Condensation in the speedo and tach

General motorcycle conversation

Moderators: Volker_P, tidd650

User avatar
Vatch
Posts: 232
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:26 am
Location: West Virginia, USA

Condensation in the speedo and tach

Postby Vatch » Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:51 pm

The last two times I've taken the bike out I've been caught in heavy rains. The bike ran well, but now I have condensation in the tach and speedo housings. The bike sat all week in a garage (relative humidity is still pretty high), but the condensation has not gone away completely. Has anyone else experienced this? Will it go away with time or should I open them up?

Incidentally, this Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen is a tastey beer.
:D
'99 1500 Drifter

User avatar
nickjtc
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:49 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada

Postby nickjtc » Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:04 pm

If you live in a moist part of the world, won't this keep happening? I would gently warm the clocks (put a hot water bottle on them??) to get rid of the condensation.

Or move to hereabouts where it only rains 10", max, a year!!
.....to be myself, a pattern for others.

1979 CB650
1971 Norton Commando
1968 CB175

User avatar
Vatch
Posts: 232
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:26 am
Location: West Virginia, USA

Postby Vatch » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:09 pm

nickjtc wrote:If you live in a moist part of the world, won't this keep happening? I would gently warm the clocks (put a hot water bottle on them??) to get rid of the condensation.

Or move to hereabouts where it only rains 10", max, a year!!


I parked it out in the sun today, a rarity in the Ohio River valley.

I just moved to this moist place. I think I've seen the sun 8 times in six weeks. I will need some decent rain gear because I think my leather jacket and boots will be rotting before long. Oh yeah, and the garage (a term I use loosely) floods during heavy rains. Hmmm. I hope the rust demons do come for a visit.
'99 1500 Drifter

User avatar
Volker_P
Posts: 5508
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:53 am
Location: southern Germany

Re: Condensation in the speedo and tach

Postby Volker_P » Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:55 am

Vatch wrote: Will it go away with time or should I open them up?

There is no reasonable way to open the instruments without damaging them. Usually just riding should solve your problem. If you want to accelerate the process, you can remove the instrument lamps and do a trip at dry weather or use a haidryer. Another option is to dismount them, put out the lamps and let them dry out inside the house.

My garage is also quite wet and I have condensation/corrosion problems in winter. I remove the headlight mirror and spray the whole bike with oil, however I never removed the instruments or tried to seal or treat them with oil inside. Sometimes, there is some condensation but it always vanished and the instruments still work.

User avatar
nickjtc
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 9:49 pm
Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada

Postby nickjtc » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:16 am

For instruction on how to get into your instruments, see this:

http://www.salocal.com/sohc/tech/speedo/spedo1.htm

I used this procedure to get the broken pieces of my speedo face out.
.....to be myself, a pattern for others.



1979 CB650

1971 Norton Commando

1968 CB175


Return to “General Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests