Custom Gauges: Tutorial-ish

A7xschecter6661 · August 14th, 2011, 11:09 PM

Hey there. I have my pretty black and green bike and don't like the black & white/red face on the gauges. So I browsed around looking for replacements, then looked for guides on how to do it yourself. Then started emailing a vinyl place asking if I scanned the faces could they make me the faces with the lines cut out. Then I decided to do it myself and have some fun.

Keep in mind if you follow this and mess anything up its not my problem, I am using spare parts and swapping them to my bike when and IF it works correctly. Also these are not going to be perfect. But it gives you a chance to throw a little customization into them.

Here is what you start with: They just unscrew out of the cluster (luckily I had a spare from a parts bike laying around)

Then I drilled out the back of the needle resting pin and pulled it through. Later this can be popped back in and super glued in the back.

Scan this to your computer and print a few copies. This will help you cut over the vinyl. Cut them out, I may have gotten lucky but it scanned to my computer and printed the correct size.

I then scraped off whatever I want to shine through with the dulled corner (flat) of a razor blade.

Then I slapped the carbon fiber on them trimmed off the extra (don't make it perfect because I did this the first time, messed it up and had to start over anyway so just get it close with scissors)

Then poked out the holes with a needle/screw driver/pen and tape the paper for that gauge over the faceplate. The holes help you line it up correctly.

I decide to do my RPM gauge as triangles instead of just rectangles.

The temperature face I messed up and combined the red area with the last line, but I actually like it better. But I may redo it to size it to match the height of the horizontal line.

And finally, the speedo. I took off all the 10 increments as well as 45, 55 and 65 as those are the most common speeds I travel.

Next will be some green paint on the back so it shines through green!
Then I will probably paint the bulbs for extra green and get everything together to take pics.

Let me know what you think!

Alex · August 14th, 2011, 11:21 PM

Neat!

Snake · August 14th, 2011, 11:41 PM

Great idea. Can't wait to see pics of the finished product.

CynicalC · August 15th, 2011, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake

Great idea. Can't wait to see pics of the finished product.

This.

Trailerboy531 · August 15th, 2011, 01:17 AM

Very interested in seeing the finished product

A7xschecter6661 · August 21st, 2011, 04:41 PM

Here is where I am at now.
I actually ended up ripping the carbon fiber off, using fluorescent green paint underneath, re-cutting the lines and then filling in the areas with more paint with a toothpick. Cleaned the extra paint off with goo gone and of course it fades the carbon fiber! Oh well hoping its not too noticeable behind the lens anyway.

Its not perfect but I still think it looks cool!

Next I just have to find where I can get tiny number stickers to replace the speeds and rpms!

Though my girlfriends handwriting with a silver sharpie might look great

ducducgooseit · August 21st, 2011, 05:40 PM

Kudos on the coloring.

Is it hard to get the carbon fiber weave to line up?

A7xschecter6661 · August 21st, 2011, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducducgooseit

Kudos on the coloring.

Is it hard to get the carbon fiber weave to line up?

Actually I didn't even think about making the pattern go the same way on the guages.
I just cut a square, peel it, lay it flat, slap the gauge on it and start cutting away

Its not technically a carbon fiber vinyl, its more of just a cross stitched black fabric

Should hopefully have them on the bike tomorrow, only problem being I won't have numbers that light up at night to know my speed, but its easy enough to know where I should be at, some light comes in around the front which is why I also painted the bulbs green so we will see how it looks!

A7xschecter6661 · August 22nd, 2011, 05:54 PM

It looks pretty good, I had my girlfriend write the numbers on with a extra fine silver paint sharpie. The only thing that could make these things turn out better if you decide to do them is to use a transparent adhesive film underneath to do the coloring instead of paint. I would say colored tint/lens tape something like that.

Nice thing is since the gauge faces aren't right against the glass it lets a little light in front of them to slightly light up the numbers so you can still see them

Let me know what you think!

Mekkakat · August 22nd, 2011, 08:29 PM

hmm, wild.

