'79 special: tachometer

[mixelpix]

Am I crazy, or is the tach electric? Just pulled off the front fairing and was expecting to see a cable jutting out of the back, but only see wires.

Hmm, learning something new every day...

-pdk

[mixelpix]

Amazing what you can learn from the archives:

Originally posted by xs1100yam
In fact, the tacho is a frequencymeter; it shows frequency of AC comming from the AC generator (AC generator being on the crankshaft, frequency depends of engine RPM)

Next time I'll try not to think with my typing fingers...

[Bubba1954]

Your Tach is powered by three wires. A ground wire, a 12v powerwire, and a 7v pulse wire from from one of the stator coils.

Bubba

[mixelpix]

Hi Bubba,

Thanks - It's always nice to know which is what! My Tach has been living behind a fairing most of it's life, but I am sure it could stand to have some cleaning done to it's innards... (I know I probably could... and I'm not much older than the bike.)

Took a look at the pictures of your bike - really like the toaster box tank paint job. What model of fairing is that? Mine just got busted and I am looking for the fairing model to match the lowers I recently found - the flat, square ones like you have.

Thanks Again!
-Patrick Kennedy

[Pat Kelly]

The fairing on Bubba's bike is also a Pacifico. It was offered by Yamaha on the standards. I have the same fairing on my E and it is labeled as a Yamaha part.
I see no reason it couldn't be used on a Special. This fairing is huge! Lots of protection and storage.

[mixelpix]

Thanks Pat, is there a Pacifico website like the Vetter one which address compatability issues?

Alas, I thought Bubba's was a Vet. I'll get the hang of it after another couple of bikes I'm sure... Please correct me if I am wrong, but I assume the most obvious difference is the Vetters have a 2 soft snapping covers or one soft/one hard lock and Pacifico's have two hard locking compartments?

Also, any idea what this is, Pac or Vet?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWA%3AIT

It looks like a Vet to me...

Thanks!!

[gaffer77]

just wanted to say bubbas bike is prob the most stunning i have seen man that is one pretty thing !!!!!

[Pat Kelly]

I think that's a Vetter on the Ebay link.
No website for Pacifico anymore.
I'm on my 2nd Pacifico fairing. First one came to me cracked at the mounting. Had it repaired but it continued cracking. I got a second Pacifico that was cracked at all the windshield mounts. Had them 'spliced' together to make one good fairing.
Now it's cracking too. These fairings are 25 years old and getting brittle. When this one's beyond repair I'm not sure what I'll do.

[mixelpix]

Originally posted by Pat Kelly
I think that's a Vetter on the Ebay link.
No website for Pacifico anymore.

Oh well, thanks!

These fairings are 25 years old and getting brittle. When this one's beyond repair I'm not sure what I'll do.

Yeah, honestly, if I get one on eBay I am a little concerned about how they'll fare the shipment as well - would hate to find the perfect fairing only to have it dropped on a corner by your friendly neighborhood postal deliverer... Still checking my options. Thanks!

-pdk

[Bubba1954]

I have to thank you all for the nice compliments on my ol' gal. The pictures do make her look very nice from a far. Up close you'd see that she still has a few paint nicks and a minor ding or two in that big tank.

I bought it with a huge matching trunk and a large custom painted glass front fender, that the last owner had the dealer install on it before he took delivery back in 1979'. This bike is just about to turn 40k but runs nearly perfectly for a 26 year old gal!

I do have to say this large Yamaha/Pacifico fairing is about equal in comfort to my GL1500 Goldwing. It's warm in the cold weather months and if you ride with your feet your feet on the highway pegs mounted on the engine case savers, and your legs outside of the lowers, they stay cool and don't feel the engine heet during the summer months. Here in Kansas it gets below zero during the winter months and above 100 during the summer months.

I have really been impressed with some of the bikes our members own. Anyone can buy a late model cruiser and wax it up and have a sweet looking bike. But when you start out with a bike a quarter century old and get it to look good, well, you've done something to be proud of. Ride on my friends.

Bubba

[mixelpix]

Originally posted by Bubba1954
when you start out with a bike a quarter century old and get it to look good, well, you've done something to be proud of.

I'll get there...

[gaffer77]

hopefully ill get there too!!! i put all my dosh in to my near 40 year old bonnie at mo and that is going to be showroom condition ,hopefully my xs will look good in the end as well

but bubba i was going to say for an old bike that you use you ,got to be proud of your bike ,theres going to be blemishes but out of all photos ive seen of a bike that is ridden your's is the tops!!!!!

the parts you got on it are the tops as well it all flows and its all in great nick ,i love it!!!

[Bubba1954]

Hi Gaffer,

I am looking forward to seeing your Bonnie when you get it completed. It brings a tear to my eyes, when I think of the beautiful 68 Bonnie that I sold out of lust for a new Harley.

Bubba

[gaffer77]

i know this isnt the thread to write this but the bonnie is being painted within the month hopefully,need a seat,centre stand and a couple of odds and ends so id say within about 8 weeks i will post a pic of it to you ,its going to be totally standard (uk spec)
might put some usa export bars on it ,and i put some better tyres on (more grip and confidence)its up in newcastle ,400 miles from me being taken care of now by a fanatical triumph enthusiast ,it deserved that ,i will do my own xs tho!!!!

i am hankering after a v max black max so have to see if i like the bonnie yet!!! might sell out like you!!!

xs is always going to be there tho you know all about the practical and spares and blah,blah ,blah stuff about them

most of all they got thier own charm and look like a motorcycle

harleys got a stigma over here (still lots that like them ,my mate got a fat boy)

me i like old old old indians !!!!

[Do Lee]

Pat,
You can put the original Standard's Pacifico on the Special but there are a couple things that need to be done.

1. The upper bracket will have to be shimmed between 1/2" to 1" for hole alignment with the lower bracket. Tighten lower bracket to frame, adjust the upper bracket with washers to align the upper bracket and lower bracket bolt holes as well as to true up the upper and lower brackets. Get the front and rear of upper bracket measuring the same distance to the front and rear of the lower bracket. This will get the fairing pretty level on the bike for good aerodynamics.

2. If you are going to use the Special's 3.6 gallon tank the standard bolts for securing the fairing will work fine. If you use a Standard's 5.4 gallon tank then the bolt heads will need to be grinded down some to prevent the gas tank from resting on the bolt heads or use an allen head bolt. When I install my Standard tank on my bike the bolts heads cut into the paint on the tank. I modified the bolt heads by grinding off about 1/2 of the heads thickness.