Keeping a track of engine run time is essential for maintaining your motorcycle. Here our Tech Ed Mat Boyd shows you how to fit an hour metre.
Some manufacturers incorporate an hour meter into the dash display and others it is recorded in the ECU which requires a computer or a phone app to check. There are even a few manufacturers that don’t give you any means of checking the motorcycles runtime at all. For those bikes we recommend fitting an aftermarket hour meter like this States MX hour meter from Link International to accurately keep track of your motorcycles runtime for servicing intervals. Here’s how to fit an hour metre.
#1TANK OFF
Firstly you will need to remove the bikes fuel tank and seat to gain access to the coil lead. Then disconnect the coil lead from the motorcycle and sit it to the side of the bike so you can access it easily.
#2 IT’S A WRAP
Some coil leads are covered in a protective outer layer, if this is the case then you will need to take a razor blade and cut a section of it away. If they are not then wrap the inductive wire that comes in the hour meter kit around the coil lead at least six times.
#3 TAPE IT UP
Once you have wrapped the inductive lead around the coil lead, take some electrical tape and tape the inductive lead tightly into place. The hour meter comes with two cable ties to do this but I find they can come loose and the electrical tape is more reliable.
#4 RUN THE WIRE
Now it’s time to run the wire to the location of where you will mount the hour meter. There is an optional mount for these hour meters but personally I like to fit the hour meter in the airbox so it is away from water or any flying objects that can smash it or cause it damage.
#5 SECURE THE WIRE
Once you have the wire in position, use cable ties to secure it into place. You can cable tie it to the existing wiring harness or to the frame rails but be careful not to secure it to anything that gets hot or moves.
#6 CONNECT TO THE METER
Now you will need to take a flat blade screw driver and press the inductive wire into the slot in the back off the hour meter and then trim off any excess.
#7 LOCK IT IN EDDIE
Use a pair of cable ties and secure the hour meter in place. There is also a set of screws that come in the kit but I do not recommend screwing the hour meter into any frame components. You could also use double sided tape to secure the hour meter in position if you wish.
#8 CHECK YOUR WORK
Once the hour meter is fitted in position, start the bike and there will be an icon on the screen that will flash if the hour meter is working correctly and the hour meter will accrue time on the display screen.
DO’S
- Always secure the inductive lead tightly.
- Fit the hour meter somewhere it won’t impede moving parts.
- Press the inductive lead firmly into the back of the hour meter and trim off any excess.
DON’TS
- Drill or screw the hour meter to any frame components.
- Pull the wiring too tight.
- Allow the inductive wire to touch anything hot.
TOOLS:
Wire cutters, cable ties, screw driver, electrical tape, T-bars
WARNING:
If the wire for the hour meter is not fitted correctly it could impede moving parts or not work correctly.
WHAT DOES AN HOUR METER DO?
An hour meter fitted to a motorcycle displays runtime so you can accurately keep track of service intervals. The reason we don’t use kilometres on dirtbikes is because you could spend five hours in the bush to travel less than 150km. Five hours of runtime would warrant an oil change but 150km would not. This is the reason we monitor runtime rather than kilometres travelled.