Kevin2109 · August 22nd, 2011, 08:36 PM

Not gunna lie, its a tad ghetto

But its a great idea! I like it

August 14th, 2011, 11:09 PM	#1
A7xschecter6661 ....................... Name: Peter Location: New York Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Yamaha R6 Posts: 113	Custom Gauges: Tutorial-ish Hey there. I have my pretty black and green bike and don't like the black & white/red face on the gauges. So I browsed around looking for replacements, then looked for guides on how to do it yourself. Then started emailing a vinyl place asking if I scanned the faces could they make me the faces with the lines cut out. Then I decided to do it myself and have some fun. Keep in mind if you follow this and mess anything up its not my problem, I am using spare parts and swapping them to my bike when and IF it works correctly. Also these are not going to be perfect. But it gives you a chance to throw a little customization into them. Here is what you start with: They just unscrew out of the cluster (luckily I had a spare from a parts bike laying around) Then I drilled out the back of the needle resting pin and pulled it through. Later this can be popped back in and super glued in the back. Scan this to your computer and print a few copies. This will help you cut over the vinyl. Cut them out, I may have gotten lucky but it scanned to my computer and printed the correct size. I then scraped off whatever I want to shine through with the dulled corner (flat) of a razor blade. Then I slapped the carbon fiber on them trimmed off the extra (don't make it perfect because I did this the first time, messed it up and had to start over anyway so just get it close with scissors) Then poked out the holes with a needle/screw driver/pen and tape the paper for that gauge over the faceplate. The holes help you line it up correctly. I decide to do my RPM gauge as triangles instead of just rectangles. The temperature face I messed up and combined the red area with the last line, but I actually like it better. But I may redo it to size it to match the height of the horizontal line. And finally, the speedo. I took off all the 10 increments as well as 45, 55 and 65 as those are the most common speeds I travel. Next will be some green paint on the back so it shines through green! Then I will probably paint the bulbs for extra green and get everything together to take pics. Let me know what you think!

August 14th, 2011, 11:21 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Neat! __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

August 22nd, 2011, 05:54 PM	#9
A7xschecter6661 ....................... Name: Peter Location: New York Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Yamaha R6 Posts: 113	Final results are in It looks pretty good, I had my girlfriend write the numbers on with a extra fine silver paint sharpie. The only thing that could make these things turn out better if you decide to do them is to use a transparent adhesive film underneath to do the coloring instead of paint. I would say colored tint/lens tape something like that. Nice thing is since the gauge faces aren't right against the glass it lets a little light in front of them to slightly light up the numbers so you can still see them Let me know what you think!

August 22nd, 2011, 08:36 PM	#11
Kevin2109 KThanksBye Name: Kevin Location: Orange County Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2006 zx636r Posts: A lot.	Not gunna lie, its a tad ghetto But its a great idea! I like it __________________________________________________ ----> My Youtube! <---- Unregistered, watch my youtube page!

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August 14th, 2011, 11:41 PM	#3
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Great idea. Can't wait to see pics of the finished product.

August 15th, 2011, 01:17 AM	#5
Trailerboy531 Gear crash test dummy Name: Max Location: South Bay (So. Cal) Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 race bike, 2014 ZX-636r Posts: A lot.	Very interested in seeing the finished product

August 21st, 2011, 04:41 PM	#6
A7xschecter6661 ....................... Name: Peter Location: New York Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Yamaha R6 Posts: 113	Here is where I am at now. I actually ended up ripping the carbon fiber off, using fluorescent green paint underneath, re-cutting the lines and then filling in the areas with more paint with a toothpick. Cleaned the extra paint off with goo gone and of course it fades the carbon fiber! Oh well hoping its not too noticeable behind the lens anyway. Its not perfect but I still think it looks cool! Next I just have to find where I can get tiny number stickers to replace the speeds and rpms! Though my girlfriends handwriting with a silver sharpie might look great

August 21st, 2011, 05:40 PM	#7
ducducgooseit Name: ... Location: ... Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): ... Posts: 999	Kudos on the coloring. Is it hard to get the carbon fiber weave to line up?

August 22nd, 2011, 08:29 PM	#10
Mekkakat Eternal Noob Name: Chase Location: Pittsburgh PA Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): "Blanka" 07' Ninja 250 Posts: 247	hmm, wild.