Triumphrat

TripleThreat · 03-26-2006

Well, this will be a little long, so here's your warning to get out now if you don't like reading long posts...

Being a self proclaimed techno-nerd, I am always on the lookout for new technology related bits to install on my bike. I ran across an article in Motorcycle Consumer News about (former Indy 500 Racer) Dominic Dobson's Motion Research Corporation and its SportVue division. They produce a Heads Up Display Unit for Motorcycles. After some research, I decided this could be really cool and ordered one. Here are the details of the installation. I will come back here from time to time throughout this year's riding season to offer additional comments about how I like it.

Well here goes - Complete with Photos.

I ordered the MC2 which comes complete to display Speed, RPM, Gear and a Radar Alert. It all comes neatly packaged in a rather small box...

The part that mounts to the Helmet's Visor is called the HMD - short for Helmet Mounted Display. It looks like this...

The real brain behind the system is the MSU - short for Motorcycle Sending Unit. It is remarkably small, I've placed my Triumph key next to it for size comparison...

The first thing I did was choose a location to mount the MSU. While the instructions suggest simply mounting it under the passenger seat, I have already installed a StarCom1 Communications System in that location and wanted to look for another spot. I ended up selecting a spot under the front tank cover on top of the air box...

The next step involved some digging through my service manual to locate the correct wire that runs from the ECM to send the signal to the Tachometer. You have to tap into this wire to get the MSU the information it needs to calculate RPM, which is also used in the calculation of Gear selection. I determined based on my VIN that I had the MC 1000 ECM on my bike...

There are two connectors that fasten to the ECM. One is black and one is grey. I had to take a close look at the Tachometer Wiring Circuit to determine which connector had wires that fed the Tach...

From reading this wiring diagram and comparing it to the chart on how to read the pin locations on the connectors, I determined that the wire I needed to tap into was in location 2/A1 which meant it was on the grey connector...

I then used the supplied wire taps...

to connect the MSU to the appropriate wire leading out of the grey connector on the ECM

and into the tail light harness for power...

This photo shows the location of the ECM from the left side of the bike. It is located on the front side of the battery box...

In this view, you can see the wire tap and the ECM following the reinstallation of the connector...

The next step was to install the HMD onto the visor of my Arai Quantum/f Helmet. They supply a sanding mask to apply to the face shield so you can sand the areas where the mounting clip will adhere, without scratching up the rest of your face shield...

Here are what the clips look like...

They are specific to the side of the helmet that you install the HMD on. Also, specific clips are needed for Arai Helmets in order to clear the visor vents found on the helmet.

Here is what my Arai looks like with the HDM Installed...

Here it is with the Visor up...

And from the front...

The image that you see is adjustable up and down and requires the use of an extremely tiny allen wrench...

This is a view of the Ceramic Magnet that has to be epoxied onto the rear brake or sprocket. This provides the rotational speed calculation for the system...

You program the actual diameter of the rear tire into the system when setting it up once installation is complete. The Speed is far more accurate than my actual speedometer, which seems to be about 10% over.

The rotational speed of this magnet is picked up by a sensor that has to be mounted within 1/4" of the magnet. This photo show the rough fitment of the mounting bracket for the sensor...

I chose to run the wire from this sensor along the same path as the rear brake cable...

After rough fitting the bracket, I took it off and cleaned up the end by rounding it off just above the hole where the sensor mounted...

Profile View...

Here's the finished bracket in place after thread lock had been applied to the sensor...

The kit comes with three different brackets for a variety of bikes. Here are the other two...

The view of the data looks like this...

The bar graph is the RPM, the numbers to the left represent speed (programmable for MPH or KPH), and the number to the right represents gear selection. By the way, the system will display three digit speeds, so no worries once you get to the Ton!

Once the installation is complete, there is a programming procedure that you have to go through that involves setting the rear tire diameter and then running the bike through its gears while the system calculates a comparison between RPM and Wheel Speed. This is what programs the gear selection display. The installation manual recommends doing this on a paddock stand or center stand. This is not possible on a bike with a single sided swing arm, so an open stretch of road was needed for my programming purposes. Although I have Pit Bull stands, they warn against running the bike while it is on the stand. If it came off the pin while programming 6th gear, I'm sure my bike would shoot through the wall of my garage, that's why I opted for the open stretch of road.

