Retro fitting of an analog fuel gauge to an R18 classic.

[Wal]

I'd like to fit an analog fuel gauge ( the one like the ones fitted to the Bagger. ) is it possible or do I have to fill up at every gas station I pass, just incase I get low on fuel ????

 

[Ulrich]

Good thinking! I have this nice empty spot on the right of my Speedometer .. wouldn't it be nice if Wunderlich could make a matching one ... hint hint hint (just in case somebody from Wunderlich is listening )

 

[Wal]

Did you manage to fit the rev counter with the standard screen.
A fuel gauge on the right would even the display up

 

[Ulrich]

Yes it fit fine .. Wunderlich America told me it would not fit .. but a brother in Germany send me one from Wunderlich Germany and the bracket fit beautifully without any modifications with my Windshield ... a tach is really not needed ... but I love to have analog gages

 

[Wal]

Yes it fit fine .. Wunderlich America told me it would not fit .. but a brother in Germany send me one from Wunderlich Germany and the bracket fit beautifully without any modifications with my Windshield ... a tach is really not needed ... but I love to have analog gages

I must admit I’m also an analog gauge man.
I’ve just fit a new wunderlich pillion seat.
I’m now considering the rev counter. Thanks for the info.

 

[Ulrich]

My pleasure

 

[MN246]

Good thinking! I have this nice empty spot on the right of my Speedometer .. wouldn't it be nice if Wunderlich could make a matching one ... hint hint hint (just in case somebody from Wunderlich is listening )
View attachment 16091

That looks really nice.

 

[MN246]

I'd like to fit an analog fuel gauge ( the one like the ones fitted to the Bagger. ) is it possible or do I have to fill up at every gas station I pass, just incase I get low on fuel ????

Does your bike have any indication of fuel level? From your comments it didn't sound like it did. If not, I would be curious if you tank has a sending unit in it that would give some level feedback signal for the gauge.

 

[Ulrich]

Does your bike have any indication of fuel level? From your comments it didn't sound like it did. If not, I would be curious if you tank has a sending unit in it that would give some level feedback signal for the gauge.

Yes it does .. it is a Yellow Triangle lighting up in the Speedometer when the bike calculates that I have, at current consumption, @ 40 miles left and then it will show mileage starting at '0' to tell me how far I so far went on 'Reserve'

 

[MN246]

Yes it does .. it is a Yellow Triangle lighting up in the Speedometer when the bike calculates that I have, at current consumption, @ 40 miles left and then it will show mileage starting at '0' to tell me how far I so far went on 'Reserve'

As long as the output from that is analog, you should be able to find a gauge that can translate the output to a fuel level. My suspicion is that BMW would probably use the same sending unit for all applications, if for no other reason than controlling costs. If it did have a digital output that created a software interrupt, that might be harder to work with.

It's really crazy how some of the auto/motorcycle companies design their control systems. Bosch and BMW jointly developed the CAN protocol in the mid 80's. It is crazy how many devices are now CAN network devices rather than simple analog feedback sensors. I had a window switch go out on my Dodge truck. I assumed it was a simple switch that activated holding current on a relay. In reality it was a CAN device that could not be bypassed as whatever you used to control the window needed the assigned CAN address to be recognized by the network controller. I say all that because it could be simple, or it could be overly complex and very difficult. My 30 years of engineering experience, 15 of it working for European/German capital equipment manufacturers, leads me to lean toward overly complex and over engineered. It is the German engineering philosophy.

 

[Ulrich]

In defense of, yes overcomplicated German engineering ... still better than Lucas Electric

 

[BER18 100]

In mathematics, an elegant solution is simple but beautifully effective. Prefer elegance to "over engineered".

 

[MN246]

In mathematics, an elegant solution is simple but beautifully effective. Prefer elegance to "over engineered".

I completely agree. Of the European companies that I've worked for (ASML, SICK, Multivac, and Marel), SICK is the only one that consistently simplified their engineering solutions.

 

[Wal]

Does anyone have a part number for a bagger fuel gauge.
They look a similar size to the wunderlic rev counter.