Formotion Temperature Gauge

[saldog]

New jewelry for my bike.

 

[the Ferret]

I like it!

 

[Rapturee]

Ditto, where did you score that one!!?? :{P

 

[saldog]

Mini RSL Clock - Super Visibility — Formotion Products Inc.

Bolt-On allows for unlimited mounting options. Super LumiNova night-visible hands and markings to read in any condition. Large 1.75" (44.5mm) diameter for easy reading. Flight deck design - super easy to read 304 Stainless Steel case with Gun Metal color plating for years of abuse. Citizen 3 y

www.formotionproducts.com

 

[GregT]

Hello Saldog: I have the Formotion temp gauge and clock on my 750. Not sure the temp gauge can be trusted, especially with the sun shining on it, but they sure are good looking pieces.

 

[TonyKZ1]

Yep, I like and use their temperature gauges and clocks too.

 

[saldog]

While the gauge looks beautiful and is of very high quality, it is a bit disappointing. At first, you assume it is inaccurate, but it is not. After waiting for a while, the dial eventually read the same as my ThermoWorks Thermapen laying beside it. But it took a half an hour to get there. Riding in to work this morning, it started out about 60+º inside my garage but it was 49º outside. I thought with airflow across it that it would fairly quickly drop down. I don't think I saw it drop at all on the (very chilly) ride in. Of course it reads about right now because the temperature rose up to meet it. I think you can't trust what it reads at any given moment unless the temperature has remained stable for a considerably amount of time. Of course, this will be made worse in direct sunlight. But it sure looks pretty.

 

[Rapturee]

wow, and at $49 it had better be, yikes! :{P

 

[670cc]

Just to whine a little bit: All of my 4+ wheel street vehicles plus my Goldwing display ambient temperature on the dash. The NC’s ECU knows what the temperature is; the measurement is already there. With all the complexity Honda seems to have added to the latest NC dash display, it’s too bad Honda didn’t display something as useful as ambient temperature.

 

[TheIronWarrior]

+

 

[melensdad]

That is a beautiful temperature gauge, I'm jealous.

I have an inexpensive little plastic one, mounted down on the triple tree with a piece of double stick tape. It is out of the sun down there in most situations so I believe it gives a fairly accurate reading of the actual ambient temperature. Just my opinion, but I believe that temperature gauges should be mounted out of the sun, at least as much as is possible.

 

[halfSpinDoctor]

I have one of these clipped to the handlebars, in a similar spot (just below the brake fluid reservoir):

Amazon.com : Sun Company Clip-on Bike Thermometer | Bicycle Handlebar Thermometer | Cycling Accessory : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Sun Company Clip-on Bike Thermometer | Bicycle Handlebar Thermometer | Cycling Accessory : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

Works great for what it is; that being, "tells the temperature to the nearest 5-10 degrees". The dial is small, so you can't really read it with much more precision than that. The temp definitely updates quickly, and when moving from the heated garage at work to outside I see the temperature updated within 5 mins or so.

 

[670cc]

In my opinion, a thermometer that updates too slowly, or is heavily influenced by it's position in the sun, is near worthless. If I was intent on adding an ambient temperature display, I would put a digital readout somewhere on the handlebars, with a remote temperature probe mounted in the engine airbox intake. The airbox would be out of the sunshine, and the air moving through the intake while the engine is running and the bike is moving should yield an accurate temperature reading and update quickly.

If the NC followed OBDII protocols, I could just add a scan gauge display and pull the temperature from the ECU, but no can do on the NC, as far as I know.

As a side note, it's amazing how a motorcycle rider can detect small temperature changes while riding. On occasion, I'll note the feeling of a slight temperature change while riding, and notice on the Goldwing's display that the temperature had indeed changed - by just 2 degrees F.

 

[the Ferret]

As a side note, it's amazing how a motorcycle rider can detect small temperature changes while riding. On occasion, I'll note the feeling of a slight temperature change while riding, and notice on the Goldwing's display that the temperature had indeed changed - by just 2 degrees F.

It is amazing isn't it? Considering we are generally covered head to toe in gear.

 

[TonyKZ1]

I forgot to add that awhile back, I sent my temp gauge and clock into Formotion for maintenance, i.e. checking out, touching up paint, replacing battery, etc.. Well a few days later, I got back an email that said-we can't fix air bubbles inside the temp gauge (it's filled with oil). Hmm that's odd 'cause it didn't have any air bubbles in it when I sent it to them as it was working fine. So when I got them back they looked the same, paint worn off the front and sure enough the temp gauge now has an air bubble in it. It still works but now has an air bubble in the top of it. As for the clock, after they replaced the o-ring, the back cover threads must have gotten stripped or messed up somehow cause it came apart and fell off my bike a few days later. So now I'm replacing it with an Oxford clock.

 

[saldog]

I have to move this thing to a shaded area. It was reading 101º today when it was 89º.

 

[670cc]

I have to move this thing to a shaded area. It was reading 101º today when it was 89º.

I always figure the temperature reading in the sun is valid. If it reads 101 in the sun, that's also what it feels like to me in the sun.

 

[DirtFlier]

I bought a analog temp gauge years ago and can no longer find them. Mine has about 1" dial but this one with a 1.75" is a bit too much for me. It just seems too visually overpowering.

 

[jeremyr62]

I used to ride a lot in winter in mainland Europe. Had some very cold long distance rides from Ireland to Germany and France in the snow. Anyway you need an accurate way of determining the ambient temp if you are going to do stupid things like that. I had a Kisan Chargeguard with a thermistor sensor for years. The sensor was mounted behind the fork slider. This was on a 2004 FJR. It was good and had a feature where you calibrate it so it would be accurate in the range you were most concerned with. In my case this was around 0 to 4degC. Now I just use a shrouded Type K thermocouple cable tied to the fork leg and a digital thermometer in my tank bag. Finding a digital thermometer with a switchable backlight was a task but they are out there.