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'96 R850R Instrument Cluster Modifications

mrwaj

New member
I still have no idea how it happened but 10 broken ribs, broken shoulder and minus one spleen later I find myself looking at a bike that has barley a scratch except for a cracked instrument cluster (I think I sacrificed my body for the bike). Since I never liked the grouping and lack of some gauges this is a perfect time for an upgrade. Has anyone had experience with replacing the cluster with something more. I'd love to have a speedo, tach, oil pressure and temp and a real fuel gauge. Other nice to have would be a at least a good mount for GPS/tablet (international use), LED headlight, and aux switches for additional lights and other items. Figure I would ask here before I reinvent the wheel and go totally custom.
 
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Welcome to the forum! And sorry to hear about the kerfuffle...glad you're OK. Hopefully someone with ideas for a replacement will be along.
 
Welcome Fellow R850R

As a fellow 850 owner...welcome. I totaled a Hayabusa a few years back. Broke 6 ribs in multiple places and bruised a lung, so I feel your pain. I have an aftermarket tach for mine, but have not installed it. I Installed a Scout Parabellum fairing, so I still haven't tried to install the tach as I think it uses or blocks the location. I too wanted a temperature gauge, but everyone says you don't need one. I still may try at some point. Stock dash is pretty lame and bare. Still a work in progress. I'm debating on removing the dash housing ( plastic bits ) and fab something that compliments the fairing...
 
Welcome to the forum:wave
Sorry to hear about the damage to you and bike...but sounds like your ready to get back to it:thumb

Am in process of converting an 1100R to a scrambler and still looking at all the wiring and indicator lights I need to deal with as I would prefer to keep most/all of them.I have a donor 99 that has the upgraded guage package the 1150R used that may be my answer. There is a harness adapter that allegedly transfers to older model, but I have not gotten that far.
View attachment 73022
99 R three switch bracket over ignition switch. This has ABS on/off and four way flasher switch, third is not used.

You will not get more than the low fuel warning for the fuel issue.
The temp guage...never missed having one on this model, I use the time stuck not moving and prior experience of air cooled engines to know if it's hot or not and when to shut off. Sometimes I don't really want to know:banghead


There are several pictures on the 'net if you search BMW R1100 Scrambler or such.

Wunderlich has one they built with a simple set up, there are more pictures and angles somehere on their site,I don't have a link.

IMG_1217.JPG

Another build with a digital display of some sort
BMW-R1100R-Scrambler-5.jpeg
 
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Sorry for the I-rotate photos

The 99 R had this switch cluster mounted over the ignition switch for ABS and four ways, the third switch is not tied to anything.It also has two of the indicators on it...thinking this was ABS/general warning on this model.
IMG_3469.JPG

This is the 1150R's setup

IMG_3468.JPG
 
I still have no idea how it happened but 10 broken ribs, broken shoulder and minus one spleen later I find myself looking at a bike that has barley a scratch except for a cracked instrument cluster (I think I sacrificed my body for the bike)...

As former '96 R850R owner, I appreciate your sacrifice to save a fine motorcycle.

And as a former '96 R850R owner, I understand the instrument improvement desire. My bike was non-ABS (as I think were all US-spec R850Rs), so the big area "under glass" (plastic) at right side of instrument module was unused: the 2 warning lights for ABS occupy the top of that instrument section. My idea was to install a sequential LED tachometer light bar in that unused space, kinda like an old VU meter... at that time I could not find an LED light bar of sufficient size to fit the application, and I sold the bike shortly after buying an R1150R.

But I do love the R850R for engine smoothness and gentile overall capability. It's the gentlemen's oilhead boxer Roadster, only matched later by the R1200R hexhead.

So, if I was you (and this topic has me looking for another R850R) then I would consider 2 options:

1. Keep the iconic Bauhaus-esque OE instrument module, and modify discretely with tacho VU light, or
2. Swap for the '98+ R1100R instruments, which might require a change in Telelever top clamp (check parts fiche) and modest hack to get the tach signal... which should be easy, considering the OE accessory tach+clock kit that was available for early R850/1100R.

Hope you're back in the saddle soon. Rehab is the perfect time to dream up bike projects.
 
Sorry for the I-rotate photos

The 99 R had this switch cluster mounted over the ignition switch for ABS and four ways, the third switch is not tied to anything.It also has two of the indicators on it...thinking this was ABS/general warning on this model.
View attachment 73024

This is the 1150R's setup

View attachment 73025
This is starting to look like what I might want. Convert the clock to oil/temp gauge, maybe a digital fuel gauge if I could find a sending unit to use in the R850R tank. Thanks, getting ideas.
 
Fairing

As a fellow 850 owner...welcome. I totaled a Hayabusa a few years back. Broke 6 ribs in multiple places and bruised a lung, so I feel your pain. I have an aftermarket tach for mine, but have not installed it. I Installed a Scout Parabellum fairing, so I still haven't tried to install the tach as I think it uses or blocks the location. I too wanted a temperature gauge, but everyone says you don't need one. I still may try at some point. Stock dash is pretty lame and bare. Still a work in progress. I'm debating on removing the dash housing ( plastic bits ) and fab something that compliments the fairing...

I ended up replacing the instrument Custer as original and an in the process of adding a oil pressure gauge in the clock mount on the left side of the handle bars. How do you like the Scout Parabellum fairing? At $700.00 it seem pricy but alight want to tryout.

Alex
 
I ended up replacing the instrument Custer as original and an in the process of adding a oil pressure gauge in the clock mount on the left side of the handle bars. How do you like the Scout Parabellum fairing? At $700.00 it seem pricy but alight want to tryout.

Alex

Honestly, I'm not as excited as I was before I bought one. I've had a 16" windshield and now it has a 10' shield. Could be my height but I get a lot of noise/turbulence around my helmet. If I go taller on the screen it would be much better, but I don't really like looking through a windshield...but I may try one. I bought mine used off ebay for a BMW dealer who took an r1100r in trade with one on it. Wrong color, so I just plastic-dipped it for now. I found another shell, so I bought it too..ironically both are green! LOL
 
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