I finally fabricated a permanent instrument panel, something I had been struggling to make both functional and reasonably attractive. The process required a number of iterations, and what I ended up with is overly convoluted, yet crude. In other words, it’s perfectly in keeping with this bike’s mojo.
Since the original CT70 knockoff speedometer I’d bought off Amazon was so horrendously inaccurate, I tossed it and mounted a used Suzuki GZ250 speedometer that I had originally purchased for Bultakenstein about 2-1/2 years ago. It should share the same 2240:60 ratio with the Honda VTR250 Interceptor front wheel, so I expect it to be at least acceptably accurate. (But I expected the CT70 gauge to work, too.) Fortunately, I have a suction-mount GPS speedo I can use for verification.
I added a “wing” outboard of the key switch to hold my velco-backed battery-operated tach. If I am able to get the CVT tuning and gearing set so that the engine doesn’t exceed ≈4000 RPM in normal operation, I can then remove the tach and cut off that extra section of plate to the right of the key switch. Or I’ll just leave it.
The ignition switch is an automotive style unit, with the starter motor wired to a turn-to-start momentary key position, rather than a separate handlebar button. It’s very large, with big terminal posts sticking out the back. You can see in the inset photo below what it looked like when it was temporarily mounted without the cover. It’s so big that there was no way to tuck it discreetly behind the headlight shell, where it should logically go. The least objectionable placement I could find for it still left the whole ugly mess in full view.
I rolled a round cover out of flat alloy to hide most of it. There’s a flange around the bottom of the switch body, so I rolled a bead in my cover for clearance. That worked well, locking it nicely into place once I tighten the hose clamp. It’s not beautiful, but it’s better than nothing. I might polish it up at some point in the future, but I’m okay if that never happens.
The only remaining step left now is re-wiring the speedometer light and indicator lights into the electrical harness. The old Trail 70 speedometer housing had two indicators for the turn signals, but this one does not. I cannibalized the separate Suzuki turn signal indicator and mounted it in the panel that holds the key switch. Since I will now have only one indicator, an inline diode kit is required to keep the LED turn signals functioning properly.
