[jiggseob]

My bike is an 05 VT750CA Aero. I have two other bikes in the garage, a 1983 VT500 and an 08 KLR 650. So I don't ride the Aero daily, and when I do its always a head-scratcher as to the state of the fuel level. I wish the thing had a guage for fuel. What does one do with "I wish it had a guage..."? Flea-bay of course:

So this is a digital tach, with LED bar graph fuel guage on the bottom. It might be handy to have a tach, even handier to have some indication of fuel level other than my sketchy memory or opening the tank and sticking my finger in.

Has anyone fitted such a thing with succes? Any idea what sort of electrical input will make the fuel guage work? Of course item details are really short on actually whats there, other than a picture. The instructions seem like it needs an existing potentiometer / float connection thing inside the fuel tank already... Something tells me not going to work.

 

[kesanders]

I could see how it could work. It would take a bit of dialing in but I would think it would be fairly accurate. Based on your rpm, engine under load, engine idling from your rpms it could be beneficial. If you can research the fuel guage setup to see if it could work and is adjustable.

 

[ChefBillyGoat]

Fuel gauges typically require an in-tank fuel sending unit and/or sensor combo. You definitely can't reliably calculate fuel level based on engine RPM.

Use your trip meter to keep track of fuel level. Reset the trip meter at every fill up. Bonus for this method, if/when you run out fuel, you'll find out exactly how far you can go on a full tank.

 

[kesanders]

I do the odometer method because it is all I have but an hour meter would actually be more accurate. I go between 36- 45 mpg and that's a pretty big swing. Engine run time and rpm are big factors. Based on the odometer and your current driving, such as a trip you will learn an appropriate range to fill up. If you walk once you probably won't do it again. The thing I don't like is that I can't look into the shadow tank and see the fuel level. On my other bikes I can see the fuel level and guess how much gas I need very closely.

 

[D's Spirit]

I have not heard of an accurate after market fuel gauge...doesn't mean they don't exist, though.

Like ChefBillyGoat and kesanders, I count my miles -- Every time I fill up, I zero out the odometer. I know the Shadow will go about 130 miles before reserve and the Valkyrie will go about 120 miles before reserve. Oh, yeah...I make sure the fuel valve is in run (not reserve) at fill up. So...when I get on the bike in the garage, I can glance at the odometer and know how much fuel is in the tank. Simple system that works every time.

 

[jpr1968]

An in-tank fuel gauge on a Shadow won't work because of the raised section in the bottom of the tank.

 

[cyclejohn]

"I wish it had a guage..."? Flea-bay of course:
View attachment 298921

So, I pulled these instructions from one of the sites on Ebay that sells the gauge you bought:

Fuel gauge installation and debugging methods:
1.Connect the positive and negative pole to power supply correctly.
2.Turn on the electric door switch,fuel gauge displays a grid of red,and then connected signal line to the negative pole.
Wait for a while,LED light will all light up slowly,indicating normal operation.
3.Connect the signal line, fill up,slowly adjust the potentiometer to make all the LED lights on.
When oil runs out,slightly adjust potentiometer so as to make only one red LED light on.(Please note: The original fuel gauge can not be used together)

Package Included:
1x 2-in-1 motorcycle Tachometer fuel gauge


Hopefully the tach works for you so you didn't waste your $20.

John

There is always this:

 

[swifty2014]

Fill up slowly til the oil runs out has me wary of that unit.

 

[Troy Jollimore]

Fill up slowly til the oil runs out has me wary of that unit.

“It’s not running out. I’ll have to drain it to calibrate that gauge…” 😄

 

[h13man]

Basically you need a in tank sending unit. If you don't have a bike equipped with one, this wont work. Your odometer is your fuel gage. As far as adjusting fuel gages, on my 00' Kawasaki ZR7 with a fuel gage, I was able add a resistor inline to calibrate it to perfection.