Koso D64 Speedo installation.
Having seen the Koso D64 installation done on a couple of NC30s (notably on Jamboy’s OKI bike) I decided that I really liked the clean installation look of it and how it still maintained the overall OEM style, but with newer functionality and night visibility. So off a shopping I went to digitalspeedos.co.uk and ordered myself a D64 gauge.
Having spoken to Jon there to clarify which one I needed for the NC30, I also went for a “type f for black plug models mechanical to digital converter”. You can use magnetic pickups of the front disc but I didn’t want the extra cables wrapped around the forks – so went for the M to D converter option, and Jon at Digital Speedos said he would simply swap that over with the standard magnetic pickups the Speedo normally comes with – free of charge. Nice bloke
Sometime in the past, when I had started to horde bits for a build project, I had managed to pick up a very tidy speedo with a completely unmarked housing. I had originally intended to just use this as it was, or just swap the KMHh face with the MPH one I have lying around somewhere, but decided I would use it for the Koso gauge instead.
This is a pretty simple modification which requires just a couple of screwdrivers, a drill and a dremmel (or such like), so I thought I would take some pics along the way and do a bit of a write up....
Firstly start by removing the original internals from your speedo. This is not difficult and just requires a screwdriver for the screws holding the front and rear elements of the case together, for removing the existing cable drive housing and don’ t forget the little screw inside the trip meter reset knob.
Not difficult at all and very quickly you will end up with three bits. The two halves of the speedo casing (front and rear) and the internals themselves...
Put the internals away somewhere safe as you never know – you might want it someday. Then turn your attention to the casings.
My initial plan was to house the new speedo in the old casing using foam rubber to hold it steady and stop it rattling around.
A bit more trimming up and a couple of levels of foam and the speedo was well and truly housed in the front part of the speedo housing.
A quick measure of the new speedo mounting bolts for the new holes that would be required in the rear housing....
This was transferred to the rear speedo casing ...
..and new holes of 5.5mm were drilled
As the rear part of the speedo housing fits inside the front part (like a sleeve) it would no longer fit in due to the foam rubber I was using around the gauge. I was planning on trimming the rear sleeve portion down with a dremmel and a cutting disc so it could fit flush again at the back with just enough of the sleeve portion left to fit snug against the foam inserts.
It was at this point I realised that this would not be enough as there were two mouldings inside the rear housing that would catch on the body of the new speedo preventing it from sitting flush to the rear casing, and would need to be removed also.
The silver things you can see are the diffusers / reflectors for the light bulbs. These pull of very easily and reveal the plastic mouldings underneath. The white lining also pulls out easily and it was out with the dremmel but now to remove the mouldings.
The elongated, rather phallic looking, hole on the left was intentional, as this would later provide access to the setting buttons.
Having removed the light mouldings that were stopping the new speedo from fitting flush into the back of the speedo housing, I did a test fit and it was so impressed with the secure fit, I decided to get rid of all the foam in the front portion of the speedo and just secured the Koso gauge using the two mounting bolts in the rear. This also meant no requirement to cut down the ‘sleeve’ portion on the rear half of the housing.
This picture also shows why I elongated the hole at the top (created removing the bulb holder moulding) so I could access the setting buttons on the back of the Koso gauge. Although it should be pretty well protected in the nosecone, I will put a wrap of tape or something around the housing before I fit it to the bike, just to minimise the open aperture and help prevent any water ingress.
And the finished article from the business end..
That was back in about 2013 and once finished the gauge went away to join the rest of my growing stash of bits. Well today having got the clock and light brackets back amongst the pile of powder coated bits yesterday, today was spent rebuilding the lights and clocks.
Just for comparison….old clocks;
and new clocks with the Koso dial fitted;
..and finally fitted to the bike;
