Tachometer and fuel guage light bulb replacement

[Slider]

I've just lost the bulb on my tach on a 98 1200S. The fuel light never did work, assuming there ever was a bulb. The local dealer has no clue on replacing this/these 50 cent items. They have no shop manuals for sale... just drop the bike off with signed blank check.

Has anybody been there? If you feel under either of the guages, the hole on the bottom seems to beg for a bulb and socket, but none seem to have fallen out and be visible danglers. Taking the fairing off sucks bigtime.

Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

[Red01]

IIRC, the 1G bikes have little bulbs inside the gauge buckets (fuel gauge, too), so you need to open them up to get to the bulbs.

The 2G bikes use LEDs for all the idiot lights & back lighting in the cluster.

[PeteSC]

If I remember correctly, there's a screw in the back of the chrome housing that comes out, then you can pull the chrome housing off.   You'll be able to pull the bulb socket out  then.  It twists out in one direction or the other......
  If you've got an S model, you have to use a small screwdriver, phillips I think, and jockey the handlebars in the right position.
  Been a while since I had a bulb burn out......

[JV]

I've tried local bike dealers and Napa, but no one has replacement bulbs.  Where can I get tach bulbs?

[Red01]

According to the microfiche at Ron Ayers, the bulbs are still available, so your dealer should be able to get them... I can't understand why your dealer couldn't find them, I didn't have any trouble, in fact, I found them in under a minute.

They show two different part numbers for the lights in the speedo & tach heads.
09471-12100 ($2.11) or 09471-12189 ($2.87) should work.
(Prices are what Ron Ayers charges, your local dealer may be higher.)

[Slider]

If I remember correctly, there's a screw in the back of the chrome housing that comes out, then you can pull the chrome housing off.   You'll be able to pull the bulb socket out  then.  It twists out in one direction or the other......
  If you've got an S model, you have to use a small screwdriver, phillips I think, and jockey the handlebars in the right position.
  Been a while since I had a bulb burn out......

Thanks for your input. I did give it a try a while back. Trouble is, I couldn't feel or locate the screw at all. Can't see squat with the fairing, regardless of position. Is their a trick to this anyone?

If I can get the bulbs out, I'm sure I can find duplicates. I chanced one at the dealer already for 95 cents.

1200S 98

[jfudo]

First try removing your windshield to get the back of the gauges.  If that doesn't do it remove the screws where the fairing brace bolts to the frame, and also unbolt the turn signals.  Maybe you will be able to move it far enough out of the way to get the gauge covers off.

Then again, maybe it would be easier to remove the gauge cluster to work on them.  None of these things are too hard to do, just remember how to put them back together.

[PeteSC]

I don't think I took apart much of my fairing, if at all, to get to the screw.
 The screw is fairly small, phillips headed, and just holds the thin, chrome shell on.
  I think it's slightly under the dead center of the back of the shell.
 I'm looking at the Haynes manual. hard to tell.

   I don't rmember major problems replacing the bulb, even though I have huge hands, and am a klutz.
 Matter of fact, I initially put a red bulb in the tach, but didn't like it, and put a normal one in....so I've 'gone in there' about 3 times, although it's been about 3 years.....


There is a '96-2000 1200 service manual online you can access in the Members forum.  MAy help to look at the tach.......