Bandit Gear Indicator

[99er]

OK, Pete asked me to repost this one.

I built a gear indicator when I was bored a few years ago and it's still going strong on the B12. It applies to the 600 and 1200 as the old GS switch fits both models and has the capability for 6 gears. My Gen I LEDs are directly beneath the fuel gauge.

By the way, you can do this simply with just diodes if you don't mind a small difference in light intensity from gear to gear.

Contact me with questions. Happy to help you if I can. Good luck!

http://home.comcast.net/~gsf1299/BanditGear/

Marc/Douglasville GA
'99 B12
mods...

[Red01]

Pete should have looked in the FAQ...  

Bandit Gear Indicator thread

But it sure doesn't hurt to bring it to the attention of those who might be interested.

BTW - what changes to your instructions would need to be made to make it work with a seven segment display?

[Red01]

Some questions though...

First, what year GS1100 did this switch come from?
(It'll make things easier when ordering from a parts counter who may not want to just take the p/n you tell them you want.)

Second, IRT:

1. Gear Switch: Install the gear selector switch from Suzuki on the transmission by removing the chain sprocket cover and locating the switch near the bottom of the trans. Removal is by two philips head screws. Be sure not to lost the o-ring. The original neutral indicator should fit just as the original. This modification preserves the original neutral light.

Does this mean the Suzuki 37720-24A01 GS1100 switch is sandwiched between the case and your existing neutral safety switch? (In other words, the neutral switch will now piggyback on the digital gear switch.) I ask because when looking on BikeBandit for the part, it looks about the same as the existing Bandit neutral switch (as near as a poor quality copy of a microfiche can tell you). Makes it look like the GS11 switch would replace the Bandit switch, so that why I'm asking for some clarification.

[99er]

Funny, I found it out on the web when someone else did a similar thing. The part number is still current and the new switch replaces your original neutral safety switch perfectly. It even plugs into your current neutral dongle. The only difference is that it has 7 contact points and 7 wires instead of one.
Marc

[97RedBird]

I'm the one that asked about it while the forum was on vacation.

Hey Marc, I'm Nathan from Kansas.

In the writeup in FAQ it says you can use your switch from a 96 B6, but I believe this is incorrect as I have a 96 B6.  My neutral switch has one wire and the voltage was 12+ volts and .6 volts so my switch was basically an on/off switch only.  I will check into getting the other switch sometime this summer.

Thanks!

[99er]

Hi Nathan,
Sorry for the delay. I'm not on the list often but will mark this for a reply so I'm notified. You can send me private messages...

The part number for the stock switch on the 96B6 and my 99B12 are identical. Good on Katanas also. This is the switch that you remove and toss out.
In any gear but neutral, the trans will keep the switch open. You should read 12V at the switch since current is NOT flowing and your neutral light stays off. When you hit neutral, the switch grounds through the trans and you have a completed circuit.

The switch you buy has 7 conductors instead of just one. 6 gears plus neutral.
Marc

[97RedBird]

Thanks,  no worries Marc.  

Attempting to install handguards first.  My hands are cold and felt this was a priority.  Have the right on, working on the left next.

['?']

Pics when you're done?

[Red01]

There's no pics, but the install instructions for putting V-Strom handguards on a B12 are here:

http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=229

It'll look just like a Bandit - with V-strom handguards.

There used to be a guy here that had some pics of his B12 with the V-Strom guards, but he sold his bike and is gone... but it didn't look dorky, looked factory.

[97RedBird]

Meanstrk at Maximum-Suzuki has some pics of a 2G 1200S with the hand guards.

http://www.maximum-suzuki.com/ibf/index.php?s=f33cf5ae17e34afd7c82fc123405e6eb&showtopic=27643

There are a few pictures here.  

The right hand guard is the same for the 1G 600,  I am waiting on a DR650 left hand guard, for my B6 (has clutch cable instead of hydraulic clutch)  I ordered the left and drilled a hole for the clutch cable then looked at it and thought "this isn't going to work"

[Phil1200s]

Sorry guys to interrupt you, I' new on this forum and I think I did my homework by searching through the different subjects and threads, I could'nt find anything specific about fitting a gear indicator switch on a generation II bandit1200... I bought all the hardware but the switch, and my half a$$ dealer (in Canada) cannot even find the first gen part number (37720-24A01 (GS1100)) that seems to be easily available at most suppliers (US) I browsed lately...

Does anybody know what part number fits on a newer model?

When this device is installed, what will happen with performance, because the ignition module wil not receive information anymore (2nd and 3rd gear, as read in PERFORMANCE/FINAL DRIVE, IGNITION RETARD 2nd & 3rd).

I am planning on installing Holeshot's stage2 jet kit, ignition advancer, exhaust system (maybe twin system), some cosmetics...
First thing I did was installing a Givi windshield to get that cold Canadian wind out of my face...

It is great that people can get together and share all this information, be sure that I will try to participate as much as I can to make other people benefit from what I learn!

Thanks!

[Red01]

You replace the existing switch with the GS11 piece. The author makes no guarantees simply because the 2G uses a different P/N than the 1G, but there's no significant change to the trans between the two, so there's no reason it shouldn't work.

Canadian and US models do not retard in 2nd & 3rd like Euro models do, so there's nothing to worry about. Even if they did, if you robbed the ignition module of the info, it just wouldn't retard those gears so you'd just have more power in 2nd & 3rd...
...and wouldn't that just be a terrible shame.  

[Phil1200s]

Guys, this is really helpfull!  I'm going to order myself a switch today and see if they also sell citizenship cards, cause there's no way I can find here all the stuff that's available in the US!

I'm gonna have to restrain myself because my credit cards are going to burst into flames soon!

This is going to be a very long winter... Still a month or so before hibernation though!

Thanks!
(I'll post pictures as soon as I figure out how, no help needed yet, let me explore a little bit...)    

[PeteSC]

Don't know if this helps, but Bikebandit will ship to Canada, maybe RonAyers, also.
  (Both sources of discounted OEM parts...)
   IT may be easier to order from the US than dealing with your local shop, as long as any extra fees don't eat up any savings.

[Phil1200s]

Ok, I received the gear switch as ordered from BikeBandit, part #37720-24A01 (listed for a GS(or GX)1400 1986), and I cannot make that part work on my B12.    On the original part, there is one small pin (neutral), two large pins (2nd and 3rd gear) and a center pin (common).  On the replacement I bought, there are 6 large pins (6 speed gear) and a small pin (neutral), but no center pin (see picture).  Unless I can find a part number that includes a center pin, I will have to modify the one I got (not easy, looks like epoxy resin) to include the center pin.  

Any advice welcome!!