As I said in the beginning of this post, I ordered this item from SportVue.

The complete kit costs $349.00 plus shipping.

I will continue to update this post throughout the season with my impressions, but so far it's pretty cool. The afternoon I programmed the MSU, I spent about an hour riding some of the twisty roads around my house to test it out.

Initially, I found that I had to look up out of the corner of my eye just a little to see the numbers, but my eye did not have to refocus in order to be able to read it. By the end of the hour, the data was really just kind of floating out there. It is pretty cool to be able to see your speed in the corners and your gear selection.

I'll post more later...

TripleThreat

[ This message was edited by: TripleThreat on 2006-03-26 15:01 ]

vonbonds · 03-27-2006

Wow, what a great write up! I am not sure I want one but I am certainly eager to hear about your ride reports during the year with this device. I wonder if we should have a technology forum on this forum for devices like this, GPS, map routing software, etc...

Excellent job!!!

Tom

03-27-2006

I agree with Tom, nice write-up! (Hi Tom.)

Probably a good thing the SportVue won't work with my helmet or my bike; I don't need another $350 gadget to lust after. :razz:

(My Nolan N102 has an external sun visor that would interfere with mounting the display unit, & my Trident has a mechanical tachometer.)

Cheers,
-Kit

dolson · 03-28-2006

Great post, T.T.

Don

TripleThreat · 03-28-2006

Thanks for the compliments on the write-up guys. I'm looking forward to some more time in the saddle to see how well I like it.

My brother and I will be taking an 11 day trip this summer. We are going to take US 50 East across Indiana, up through Baltimore and then up to the Pocono Raid. Following the raid, we will be riding back down through Baltimore and down to Skyline Drive. We'll take it until it turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway. We'll ride the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way to The Dragon at Deals Gap. We'll also obviously be riding the Cherehala Skyway and Foothills Parkway, as well as the other less well known, but just as fun, roads in the areas. We'll then take the twisty way North back to Indiana.

We'll be camping as we ride, taking lots of photos, and we will post a complete ride report when we return. It should be a great time and a good test of both the SportVue and the StarCom1 I installed last year and used on the trip to The Dragon.

Come on Spring...

TripleThreat

TripleThreat · 03-30-2006

Well - here is report one from my 70 mile ride after work today. It was in the low 70's today here in Indiana. Our first warm day for a while, so I couldn't resist getting the Speed Triple out of the garage.

As you may have noticed, I installed the HMD on my clear shield for my Arai Quantum/f helmet. Since it was a sunny day, I elected to wear sunglasses inside my helmet so the glare wouldn't be too bad while riding. The sun glasses presented a little bit of a problem in viewing the HDM, but not bad. I just had to tilt my head a little upward to make sure I was looking through the glasses, not at the top part of their frame, which tended to be a little in the way.

The SportVue worked fine during the enitre ride. It is nice to be able to just glance up slightly and see my speed. There's no need to look down at the guages and refocus my eyes, just a quick glance up - you really never take your eyes off the road, you just sort of consciously focus in the upper portion of your field of view.

The biggest issue I had was when I was riding into direct sunlight. The brightness of the sun washed out the display and I couldn't really read it at all. I think that was compounded by the fact that my sun glasses were a little in the way and the fact that I had the HMD set on the lowest light setting. If I had it set on the brighter setting, I think I probably could have seen it just fine. I didn't really think to try it on the higher setting, which is activated by a simple push of the button on the top of the HMD, while riding. I'm still getting used to everything that it can do.

It is pretty cool to be able to see my gear selection, although the 6th gear position is not working quite right. I need to attempt to reprogram it and will be doing so on a dyno at a local bike shop. Reprogramming it on the dyno will eliminate the need for the open stretch of highway and illegal speeds necessary to run it through the gears while in programming mode.

Right now I'm pretty happy with it. More impressions to follow...

TripleThreat