Trail-Tech Vapor Revisited

[Justin B.]

I received my Vapor today, nice compact little unit.  This is like the one Monte used on his except I opted for black instead of silver.  I will probably install it next week when I have time to think everything out.  I have also bought an R1150RT instrument cluster off flea-bay of which I will incorporate the rider information display portion into a Vapor mounting bracket/dashboard panel.  The RID should have every idiot light I need and then some.

Probably the only light that will never be used is the "Low Fuel" telltale...

[Justin B.]

I made some basic mounting brackets and finished mounting up the R1150RT RID and Vapor today.  I need to make some sort of "housing" to go over the back of the RID as without the fairing this arrangement is really butt-ugly!  And, even with the fairing it's a bit homely due to the "stack" height.  BUT, I really like the way the RID displays everything so I guess I'll live with it.

The tach and speedo function flawlessly and checking the speedometer and odometer against mile-markers on the Interstate show it is dead-on!

This is what I wound up with...

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Have you found black socket-head fasteners that don't rust?

[Justin B.]

Unfortunately, no.  I'll probably replace these with stainless in the future but I don't have any in that size at present...  Looking at the handlebar clamp bolts I think I need to get stainless for them as well!  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

What about powder-coating just the heads?

That would be small enough, it could be done at home.

Can that be safely done in a kitchen stove, or do you have to dedicate a stove to it?

I bought a stainless "kit" for the engine side covers on my CB200 from a guy on eBay.  
They didn't match very well, and came with a lot of hardware I don't need.
I contacted him, and he sent me a special order that was supposed to fix my omissions.  I got all I needed plus a couple, except still no M6x55.  
Luckily there are a couple of long ones in the original kit and I should be able to cut one down.

Of course, they are silver, which is fine, as long as I keep the engine stock, but I hope to paint it black, someday.

Here is a good source for small quantities:
http://www.boltdepot.com/dimension.aspx?cc=25&cs=81&cm=19

[azcycle]

Looks pretty good! I assume that fuel indicator light is inoperative?  I'm about to pull the trigger on a Vapor myself. I'd prefer an Acewell but it seems their American distributor went belly-up.  I think I'm going to go with their LED "dashboard" and just use a Radio Shack mini-bulb for the charging system.

Still don't know how I want to solve the ignition issue. I like your solution... would you mind explaining how you set up your ignition mount?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

would you mind explaining how you set up your ignition mount?  

Yes Justin, a picture from the rear!

[montmil]

Ah, Texas in the summertime...

Note the temperature readout, top-left, on the Vapor...  111 degrees! That's probably while in the shade of Justin's shop.

We be sweatin' with the oldies... oldie BMWs, that is.  Monte

[Justin B.]

Yeah, summer came back with an attitude...    

Rob, on an old Honda CB450 I had years ago (my first street bike) I painted the cases wrinkle black and then polished all of the covers and added polished hardware - the contrast really looked bitchin'!

Monte, have you hooked up your EGT sensor yet?  I need to either cut-and-splice or get an extension cable...

[Justin B.]

would you mind explaining how you set up your ignition mount?  

I'll take a couple pics if I have occasion to have the fairing off.  I basically made two little angled tabs that are bolted to the top of the bar clamps and then the other stuff attaches to the little tabs.

[montmil]

...Monte, have you hooked up your EGT sensor yet?  I need to either cut-and-splice or get an extension cable...

Negative. Way too exotic for me. I have enough trouble as it is just switching the Vapor from standard to daylight savings time.

Monte