of what makes a Mk II a Mk II, if you see what I mean.

[Chuck in Indiana]

mine started like this...
 i used it as a daily transport for 5 years
when the tank GRP started leaking i decided the bike needed a bit refreshing , and i got carried away

Yuck. Good for you..  ;-T A LeMans deserves better than that.. just MHO.

[harrytief]

Huub
When you have had your fill of that bike, remember that I said "dibs" on the lemans here first!
Harry